
Part 3 of 5: Feeding Your Roaches Download Article
- Mist the bin with water. Dubia roaches need humidity to survive. As long as the humidity stays above 40%, your roaches will do well.
- Place a water crystal dish in the bin. Water crystal dishes use a synthetic material that absorbs water.
- Add dry food. Roaches aren’t picky about what they’ll eat. ...
- Add fresh fruits and vegetables. These will provide additional vital nutrition for your roaches. You can use lettuce, carrots, bananas, and apples.
Can you feed feeder roaches instead of crickets?
Feeder roaches are a cheaper and easier alternative to crickets for feeding your insect-eating pets. Although roaches are generally hearty and can survive in many environments, to establish a breeding colony you’ll need to house your roaches in a dark environment that is warm and humid, and feed your roaches a good diet. Choose a roach species.
What do you feed cockroaches?
Sometimes people “dust” these foods with vitamin or mineral powders (like vitamin A or calcium) before offering them up to their roaches. On the other end of the spectrum you have fresh, raw foods like those found in the supermarket produce aisle.
What is the best Roach feeder to breed?
Choose a roach species. Dubia roaches, also called Guyana Orange-Spotted Roaches, are the easiest roaches feeder roaches to breed. They are hearty, fast-growing, and unable to climb up smooth surfaces. They are medium sized, so they can be fed to most animals.
What can I Feed my dubia roaches?
To the extent you can, provide your Dubia roaches with fresh fruits and vegetables. They are very healthy, and they’re part of the Dubia roach’s natural diet. In addition to satisfying their hydration needs, they also provide excellent nutrition. Remove any uneaten food remnants from the enclosure before mold forms.
What do roaches eat?
What do you use to raise roaches?
How many roaches can live in a cage?
Why do roaches need humidity?
How to keep roaches from drowning?
What temperature do roaches lay eggs?
How hot does it have to be for cockroaches to reproduce?
See more

How do you keep feeder roaches alive?
Offering water crystals or vegetables (such as potatoes or carrots) or both are excellent ways of keeping dubia roaches hydrated. The dishes prevent food and water from soaking into your roaches' droppings and surroundings. Do not just simply put a dish of water into the enclosure, as the roaches will drown.
What do you feed feeder Dubia roaches?
Some common, widely available foods that are good for Dubia roaches (and probably also for the animals that eat them) are oats, whole grain breads, cereal grains, apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, sweet potato, squash, and broccoli stalks.
What should I feed my cockroach?
Cockroaches are omnivores, which means they eat both plants and animals. They particularly like starches, sweets, greasy foods, and meats, but roaches are not picky eaters. They'll feast on almost anything that is derived from something that was once a living organism, such as plants and animals.
What do Dubia roaches drink?
It's giving your roaches nothing to “drink” but fresh fruits and vegetables. Some people find this surprising, but it shouldn't be. Dubia roaches in the wild get their hydration primarily from vegetation. As opportunistic feeders, they can consume much of the plant matter they come across in the rain forest.
What is the best thing to feed Dubia roaches?
Food selection Dubia roaches, therefore, eat almost anything you give them. In general, you can feed them with most vegetables and fruits, but also whole-grain bread, cereal grains, and oats. Roaches particular like oranges and other orange foods. However, don't feed them only oranges but use variation.
Can Dubia roaches eat fish flakes?
In captivity, people feed their Dubia many foods. On one end of the spectrum are highly processed substances like dog food, cat food, cereal, fish flakes, etc. Sometimes people “dust” these foods with vitamin or mineral powders (like vitamin A or calcium) before offering them up to their roaches.
Do roaches eat uncooked rice?
Roaches can easily chew through sealed food packets. Dry foods that contain sugar, starch, and flour are especially attractive to these critters. Throw out any bread, pasta, rice, or cereals, etc., if you see roaches or suspect they've gotten to the food.
Do cockroaches eat raw potatoes?
It's a well-known fact that cockroaches aren't fussy about what they eat. If you leave potatoes out, cockroaches will consume them. That's because they contain several nutrients that these pests need, including starch. Potatoes are best stored in a cool, dry place where they're exposed to air.
Do cockroaches eat lettuce?
Dubia cockroaches can be fed a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables but do not feed head lettuce. Instead stick with romaine and other leafy greens, as they are more nutritious.
How often should I feed my Dubia roaches?
Typically Dubia roaches can be fed once a day, and it's okay to skip a day every so often. To feed them, place large fruit and veggie slices or roach chow into a shallow bowl and place the bowl inside the tank or bin. Uneaten food should be removed at least every 48 hours if not 24.
