Dubia birth help

Bunyan van Asten

Arachnoknight
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Oct 5, 2016
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271
Hello, i'm posting this as it just happend to my dubia colony.
I recently started one, and my first female gave birth! Sadly her egg sack was on the ground, but i saw the babies like this: 20170122_170149.jpg Any help would be appreciated!
 

pannaking22

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Nov 25, 2011
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Looks like she at least partially aborted her ooth. I'm not sure if the eggs that mostly developed will survive or not because they still look to be a bit early in their development.
 

Bunyan van Asten

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Oct 5, 2016
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Looks like she at least partially aborted her ooth. I'm not sure if the eggs that mostly developed will survive or not because they still look to be a bit early in their development.
Thanks for the info, one hatched succesfully, but is very weak, the rest however still don't show any signs of life. I'll wait out the night and if i don't see any babies walking around tomorrow, should i throw those away?
 

Anoplogaster

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Jan 15, 2017
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My experience with dubia colonies is to just stop paying too much attention to them. As long as you have a heat pad, moisture, fresh fruits and veggies, you can pretty much leave them to do their own thing. Before you know it, you'll have a dubia city! Never had issues with them:)

Fresh, organic oranges apparently stimulate breeding. I don't have any real data on that. But I've done it, and they love oranges. Be sure they're organic, though. No pesticides!
 

pannaking22

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You can leave them, someone will decide they make a good snack and that'll be a good protein source too.
 

Anoplogaster

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But dubias are herbivores, right?
They are. But they can also be opportunistic, and will eat anything if they are hungry enough. Mine will even eat straight cardboard. If you're concerned about excess protein (dead babies or bodies), you can look into adding some dermestid beetle larvae. You can find dermestid beetles online, where they are usually sold as an easy way to clean bones. They'll eat up dead roaches, too:) I've never used dermestids, but I know some people do.
 

pannaking22

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I'd classify them more as omnivores, though plant material makes up a good portion of their diet. Buffalo beetles are supposed to be another good option for dry roach colonies like dubia.
 

Jacob Ma

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Feb 2, 2016
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I'd classify them more as omnivores, though plant material makes up a good portion of their diet. Buffalo beetles are supposed to be another good option for dry roach colonies like dubia.
I do not think they are true omnivores. A true omnivore would both actively pursue live prey and eat a fair portion of live plant matter. With roaches, only few species actively do both things, so they would be classified as detritivores which feed on dead or dying organic matter.
 

pannaking22

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I do not think they are true omnivores. A true omnivore would both actively pursue live prey and eat a fair portion of live plant matter. With roaches, only few species actively do both things, so they would be classified as detritivores which feed on dead or dying organic matter.
That's a very good point, and thank you, detritovore was the term that was escaping me!
 

Bunyan van Asten

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Oct 5, 2016
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They are. But they can also be opportunistic, and will eat anything if they are hungry enough. Mine will even eat straight cardboard. If you're concerned about excess protein (dead babies or bodies), you can look into adding some dermestid beetle larvae. You can find dermestid beetles online, where they are usually sold as an easy way to clean bones. They'll eat up dead roaches, too:) I've never used dermestids, but I know some people do.
Wow, i never knew that, thanks!
 
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