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Dubia roaches (Blaptica dubia), also known as the Orange-spotted roach, Tropical spotted roach, or simply Dubia, are a popular feeder insect, particularly among amphibian, tarantula, and reptile owners and enthusiasts. They are mainly found in Central and South America, including Argentina, Costa Rica, and Brazil.
Because of their low maintenance, and high nutritious value, the demand of Dubia roaches is increasing, and many platforms are providing bulk Dubia Roaches for sale.
Now the question is, whether it is a good idea to purchase Dubia roaches in bulk? To answer this, here we’ve put together the benefits of Dubia roaches, and the profit of purchasing them in bulk. Let’s take a look at the subject!
Live in a Colony
Dubia roaches like to live in colonies. Therefore, they can raise and care for their young once. Adult female Dubia can produce around 35 nymphs every other month once their environmental requirements are satisfied. Therefore, if you don’t want to keep buying feeder insects, purchasing a bulk of Dubia cockroaches is a great way to provide you with a continuous stock of feeders.
They’re Clean
Dubia roaches need temperatures found in the tropics or jungle to survive. However, they are used to low humidity. This enables their enclosures to keep dry most of the time.
If you feed the roaches a plant-based diet and adequately maintain the enclosure, the fecal material will not smell and will be less likely to breed undesirable bugs like flies or mites. Although these issues may occur occasionally, proper management of Dubia roach colonies usually keep them clean and problem-free.
Don’t Make Noise
Dubia roaches are quiet creatures. They don’t chirp, clack, murmur, hiss, yip or make any noises. At most, you’ll hear some delicate noises of their feet when they look for their next meal, or during mating season.
Don’t Smell Awful
Neither Dubia roaches nor their enclosures smell bad, which is a unique feature among feeder insects. In fact, they are almost odorless, but sometimes may smell like the food they take.
When they eat vegetables, fruits, or any other natural plant, the smell is hardly noticeable. The smell may get stronger and different when they take animal-based foods for some time. But even then, it can’t be described as offensive. Other than the diet, Dubia roaches release a musky odor when agitated. This smell is also mellow and doesn’t linger.
Bad Climbers
Feeder insects can climb out of the feeding container, which is a problem for many pet owners. Dubia roaches, unlike other tropical roach species, are poor climbers and cannot climb slick plastic, glass, or any non-textured surfaces, which means they will not climb out and are much easier to keep in quantity.
Cannot Fly
Adult male Dubia roaches have wings, but they can’t use their wings for flying. Males just move and flutter around in their enclosure. Female roaches have short stubs for wings, and nymphs don’t have wings. Therefore, Dubia roaches can not fly out of the starter colony.
Don’t Attack or Bite
You can save yourself and your pet from probable harm as Dubia roaches cannot bite, fight, or claw, unlike other feeder bugs. However, when looking for food, sometimes they may softly nibble your skin, but quickly move away once they realize it isn’t food.
Available in Varying Sizes
Dubia roaches are available in a variety of sizes. So, you can alter your pet’s feeding volume as per their life cycle stages- growing adolescent pets will need more food than fully grown adults.
Moreover, not all sizes of feeder are appropriate for all kinds of pets. If you have a smaller pet, you can’t feed them insects that are larger in size.
Eat Almost Anything
As feeders, Dubias are very easy and simple to maintain. Feeding them is easy as they are not choosy at all when it comes to food. They eat almost anything and even survive a long time without any nourishment. So, you do not have to worry about extra expenses while nurturing a bulk amount of Dobias.
However, for the benefit of the animals they nourish, and to get them to optimum health, it’s best to feed them nuts, seeds, grains, at least one source of high quality protein, and regular vegetables and fruits.
Survive Well
Dubia roaches live long, and need time to mature, their growth is relatively slow, their development considerably slows down in cooler temperatures. At around 70°F, they can remain in their present phase for a year.
So when you buy in bulk, you can store them for a long time. On average, they live between one and two years. Whereas, other feeders are generally estimated to live for weeks or perhaps months.
Don’t Infest
Dubias are less likely to infest or colonize your home, unless you live in a tropical climate. Even in the tropics, proper precautions can make the infestation very unlikely.
As they are unable to climb up the smooth surfaces, they can’t get away even if their enclosures aren’t covered with lids. However, a safe top is suggested in case of an accidental trip. Even if they get loose by any means, they will stay on the ground, and try to reach a warm dark corner to hide.
The ideal temperature for breeding adult Dubia roaches is at least 90°F. The space under your fridge can be the perfect spot for this. And don’t worry, it won’t cause an infestation like the common cockroaches.
Highly Nutritious
As a feeder insect, Dubia roaches rank at the top of the list based on their nutritional value. They’re loaded with protein, calcium, minerals, and low in fat and chitin. Plus, they are quite easy to digest because of their soft exoskeleton.
Moreover, they are also high in meat vs. shell and have low water content. It’s usual for animals eating about 10 crickets per day while only 2-3 similar sized Dubia roaches will be enough for their diet.
Low Cost
Dubia roaches are very cost-effective. You can purchase 500 roaches for as low as $20. So, you can buy and store them in large numbers without any budget issues. But, Price may differ based on the size and type of the insect.
In conclusion, purchasing Dubia roaches in bulk is an amazing way to save money and be hassle-free while simultaneously ensuring that your pet always gets the nutritious food that it requires. Happy feeding!
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