How do you make Dubia Roach food?
2:3111:04HOW TO MAKE ROACH CHOW / Cockroach Food / Bug Grub 2020YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we're going to mix two-thirds. Rabbit food 1/3 Weetabix 1/3 and oats and we're going to mix itMoreSo we're going to mix two-thirds. Rabbit food 1/3 Weetabix 1/3 and oats and we're going to mix it all in blend it all together after with.
Can Dubia roaches eat cucumber?
i eat a ton of cucumbers and they always get at least a little piece. my other four hissers werent really crazy about them but as all my fellow roach enthusiasts know, they will eat them anyway lol. the dubia colony complex or almost completely devoured everything i put in there.
How do you make Dubia roach food?
2:3111:04HOW TO MAKE ROACH CHOW / Cockroach Food / Bug Grub 2020YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo we're going to mix two-thirds. Rabbit food 1/3 Weetabix 1/3 and oats and we're going to mix itMoreSo we're going to mix two-thirds. Rabbit food 1/3 Weetabix 1/3 and oats and we're going to mix it all in blend it all together after with.
How often should I feed my bearded dragon Dubia roaches?
Feeding Bearded Dragons A full grown bearded dragon can eat three to five Dubia roaches over the course of two to three feedings per day. In contrast, you'll need larger quantities of Dubia roaches for baby bearded dragons. They typically eat 25 to 50 of these insects per day and can be fed multiple times each day.
How do I feed my Dubia roaches to my bearded dragon?
3:1210:32Feeding Bearded Dragons Dubia Roaches - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAlright the reason we're going to name it Hiro is because first of all we want it to survive. AndMoreAlright the reason we're going to name it Hiro is because first of all we want it to survive. And live and second off this dragon right here is a 100% hat zero so it has the heterozygous trait to
Can I feed my Dubia roaches spinach?
Stay away from spinach, kale and broccoli too.
What do cockroaches eat?
In captivity, people feed their Dubia many foods. On one end of the spectrum are highly processed substances like dog food, cat food, cereal, fish flakes, etc.
What are some good foods to feed roaches?
Natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients among them. Like much of the fresh produce we feed our Dubia, apples are convenient roach cuisine because they’re available year-round. Some noteworthy advice about apples: Peel them before feeding them to your roaches.
Can roaches eat sweet potatoes?
Raw potatoes (particularly sweet potatoes) make excellent roach food. Potatoes (particularly sweet potatoes) are a nutritious source of calories for humans and animals alike. Roaches are no exception. If sweet potatoes are good enough for NASA (external link), they’re good enough for our roaches!
Do dubia roaches eat bananas?
Bananas are relatively inexpensive, they’re available year-round in the United States, and they’re high in the sugars Dubia roaches love. Their natural diet includes fruit, but often only if they’re lucky. There is little doubt that fruit contributes to good roach health.
Can dubia roaches eat fungi?
We don’t recommend feeding that stuff to your Dubia. They’re obviously not normal fare for roaches in captivity or in the wild. Dubia roaches evolved eating plant matter in various stages of decay, fungi, and probably dead insects and small animal carcasses they stumbled upon.
Do dubia need roaches?
To thrive, Dubia need all the usual tropical roach accommodations. These include appropriate amounts of heat, humidity, and darkness. However, these elements are more or less binary. Roaches either get what they need, or they don’t. Nutrition is different.
Do roaches like carrots?
Dubia roaches love beets & carrots! Carro ts and beets contain a range of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, fiber, sugars, and moisture. They are an important staple of our Dubia roach diet for several reasons. First, our roaches like them…a lot.
How to breed feeder roaches?
If you want to breed feeder roaches, start by placing them inside a plastic bin with holes for ventilation, and egg crates for them to breed in. Additionally, use a heating pad to keep the temperature in the bin around 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the ideal temperature for breeding .
How to keep roaches out of the house?
1. Obtain two plastic bins with lids. Choose bins that are at least 18” x 18” x 18” in size. Large plastic storage tubs are ideal containers since they provide darkness for the roaches and have smooth sides that the roaches cannot climb. The second bin is for storing your roaches when you clean the first bin.
How to get rid of roaches in a roach trap?
Using gloves, remove the lid from the first bin and lift the harborage. Tap the harborage into the second bin, removing any roaches. Remove the food and water dishes from the first bin and hold the first bin over the second bin to transfer the roaches.
How often do roaches breed?
