Help with B. Dubia

[MadMack2723]

Hello all! I'm new to the forums as this is my first time posting, I first would like to thank everyone for all of the wonderful posts as it has helped me a great deal in choosing my first T a few months ago and everything has been going great! I recently purchased 3 B. Dubia to try and give my A. avicularia a new item to it's diet, after trying for a few weeks he/she won't touch them, so back to crickets . So I have been feeding and taking care of the roaches. Last night I go to give them another orange slice and OMG, there were a lot more than 3! The big female must of been pregnant. There are 31 babies! Ok so my question is (I've read on how to start colonies) what do I do? I can't purchase a plastic bin and water crystals until Sunday. I have a styrofoam cooler, a few pieces of egg crate like things and that's about it. Will this work for a few days? Should they be separated from the larger ones? I don't see why they should, just a huge shock to me and trying to figure out what to do with them. I only have the one T so far, although planning on getting more very shortly, lol. I can't see letting them die but I didn't really want to start a colony yet. Any advice , suggestions, constructive criticism would be great! Tia.
(I hope I posted in the right before place, if not I apologize)

 

[chanda]

They climb very well. While they cannot climb smooth glass or plastic, they can definitely climb styrofoam - and can also climb textured plastic surfaces such as the inside of some of the Rubbermaid-type plastic bins. Unless the styrofoam cooler has an airtight seal, there's a very good chance that they'll climb right out of it - and start popping up all over the house. The nymphs, in particular, are very good at wedging themselves through the narrowest of cracks.

What do you currently have the adults in? As long as it doesn't have large ventilation holes that the young could get out through, you should be able to just leave them in with the adults until you get a larger container. Bits of egg crate are great for giving them something to climb on/hide in. As for feeding them, just fruit and veggie bits and maybe a little dog kibble will be fine. You don't need water crystals as long as they are getting fresh produce - they can satisfy their water needs from their food. I keep both Dubia roaches and Madagascar hissing Roaches, and do not provide water to either of them.

 

[Swoop]

Don't freak out about not housing them correctly for a couple of days. They'll still be fine if you rehouse Sunday.

 

[MadMack2723]

Awesome thank you soo much. I have them in the cooler but the little babies are all over the lid. It's gonna be a pain trying to transfer them. Lol. I guess I'm gonna have an unintended colony.

 

[MadMack2723]

They climb very well. While they cannot climb smooth glass or plastic, they can definitely climb styrofoam - and can also climb textured plastic surfaces such as the inside of some of the Rubbermaid-type plastic bins. Unless the styrofoam cooler has an airtight seal, there's a very good chance that they'll climb right out of it - and start popping up all over the house. The nymphs, in particular, are very good at wedging themselves through the narrowest of cracks.

What do you currently have the adults in? As long as it doesn't have large ventilation holes that the young could get out through, you should be able to just leave them in with the adults until you get a larger container. Bits of egg crate are great for giving them something to climb on/hide in. As for feeding them, just fruit and veggie bits and maybe a little dog kibble will be fine. You don't need water crystals as long as they are getting fresh produce - they can satisfy their water needs from their food. I keep both Dubia roaches and Madagascar hissing Roaches, and do not provide water to either of them.

Awesome thank you, yes it's an airtight seal but the other 3, one female adult and 2 medium ones were in a little feeder cup until I saw all of the babies, lol. It's gonna have to work for now, hopefully. Should I poke holes into the lid? I put plastic wrap around the lid but they still can climb on it, I just wasn't ready for that. Buy a few feeders and end up with 31 babies. Lol

 

[cold blood]

Just keep them in a deli cup with some cardboard.

I never used water crystals...heck I don't add water in any way aside from the fruit and veggie. These things aren't fragile, they keep easily and grow pretty rapidly, especially if kept warm.

For feeding, crush the head of the roach (firmly) and lay it on its back...for an avic, lay it on the spiders webbing. They will eat them just fine.

 

[Ungoliant]

I guess I'm gonna have an unintended colony.

It's fate's way of saying, "Buy more tarantulas." (Terrestrial slings love baby dubias.)

 

[Trenor]

I feed a lot of dry food, citrus, veggies, and use water crystals. If I didn't, with how they tear through the oranges, I'd use a bag a week. Though with the few you have I doubt you'll need to use the water crystals if you use oranges (or some moisture heavy citrus). Keep in mind though that they are very susceptible to mold so don't add a lot of mold prone food at the time. I only add orange pieces the size they can consume in one day. Carrots and potatoes are slower to mold and can be left in there longer. Mold will wipe them out quickly so keep that in mind.

I'd keep those few in a deli cup like CB said with a bit of egg crate for them to climb on. Add a decent amount of ventilation just make it smaller than the nymphs (or if you have a small piece of window screen glue it to a hole in the lid). You can size them up as they expand (assuming you have a male to keep the female going).

They are pretty neat to keep. Good luck.

 

[Swoop]

@Tredor do you keep any cleaners in your dubia colony? I stumbled into a large colony and ordered some dermestid and buffalo beetles to eat the dead ones. Wondering if they would eat extra plant matter before it molds.

 

[Trenor]

@Tredor do you keep any cleaners in your dubia colony? I stumbled into a large colony and ordered some dermestid and buffalo beetles to eat the dead ones. Wondering if they would eat extra plant matter before it molds.

