How to Take Care of Live Dubia Roaches

November 14 2020

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First, dubia roaches are probably not what you think they are. Dubia roaches are not the same as dirty cockroaches. Even though you might think dubia roaches are disgusting, they provide as much nutrition as five crickets for your reptile. They are a great alternative to crickets because they can live 12-18 months, while crickets live about 9 weeks. They also don’t smell as bad as crickets.

Habitat

You will need a place to keep your roaches. Temporary fish holding containers work great because they have a lid so the dubias won't escape. A good one is the imagitarium temporary holding habitat. You can also get a tupperware container and drill holes in the lid. You will also need tongs to take the dubias out of the container. The best tongs are the Thrive Reptile Stainless Steel Feeding Tongs. They don’t fall apart like some other ones do.

Substrate

Dubia roaches like to bury themselves, so you will need substrate. You can use newspaper, wood pellets, or coconut fiber. The best choice is wood pellets. They are often used in rabbit cages. You can find them at almost any pet store. Also, put in some egg crates to provide hiding places for the roaches.

Food

You will need to feed your dubias everyday. Put a few pieces of Fluker's Orange Cube in the roach container everyday and take out the dried up pieces.