Also known as Guyana orange spotted cockroaches, Dubia roaches are among the most common insects used as a source of food for various pet reptiles and zoo animals.
Usually, Dubia roaches are delivered by suppliers in humongous containers in large quantities; however, they can be pretty interesting to breed as well.
But to breed them successfully, you need to ensure that you provide them with maximum care and support for their growth.
In the below-mentioned article, today, we will discuss everything you need to know about breeding Dubia roaches faster.
So keep scrolling to find out more.
Why is There a Need for Breeding Dubia roaches?
Dubia roaches are one of the species of roaches that won’t be found at your home, unlike other roaches.
They are not easy to keep at home; but, at the same time, it’s of great benefit to the person who eats them and breeds them.
Some of the needs to breed Dubia roaches are:
- Protein: Out of all roaches, Dubia roach provides the maximum protein when eaten. At about 22%, Dubia roaches are nearly at the top of the list. That means on a dry matter basis; this roach is 54% protein.
- They won’t Infest your Home: Breeding of Dubia roaches won’t affect your house in any way.
- Nutrition Density: The nutrition density amongst this roach is the highest.
- Vitamins and Minerals: It contains vitamins and minerals.
- All–around Nutrition: It will provide all-around nutrition to the reptiles and the human who eats it.
- They Don’t Smell: Breeding the roaches at your home will also not smell.
What is Dubia Roaches Breeding Kit?
As Dubia roaches are different from others, there’s a special kit required for breeding; a proper colony must be made for proper breeding of these roaches.
Dubia roach breeding kit includes numerous things such as:
- Lids
- Screen, glue or tape
- Heat
- Harborage
- Water bowl, the substrate
- Food bowl, food
- Thermometer
- Hygrometer
- Electronic thermostat
All things (some are optional) are required to make a good and effective Dubia roach colony at home; it will provide better and productive results.
Dubia Roaches Breeding Setup
As Dubia roaches require special care; there is a need for proper Dubia roaches setup in order to properly breed the roaches.
You will need the following for Dubia roach breeding colony:
- A heat source is required to provide heat to your Dubia roach colony.
- A plastic bin or container to store the Dubia roach colony.
- Egg crates or other materials in order to provide a suitable surface for the females to give birth.
Put all of the above together and you will have the perfect setup for breeding of your Roaches.
Food and water bowl can be kept after the Dubia roach breeding setup is successfully done.
How to Breed Dubia Roaches Faster
Dubia roaches may not breed properly if the proper environment is not given to them. So here are some ways to make your Dubia roaches breed faster:
- Proper heat sources should be kept to make Dubia roaches breed faster. You can use a reptile mat, hot water heaters in order to provide the optimal temperatures for the Dubia roaches to grow.
- It would help if you fed your Dubia roaches daily. You can use different foods available for the roaches, such as grapes, carrots, or any of the food sources available for the roaches to eat. Make sure to time change the food materials. Mold will kill your colony.
- Always use dried water crystals or water gel to provide a water source to your roaches. Standing water will create too much moisture and will, in turn, promote mold growth. This increased the chances of mold growth and increased drowning.
- Cleanliness is the main criteria for this colony to grow. So, clean your Dubia colony at least 1 time every 2 weeks in order to make it mold-free and healthy.
How Fast do Dubia Roaches Breed?
Dubia roaches live on an average of about 16 months to 2 years; there are many other factors involved, but this the average according to different experiences of the people breeding them.
The female Dubia roach tends to live more than the male Dubia roaches by few extra months.
The females Dubia roaches have approximately 15-40 baby nymph roaches on average.
They almost give birth to live nymphs every 28 days after reaching adulthood which can take about 6-7 months.
An adult female Dubia roach give birth around 9 times during its life span.
Why aren’t my Dubia Roaches Breeding?
There can be several reasons due to which the Dubia roaches aren’t breeding properly; some of the reasons can be:
- No proper Environment: If the proper place and right conditions are not provided to the insect, it won’t reproduce and die. Proper conditions are to be provided to get the best results. They surely won’t exist at all if they are failed to breed. The first thing to consider if your roaches aren’t breeding is to look around their environment.
- May take Time: The results may take time, and there may be nothing wrong with your breeding; the reason for this is the Dubia roach reproductive cycle.
- Inadequate Heat: The colony may not have the proper heating conditions. It is suggested to maintain a consistent temperature between 80ºF and 90ºF.
- Inadequate Food: The food provided to the colony may not be enough. The food should be adequately provided according to the population of the roaches. It is advised to change the food after a short span of time.
- Inadequate Humidity: The humidity which is provided to the Dubia roaches may not be adequate. Thus causing a problem in the breeding of the roaches.
- Too Many Males: One of the reasons can be the excess of male Dubia roaches. It tends to eat the younger Dubia roaches.
These can be some reasons which act as a barrier in order to provide the perfect breeding.
For more effective and better results, keep all the things in mind before breeding the Dubia roaches.
Final Words
In the end, it can be concluded that breeding Dubia roaches can be really beneficial; a proper breeding kit, and decent colony setup should be done in order to get the best results.
There can be several reasons why your roaches might not be breeding properly; you need to pay adequate attention to ensure that you are getting all the details right in order to set up a successful roach colony.
Ensure that you make proper arrangements on how to house them, feed them, and provide them with an overall suitable environment to thrive.
If you have any further questions on how to breed and care for Dubia roaches, reach out to us in the comments below.