Does your reptile or other exotic pet love dubias? Want to learn how to store your dubia roaches properly? You’ve come to the right place!
Keeping your dubias happy and healthy will help maintain the high nutritional value of your feeder roaches. It will also help keep all your roaches alive until feeding time, so you get the most value for your money. And best of all, you’ll have happier, healthier pets!
Let’s learn how to store dubia roaches properly, including short-term keeping and setting up a breeding colony. Don’t worry; it’s easier than you might think!
How to Store Dubia Roaches for Short Term Use
Waiting to feed a small number of Dubia roaches to your reptile pals or need a temporary home for them while you’re prepping a habitat? Read on for our best tips on how to store dubia roaches for a few days to a week or so.
Step 1: Choose a habitat for your roaches. At The Bug Shed, we pack most orders in deli cups. If you know you are going to feed your bugs off to your reptile right away, it’s OK to keep them in these cups until use. Just be sure to give them some nutritious fresh produce for hydration and gut loading.
If you plan to keep your roaches around for a few days to a couple of weeks, we recommend our Bug Keeper dubia enclosure. This popular product is a ventilated habitat designed to keep a small number (up to 100 or 200 depending on size) of dubia roaches comfortable until feeding time. You can also use any shoebox-sized container with a lid; just be sure to poke air holes if needed.
Step 2: Prepare the habitat. Before transferring your Dubia roaches to the Bug Keeper, make sure it’s ready for them. Place some egg cartons or paper towel rolls inside for hiding spots. Then add some food, and they’ll be happy. (Check out our blog on how to feed dubia roaches for suggestions.) A small dish of water gel is a nice touch for hydration, but if you don’t have access to water gel, don’t worry. Your roaches can get all the moisture they need from fresh fruits and veggies.
Step 3: Add your roaches. If your dubias have arrived in deli cups, it’s a simple matter to pour them right into the Bug Keeper. If your roaches have arrived in boxes or bags, you will need to shake them carefully into your container. If this is too awkward, shake them into a larger smooth-sided container such as a large mixing bowl or cooking pot first, then pour them into your Bug Keeper.
Step 4: Maintenance. Dubia roaches are low-maintenance critters, but they still need some TLC. If you are using water gel, check it regularly and replace it if it starts to dry out. Remove and replace uneaten produce daily.
No guide on how to store dubia roaches would be complete without mentioning hygiene. From time to time you will need to clean your dubia roach storage container. To learn how to do this without touching a single roach, check out our blog Clean Your Dubia Roach Container in 5 Easy Steps.
How to Store Dubia Roaches for Longer Term or Larger Amounts
If you are not planning to start a breeding colony and want to store your roaches for more than a few days to a week—or if you have a larger number (more than 200) of roaches to store—here are a few dubia roach storage tips to keep your dubias strong and healthy.
Give Them More Room
We love our Bug Keepers, and so do our customers! But these handy dubia roach storage containers are designed for small numbers of roaches. Specifically, that means up to 200 3/8-1/2″ or smaller roaches, no more than 100 1/2″-5/8″, and 50 or less of larger dubia nymphs.
If you are keeping larger quantities, or if you are pushing the upper limits of these numbers and want to store them for more than a week or so, you’ll want to find a larger container. Fortunately, this is not hard. Any sturdy plastic tote with a lid will do the trick. Be sure to ventilate the lid by drilling small holes in it or cutting a large hole and covering it with screen. (Screen is a good idea because it will help keep fruit flies out of the enclosure.)
Equip your roach storage container with egg cartons for hiding, and food and hydration options as described above. This should keep your dubias happy for weeks to months, depending on how long you want to keep them alive.
How to Store Dubia Roaches of Different Sizes
Some of our customers regularly order multiple sizes of feeder roaches. For example a person might order both our 1/4″-3/8″ and 5/8″-1/2″ roaches at the same time.
While it might be tempting to dump these all in together to save space, we don’t recommend it. Larger dubia roach nymphs will sometimes eat the smaller ones. Instead, we highly recommend maintaining a separate enclosure for each size roach.
