considering switching to dubia's

[dolfun55]

Hey everyone!

I been doing some research and I am considering switching my girl over to dubia's.
I am wondering what you all think about that.

Are they really better than crickets/mealworms..cleaner etc?

I am not really interested in breeding them. Roaches really give me the creeps but I am willing to give them to Lucy as a staple.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

[Jordycakes]

Buying them will cost alot more than breeding your own, but i dont know what your prices are like in the US but here in the UK breeding is the smarter thing too do, there much better than crickets! i find crickets dirty horrid things, what i do is feed all of mine lobster roaches and keep a bowl of mealies in with them so they have the choice, i know lobster are different to dubias but both can be use as a staple so i would use dubias there great feeders and i will soon be moving to them over my lobsters!

 

[B&B Geckos]

From one of previous posts: Dubia roaches offer twice the protein value of crickets, they have proportionately less exoskeleton...more meat, a higher calcium to phosphorus ratio than crickets, and the longest intestinal track to gut load.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

If your gecko will eat dubia roaches, then it'll possibly be the best change you'll make for both you and your gecko. I know roaches creep most people out, it creeped me out initially. But once switched, I got used to them, and now they're my favorite feeders and yes I did start breeding them to save money. Dubia roaches are as good as people say, they don't smell, don't fly, don't climb smooth walls, don't jump, don't make noises...and they're very easy to breed. They're healthy low fat, high protein nutritious feeder, easy to gut-load.

I would suggest that you buy a small amount to try first, make sure your gecko will eat them. That's the most important thing. You don't want to buy 100 of them, then have your gecko not eat them and now you've got to kill 100 roaches. If your gecko takes to them, then I would suggest buying 50-100 next time, and start a colony so you don't have to spend the money to buy them after a few months. Roach breeders tell you to feed dog/cat food, I'd strongly recommend against that. Not only are there too many chemicals and artificial fillers in dog/cat food, but high protein diet for roaches is actually harmful. It causes them to build-up uric acid, which could cause gout for your geckos. Just feed fresh veggies, fruit, and oat bran cereal.

Hope that helps

 

[dolfun55]

I keep hearing that breeding is the way to go. I just dont know if that is for me. Seems like it could be time consuming.
Crickets are def noisey, dirty etc!

Thanks a bunch for the info!

 

[dolfun55]

VERY helpful indeed!! I'm not sold on breeding. Seems time consuming and icky but I will give it some thought.
I am def going to order a few and see if my Lucy girl is interested in them. Cross your fingers..its sounds like they are way better for her!

Thanks a ton for all the great info!!

 

[indyana]

I just recently started a colony. I'm basically taking the lazy breeder's method--I bought a good sized mixed batch, and if they start breeding, yay. I like them very much so far. They are not smelly and do not need to be cleaned often. I basically just put in food every few days. I'm using Bug Burger to do food/water and I give them some fresh veggies 1-2 times per week.

My gecko loves them, but that's not saying much because he has eaten absolutely everything I've tried thus far.

The only complaint I have regarding the dubia roaches is that collecting them is nowhere as easy as collecting crickets. I shake the egg crates, and only a couple fall off. They have a very strong grip! I've taken to snapping up ones the right size with tongs. Also, they are very fast, so be quick and always work over a bowl/bin so one doesn't get loose. It probably wouldn't survive long, but I don't like the idea of one running around my house.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

VERY helpful indeed!! I'm not sold on breeding. Seems time consuming and icky but I will give it some thought.
I am def going to order a few and see if my Lucy girl is interested in them. Cross your fingers..its sounds like they are way better for her!

Thanks a ton for all the great info!!

Yup that's the key, first make sure your gecko will like them

The reason I think you'll end up breeding them is that for many, once you start to use dubia roaches, you'll find that you inevitably get some that outgrow your geckos. They'll become adults and be too large to be fed to your geckos. So whether you like it or not, you may be breeding them before you even realize you are :main_yes: But it'll come naturally, you'll see that there's no special care when it comes to breeding them, they should thrive and breed on their own provided proper food & moisture.

But first thing first, get a small sample to see if your gecko will like them yucky roaches first.

 

[Phantom240]

I ordered 50 dubia for mine. Dunno if she likes em, lol. It was the smallest amount I could get. Also, I have 200 phoenix worms coming as well for the same vendor. Hopefully she likes both, and I won't have to get any more feeders for a while.