Let your roaches breed. Healthy female roaches will produce between twenty-five and thirty nymphs (baby roaches) every six-to-eight weeks. Any new females that are born will mate and begin to bear their own nymphs within seventy days.
What are some good breeder roaches?
Other roach species, such as Blatta lateralis and Blaberus, are also good breeder roaches, but dubia roaches are easier to breed. Dubia roaches (and other kinds of roaches) can be purchased at most stores that sell reptiles.
What is the easiest roach to breed?
Dubia roaches, also called Guyana Orange-Spotted Roaches, are the easiest roaches feeder roaches to breed. They are hearty, fast-growing, and unable to climb up smooth surfaces. They are medium sized, so they can be fed to most animals.
What is the best place to hide roaches?
Harborage is just places for your roaches to hide and breed. Egg crates make the ideal harborage as they contain many ridges and degrade very slowly. You can also use toilet paper rolls, newspaper, or other cardboard or paper products. Place the harborage into the plastic bins.
What is a red runner roach?
December 17, 2020. Red runner roaches are also known as Rusty Reds and Turkestan Roaches. Although they’re a pest species in the southwest USA, Middle East, and central Asia, they are also a common feeder insect for exotic pets, and make a quiet... Read more.
What is a dubia roach?
What are Dubia Roaches? Dubia roaches (Blaptica dubia) are also known as orange-spotted roaches, the Guyana spotted roach, and the Argentinian wood roach. These are a medium-sized type of cockroach native to Central and South America. Dubias are one of...
What is a mealworm?
What are Mealworms? Mealworms are the larvae of the Tenebrio molitor darkling beetle. They look very similar to superworms, which are also a type of darkling beetle, but in fact they are two entirely different species! Mealworms are a popular...
Do dubia roaches have mold?
Dubia roaches are cleaner and more odor free than other similar feeders such as crickets. Even so, there is some potential for decay or mold in a Dubia roach enclosure. This could be due to death of some of the...
Red Runner Roach (Blatta lateralis)
Ranges from 1/8” as newborn nymphs to 1” adults. Comparable to crickets.
Lobster Roach (Nauphoeta cinerea)
Specific data not available. However, one paper suggests that lobster roach nutrition is comparable to that of the American cockroach.
What do mealworms eat?
Provide mealworms dry food such as bread (whole-wheat) or bran, and give them a fresh piece of apple or carrot every other day. Please don’t provide food with much moisture to prevent the growth of mould. Only give them new food when the previous portion is wholly eaten.
What is the best food for crickets?
A healthy diet makes crickets a healthy food source. Fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal as a food source and also provide water for them —for example; Potatoes, carrots, broccoli, romaine lettuce, apples. Avoid feeding them citrus, banana, kale, iceberg lettuce, watermelon, and nightshade.
How to house crickets?
Best is to house them in a plastic container or a cricket pen. Make sure you use a lid because crickets can jump pretty well and would otherwise escape. When you use a plastic container, you’ll need to make ventilation holes and cover them with fine metal mesh.
What do locusts eat?
Locusts eat grasses, so it would be best to feed them grass daily. When not available bamboo can also be used. You could also greenery. You need to figer out what greenery the locusts eat, if it is not sprayed or poisenous. Locusts are sensitive for chemicals.
How to keep superworms from growing mould?
Provide the superworms dry food such as bread (whole-wheat) or bran, and give them a fresh piece of apple or carrot every other day. Don’t provide food with much moisture to prevent the growth of mould. Only give them new food when the previous portion is wholly eaten.
How to house earthworms?
Earthworms need to be housed in a dark place. Best would be to use a small plastic box and add some soil in it. Don’t use soil that is heavily fertilized.
How to keep a squid in the refrigerator?
Recommend to house them in a cool area, preferably a refrigerator, at a temperature between 5°C and 7°C to keep them for a longer time in the larvae form. When not kept in the refrigerator, keep them out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight may cause rapid transformation into pupae or overheating, which in case of overheating will result in death.
What do roaches eat?
Some common, widely available foods that are good for Dubia roaches (and probably also for the animals that eat them) are oats, whole grain breads, cereal grains, apples, oranges, bananas, carrots, sweet potato, squash, and broccoli stalks.
What do you feed a dubia roach?
Fresh fruits & vegetables. To the extent you can, provide your Dubia roaches with fresh fruits and vegetables. They are very healthy, and they’re part of the Dubia roach’s natural diet. In addition to satisfying their hydration needs, they also provide excellent nutrition.
How long can a dubia roach go without water?