How to Store Dubia Roaches for Breeding
Creating a breeding colony of Dubia roaches allows you to have a constant supply of feeders for your pets. Plus, it’s pretty cool to see these little critters multiply! If you have been wondering how to store dubia roaches for breeding purposes, you’re in the right place. Here’s how to do it:
Choose an Appropriate Enclosure: For a breeding colony, you’ll need a larger and more permanent enclosure. A plastic storage bin with ventilation holes and a secure lid works great. Make sure it’s escape-proof; you don’t want your roaches going on an adventure through your house!
We use the 27 gallon size tote for a starter colony of about 250 males and females. You could use a smaller tote for a smaller colony. But even if you are starting out with fewer roaches you might want to consider going with this size because their numbers will start to grow!
Create Hiding Spots: Provide your roaches with plenty of hiding spots and climbing opportunities. This is essential to minimize cannibalism. Egg cartons are perfect for this purpose. We use egg flats designed for commercial egg production, stacked on edge.
Substrate or no substrate? Dubia roaches like to dig and burrow, so some people like to add a 1 to 2-inch layer of substrate such as coconut fiber or plain peat moss to the bottom of the enclosure. It doesn’t hurt to do this, but we don’t actually recommend it as it can make it harder to sort the roaches. Don’t worry, skipping the substrate won’t bother your dubias as long as they have enough places to hide.
Feeding and Watering: Good nutrution is essential for a breeing colony. We use a proprietary grain blend as our primary feed, but for small numbers of roaches, commercially available roach chow is recommended. Keep a consistent supply available in the enclosure at all times. Additionally, offer fresh fruits and vegetables for added nutrition. As for water, on days that you don’t give them moist produce you can use water crystals or a shallow dish with a sponge, so your roaches can drink without drowning.
Temperature and Humidity: Maintain a warm and humid environment for your breeding colony. Aim for a temperature of around 90°F (32°C) and a humidity level of 40-50%. You can use a heat mat and a hygrometer to monitor these conditions. A simple way to keep humidity up is to use a spray bottle to mist the inside of the enclosure once or twice a day.
Maintenance: It is essential to keep your colony environment clean. Cleaning your breeding tub every month or so will help prevent infestations of fruit flies, buffalo beetles, cellar spiders, and other critters. It will also help you keep an eye on how well your colony is producing.
To clean a breeding colony and separate out your young roahes for feeding, you will also need sorting equipment. Read our blog on sorting dubia roaches to learn how to sort dubias using the bucket method. Gold panning trays work well, too!
How to Store Dubia Roaches: Proper Temperature and Moisture Requirements
Whether you’re storing Dubia roaches short-term or managing a breeding colony, temperature and moisture play a crucial role in their well-being.
Temperature: Dubia roaches thrive in warm temperatures. Keep them in an environment where it’s around 85-90°F (29-32°C) to ensure their activity levels and breeding success. If you don’t enjoy living in a tropical environment, we highly suggest using heat tape under your roach enclosure. Be sure to follow manufacturer’s instructions closely to prevent accidental fire.
Moisture: Roaches need moisture to stay hydrated and live a healthy life. Using water gel, water crystals, or shallow dishes with sponges are all excellent methods to provide water to your roaches. You can also mist the interior of the enclosure with a sprayer. Just be sure it doesn’t get too soggy, as excess moisture can lead to mold growth.
Now That You Know How to Store Dubia Roaches the Right Way…
With these handy tips, you’re well on your way to becoming a Dubia roach expert! These little fellas not only make great feeders for your reptiles and other insect-loving pets, they are also fascinating to observe.
Whether you’re storing them short-term or setting up a breeding colony, proper care is the key to a thriving roach population. Remember to check out the Bug Keeper dubia enclosure for short-term housing – it’s a real game-changer!
Now that you’ve learned how to store dubia roaches properly, enjoy your time with these fantastic little critters, and happy bug-keeping!
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