I've never used any cleaners though that is something to consider. I know my nymphs eat a lot of the same stuff they will though. I usually don't get many dead roaches during cleanout unless something is wrong. I'll have to do some checking on those and see if I think they will live in my setups. Which I keep bone dry beside the food dish and the water dish.

 

[MadMack2723]

I feed a lot of dry food, citrus, veggies, and use water crystals. If I didn't, with how they tear through the oranges, I'd use a bag a week. Though with the few you have I doubt you'll need to use the water crystals if you use oranges (or some moisture heavy citrus). Keep in mind though that they are very susceptible to mold so don't add a lot of mold prone food at the time. I only add orange pieces the size they can consume in one day. Carrots and potatoes are slower to mold and can be left in there longer. Mold will wipe them out quickly so keep that in mind.

I'd keep those few in a deli cup like CB said with a bit of egg crate for them to climb on. Add a decent amount of ventilation just make it smaller than the nymphs (or if you have a small piece of window screen glue it to a hole in the lid). You can size them up as they expand (assuming you have a male to keep the female going).

They are pretty neat to keep. Good luck.

Thank you, that's a lot of great information! I found a smaller Rubbermaid container and poked some holes in the top of that, today two of them passed. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. There's plenty of room. I don't have a heat mat yet but have the heater on in that room for them. There isn't any makes, I'm gonna have to buy some. I just wasn't expecting the larger one to have babies. Crazy!

 

[MadMack2723]

If you look at the little one I took a pic of, there is like a white dots on it. Somebody them have them. Is that something to worry about?

 

[Trenor]

Thank you, that's a lot of great information! I found a smaller Rubbermaid container and poked some holes in the top of that, today two of them passed. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. There's plenty of room. I don't have a heat mat yet but have the heater on in that room for them. There isn't any makes, I'm gonna have to buy some. I just wasn't expecting the larger one to have babies. Crazy!

They are fine in the 70F range though you'll notice a high laying rate if it hotter. How big were the ones that died? Do you have photos of them? What is the water bag thing you're using?

 

[MadMack2723]

Two of the nymphs died. I used a sponge soaked in water and put it in a lid, want sure what to do since I didn't have the crystals, but I took it out after reading your reply, as the orange slice should be good enough. The 3 I originally purchased as feeders are doing fine. I'm hoping it's just because they were babies. IDK. Also I put some white grain cereal crushed up and a few strawberry slices, I've been rotating the food. Will the colony grow with just the babies or should I buy some males for the larger ones? Only one mature female though.

 

[Trenor]

Two of the nymphs died. I used a sponge soaked in water and put it in a lid, want sure what to do since I didn't have the crystals, but I took it out after reading your reply, as the orange slice should be good enough. The 3 I originally purchased as feeders are doing fine. I'm hoping it's just because they were babies. IDK. Also I put some white grain cereal crushed up and a few strawberry slices, I've been rotating the food. Will the colony grow with just the babies or should I buy some males for the larger ones? Only one mature female though.

If you have a mature pair it will grow but it'll do so really slowly since they nymphs will have to mature before you have more reproducing. If you only have a few Ts I'd likely just buy them as needed and keep them alive in the container till they are fed. If you get a colony going they will quickly outpace your ability to feed them off. Now if you just would like to raise some (I find it interesting to see how they grow and live) PM me and I can get you some to start out. If you have anyone with chickens or something else that will eat them then you can always feed off the extras to them.

They like cereal but with just a few it'll take them a while to eat a lot of food. I'd put the cereal crushed up in a small dish by itself and the fruit/veggies in a separate one. Dry food can stay in till it's eaten. I'd swap out the fruit/veggies every 24 hours or so making sure to clean the dish when you do. With moisture from fruit, you should be fine without a water dish.

Oh and make sure they can climb the dishes. I use cut-down superworm containers that I roughed the inside and outside with sandpaper to give them a lot of grip places.

 

[MadMack2723]

Awesome, ty! Yes I'm gonna pm ya tomorrow. I'm soo confused. Lol. I wasn't planning on having any just the 3 but my A. Avicularia. Won't touch them. I didn't know what to do with them so I kept them and fed them and bam there's 31 babies. Hahahaha. I don't won't to kill them or let them die so if I can get a little colony going than that would be great. But assuming only the one mature female and two mediums, than the nymphs, I'm not sure if they'll reproduce, at least not any time soon. Lol. I'm gonna buy a few males and another female and that should help it. But if two died already I'm scared I'm doing something wrong and they'll all die. IDK. I don't even stress about my T or other true spiders and scorpions like this. Lol

 

[cold blood]

dont use cereal...it will attract mites...learned that the hard way....grains=grain mites

 

[Trenor]

dont use cereal...it will attract mites...learned that the hard way....grains=grain mites

Huh, I only use a small amount in my dry food mix but I've not had trouble with them yet. Good to know.

 

[cold blood]

Huh, I only use a small amount in my dry food mix but I've not had trouble with them yet. Good to know.

Never had an issue with kibble....but this summer I thought instead of tossing old cereal, I would just put it in with the roaches....a month later I had a mite explosion like that in a horror film that I have been dealing with since....Just had to do my second complete cleaning in the last month...thankfully I noticed quickly (before it actually exploded) and removed the bin from my t room which contained the outbreak. I think the issue has since been alleviated.