Clean and replace the water dish every few days before it dries out, or before mold starts to grow. Dubia roaches can go a long time without water, but it’s probably not very healthy for them. Nutritional Note: If you plan to feed off the roaches within a few weeks, water quality may not be critical.
Why do roaches need lids?
Lids are often unnecessary because Dubia roaches can’t climb smooth surfaces. However, in addition to keeping things in, lids also keep things out. This may come in handy if you have pets or people who may want to check out your roaches. Also remember that Dubia roaches can climb lightly scuffed surfaces.
How do roaches survive?
Dubia roaches can survive a long time without food. They also have specialized bacteria in their guts that allow them to eat items with almost no nutritional value like paper and cotton. This is certainly not ideal with respect to their health, but they can do it. Since these are feeders, and because Dubia roaches can live on almost anything, focus on supporting the nutritional needs of the end consumer rather than the roach. The end consumer, of course, is your animal. Because Dubia roaches can eat almost anything, almost anything you give them will keep them alive. Healthy foods like fruits and vegetables will keep them strong, and they help keep the animals that feed on them strong and healthy too.
What dish can roaches use?
A dish that all the roaches can use is one with a short lip that they can step over, or with textured sides they can climb.
How to keep roaches healthy?
Whether for growth or to maintain the health of their Dubia roaches, people often boost the holding container’s temperature with a supplemental heat source. Heat pads, tape, mats, or cable, ceramic heat emitters, and light bulbs are commonly used.
What do roaches need to survive?
Instead, your roach colony should rely on water crystals for a hydration source. A bowl full of water crystals will keep your roaches healthy without putting them in danger of mold or drowning, and is really the best thing there is for your colony’s success.
How to keep roaches from breeding?
Put a medium sized bowl in your roach colony, and keep it filled. If you have a lot of roaches, consider two smaller bowls, spaced out for easy access. Just be sure that your bowls are getting constantly replenished, as your roaches will grow and breed fastest if they get all the food they can eat.
What to do if roaches aren't reproducing?
If your roaches aren’t reproducing, make sure that they are getting enough chow. And whatever you do, be sure not to use a basic water bowl or leave moldy fruit in your colony, as the results are disastrous. Shop Dubia Roaches Today. ×.
How to make roach chow?
In preparing your chow, you will want to mix all of your ingredients together into one powder. Use a blender or food processor if you have one. Once you have prepared your chow, you will want to make sure that your roaches have a constant supply of the food source.
What to feed a dubia?
In addition to “roach chow,” you should provide your Dubias with a regular source of fruits and vegetables. This will make your roaches happier and healthier, as they are accustomed to getting some flora in their diet. Carrots are a great choice, as are apples, grapes, oranges, and bananas.
Can roaches drown?
First, roaches are very susceptible to drowning, especially your nymphs and smaller Dubias. Second, the presence of water which can be splashed and make a mess can lead to mold, which is disastrous for your colony and can wipe out all of your Dubias very quickly.
Can you buy roach chow?
Roach Chow can be bought or made. Roach Chow should be available to your roaches all the time. There are many different recipes that keepers make and for the most part, they are all provide good nutrition for your roaches. If you are interested in roach chow, we carry it here at ABDragons.
Step 1: Materials
Roaches aren't too demanding about their containers, but there are some important things you should consider like space, hiding places, food, water, humidity, and temperature. Materials -A plastic or glass container -A piece of cloth/mesh/netting -A reptile heating pad -Lots of hiding places (egg crate, toilet paper rolls, small boxes, crumpled newspaper, etc.) -Hot glue gun -Knife.
Step 2: Setting Up the Container
Cut a hole in the container, either on top or on the side. Then cut a piece of cloth/mesh/netting slightly larger. Glue the cloth/mesh/netting in place.
Step 3: Climate, Food, and Water
All roaches sold as feeders are tropical species, which means they usually come from warm, humid environments. Orange-Spotted roaches are one of them. In order for them to thrive and breed, they will require heat and humidity. To accomplish this, you'll need to buy a reptile heat mat.
Step 4: Buying the Roaches
Roaches are more expensive than crickets, but they are well worth the cost. If you plan to breed them, I recommend starting with no less than 100. And make sure you're given half adults, half nymphs. The adults for some reason breed easier when there are nymphs in the colony. When you get them home, make sure their container is ready to go.
Step 5: Telling Them Apart
Orange-spotted roaches are sexually dimorphic, which means the two genders have easily visible differences. Males Wings extend across entire back Usually smaller Thinner Females Extremely short wings. Don't extend beyond the first few segments. Usually larger Wider
Step 6: That's All, Folks!
