Sorting Small, Large, and Medium Dubia Roaches

Why “Medium” Dubia Roaches Aren’t Always What You Think

Let’s say you just got a bearded dragon, and you decide to treat them with some dubia roaches. You’d think it would be easy to pick the right size, and you settle on “medium” dubias, assuming they will suit your pet just fine.

But think about it: would you just order a shirt in size “medium” and trust it would be right for you? I think not. There are too many variations from one brand. To be sure of a good fit, you have to check the size charts. The same is true of dubia roaches.

There is NO standard sizing in the feeder insect industry. Each company has its own definition of sizes – and they can be WAY off from each other.

For example, we recently did a quick search for medium dubia roaches, and found the following sizes ALL listed as medium by different companies: 3/8″-1/2″, 3/8″-7/8″, 1/2″, 1/2″-3/4″, 5/8″-3/4″, and 3/4″. We stopped there, but most likely a continued search would have revealed even more size variations between dubia roach companies.

Clearly, ordering “medium dubia roaches” is a crap shoot at best!

To prevent disappointment and make sure you get the exact size you need, we offer dubia roaches in measured sizes to cater to a wide array of exotic pets in every phase of their life.

In this blog, we introduce our dubia roach sizes, so you can choose the size you need with confidence. And, we’ll let you in on how you can separate them by size if you’re setting off to start your very own dubia colony.

Need Small, Large, or Medium Dubia Roaches? We Have the Exact Size You Need (Measured in Inches to Eliminate Confusion!)

We here at The Bug Shed like to do things a bit differently. Because of this, we’ve dispensed with the idea of small, large, and medium dubia roaches, and stick with actual sizes in inches.

Please familiarize yourself with our size options below:

• 1/4″ – 3/8″ dubias: These newly born dubias are enthusiastically snapped up by small lizards like geckos and anoles, tarantulas, and even frogs.
• 3/8″-1/2 dubias: You can feed this sized roach to any pet that would eat a small cricket, including: newly hatched beardies, small lizards like geckos and anoles, tree frogs, and other small exotic pets.
• 1/2″-5/8″dubias: These mid-sized dubias are excellent food sources for adult bearded dragons and other lizards, tarantulas, larger frogs, and exotic pets.
• 5/8”-3/4” dubias: This size is good for large bearded dragons and other large lizards, as well as other exotic pets.
• 3/4″-1″ dubias: These guys are preferred by keepers of larger exotic pets such as monitors and iguanas.
• Adult male dubias: From time to time we sell off extra male dubias as feeder insects. They typically measure around 1 1/2″ to 2″ long.

Do I Need to Separate My Dubias by Size if I Have My Own Colony?

That all depends on your situation.

If you’re currently raising dubias to feed juvenile reptiles, you will absolutely need to separate your dubia roaches by size to avoid any injuries to your pets.

Remember, large and even medium dubia roaches can be a choking hazard for young (or smaller) reptiles and amphibians.

We discussed determining the properly sized dubia for your pet in-depth in our blog, Reptile Food 101: Can’t-Miss Feeder Insect Safety Tips. Please review the information there before feeding any insect to your pets.

How Do You Sort Dubias By Size?

As mentioned in our blog, The Cheapest Place to Buy Dubia Roaches? we’ve designed and built several proprietary pieces of equipment exclusive to our operation. Our sorting implements are no exception.

We’re not going to divulge our exclusive process (it’s something we’ve worked quite hard at, and it’s one of the things that allows us to provide the best prices on dubias – including medium dubia roaches – anywhere). But I can tell you this – it’s super innovative (and no, unfortunately, it’s not the Sorting Hat from Harry Potter).

However, we won’t leave you guessing as to how you can separate your own small, large, and medium dubia roaches. Here’s a tried and true method that works great for smaller numbers of bugs.

How to Sort Dubia Roaches With the “Bucket Method”

The standard method of sorting dubias, also known as the “bucket method,” is widely used in the dubia breeding community. In fact, it is what we started our breeding colony with. If you’re looking to sort out dubias from your own colony by size, the bucket method is an excellent way to go.

Sorting dubias with the bucket method:

1. Get two to four clean five-gallon buckets (depending on how many sizes you need to separate your dubias by).
2. Drill holes in the bottom of the first bucket (you’ll want to choose a drill bit size that is slightly bigger than the roaches you want to separate).
3. Continue this process until you have all the sizes you’d like to separate out.
4. Take the buckets with holes and nest them with the largest holes on top and the smallest holes on the bottom with an intact bucket at the bottom.  
5. Gently pour the roaches from your breeding enclosure into the stack of buckets with the holes and lightly shake it around until all the smaller ones fall, or crawl, through into the bucket below.
6. The larger roaches will be too large to fit through the holes, allowing the smaller ones to fall into the next bucket down the line.
7. Eventually, your tiniest dubias will be left in the bottom bucket, medium dubia roaches will be somewhere in the middle, and the largest dubias will remain in the top bucket.

Well, It’s Sorted – Your Pet Needs Dubias Today

Now that we’ve sorted through all that, there’s one thing left to do. Determine the ideal-sized dubias for your pet, fill your cart, and place your order! Before you know it, your pet will be chasing down dubias with delight.