Well, this ends my instructable. Message or comment with any questions.
What do roaches eat?
Roaches are omnivores, so they eat pretty much anything and everything. Everything from fruits and vegetables to grains are breads are eaten. Dried pet food is offered by many hobbyists and some species actually require this protein component for healthy growth and reproduction. One of the fun parts about keeping roaches is that you can experiment with offering them leftovers from your dinner table. Some people even keep roaches exclusively to reduce the amount of garbage that would otherwise end up in a landfill! Roaches can definitely compost your leftover dinner scraps. I'd recommend against offering them meat scraps, just because of the potential bacterial growth that might occur.
What do you use to raise roaches?
Pieces of bark or wood work great, but many hobbyists prefer to use disposable paper egg cartons. If you are raising small roaches of a glass/plastic climbing species, you will may want to rub a 2 inch layer of petroleum jelly around the upper area of the habitat.
How many roaches can live in a cage?
Up to 30 large adult roaches can live in a cage this size, if given ample layers of egg cartons. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are the most popular pet roach and are one of the largest species in the hobby (both in terms of length and weight/mass). A ten gallon glass aquarium from your local pet store could easily house several hundred cockroaches ...
Why do roaches need humidity?
Humidity: Humidity is doubly important for pet bugs. Roaches like to drink water and they need a bit of environmental humidity in their habitat when the time comes for them to shed their skin. Luckily, roaches have fewer problems molting than most other bugs.
How to keep roaches from drowning?
Water is offered to roaches in two common methods. A small, shallow water dish is preferred. A deep water dish may result in drown bugs. The addition of a few pebbles will help prevent drowning. If you don't want to spend the couple bucks for a nice looking water dish, any upside-down lid will do.
What temperature do roaches lay eggs?
In either case, a minimum of 75 degrees F and even ten degrees warmer are recommended for many species.
How hot does it have to be for cockroaches to reproduce?
However, adults of many species require temperatures above 80 degrees to reproduce. Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, for example, will usually not reproduce below 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit. As with most bugs, warmer temperatures and a good food supply mean faster growth.

Dubia Roach Diet: “Nature” vs. Captivity
Monday
- Bananas Ripe bananas make great Dubia food. And the riper, the better. Bananas are relatively inexpensive, they’re available year-round in the United States, and they’re high in the sugars Dubia roaches love. Their natural diet includes fruit, but often only if they’re lucky. There is little doubt that fruit contributes to good roach health. In fact, the more fruit the better – to a point, of cours…
Tuesday
- We has potatoes! Potatoes (particularly sweet potatoes) are a nutritious source of calories for humans and animals alike. Roaches are no exception. If sweet potatoes are good enough for NASA(external link), they’re good enough for our roaches! Even plain white potatoes are themselves nearly a “complete” food, believe it or not. They have most of the nutrients both hum…
Wednesday
- Beets & Carrots Carrots and beets contain a range of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, fiber, sugars, and moisture. They are an important staple of our Dubia roach diet for several reasons. First, our roaches like them…a lot. Second, they’re among the dozen or so foods that may actually improve Dubia roach health and vitality, ba...
Thursday
- Apples As you may have guessed, fruits and vegetables are important components of the Dubia roach diet. They aren’t the only important thing, as you will see tomorrow, but they are significant – both in volume and effect. Apples contain many of the nutrients Dubia roaches need for good health. Natural sugars, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients among them. Like much of the fre…
Friday
- Today’s entrée: Super Secret Roach Chow AKA: This is where the magic happens. OK, so fruits and vegetables are important parts of the Dubia roach diet, but we’ve found that they do better with more. And by “more”, we mean other foods. Pictured is our Dubia roach chowmixed with some super secret ingredients to form about 45 pounds of “special sauce”. Actually, the rest is i…
Saturday
- Aaaaand….nothing Don’t worry. You aren’t missing anything. It’s OK to skip feedings. It may even be productive, depending on your goals, what and how you skip, and how much you feed your roaches. All things equal, many animals in the wild don’t have constant access to food. As a result, they may have evolved certain beneficial coping mechanisms (pdf)(external link). And the…
Sunday
- Oranges and Greens (tangerines, actually) We usually feed our roaches oranges, but on this day we got a great deal on tangerines. Organic tangerines, no less. We also picked up some mixed greens because that’s just how we roll! Dubia roaches love oranges specifically, but they are often picky about citrus generally. They like it sweet, not sour, and some citrus fruits more than others…