dubia escape?

Blonc

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 6, 2005
Messages
175
I've been keeping my largest T.albopilosum in a 12 inch exoterra cube with plenty of substrate and I've recently spotted what has to be the corpses of two small dubia nymphs. The thing is that I've never fed nymphs to this guy and I've rarely ever seen it take down any prey once it reached subadulthood. I've just chucked in a grown dubia once a week or so and that seems to have worked. One of those female dubias has to have been gravid at the time and given birth. I'm pretty sure none of the nymphs has escaped since I've not seen any out and about but how sure can I really be about that? My apartment is kept at about 70 degrees but I did have a heat mat to the side for the enclosure which ought to have bumped up the ambient temp there a couple of degrees but not too much. I've now also shut those two vents at the top of the lid since those were definitely big enough for any eventual nymphs. I'm hoping that any eventual brood was small and they stayed put were it was warmer.
 

rock

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 21, 2020
Messages
167
I keep my dubias in a big tub without a lid and have never found any loose. They tend to burrow into substrate and hide so you may have had a female dig in for awhile, long enough to pop out some youngsters, she may even be there still. Honestly there's nothing to worry about, I would open those vents
 

Sterls

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
449
Generally assumed dubias can't infest a house, at least to my knowledge. Only real issue would be an angry girlfriend/roommate.
 

Blonc

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 6, 2005
Messages
175
I keep my dubias in a big tub without a lid and have never found any loose. They tend to burrow into substrate and hide so you may have had a female dig in for awhile, long enough to pop out some youngsters, she may even be there still. Honestly there's nothing to worry about, I would open those vents

That calms me down somewhat:) I'm thinking about doing a bit of renovation in that enclosure since I left the original background in and have come to realise that I don't really need it in with the amount of substrate used. The only issue is getting that T out:) I think it moulted about a week ago since I checked its tunnels this morrning and can see a shucked moult and I can only see of the T from a clear patch from under it. Luckily that lets me see its fangs and they seem nice and dark. Here's hoping for a female for once.
 

Dry Desert

Arachnoprince
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
1,551
That calms me down somewhat:) I'm thinking about doing a bit of renovation in that enclosure since I left the original background in and have come to realise that I don't really need it in with the amount of substrate used. The only issue is getting that T out:) I think it moulted about a week ago since I checked its tunnels this morrning and can see a shucked moult and I can only see of the T from a clear patch from under it. Luckily that lets me see its fangs and they seem nice and dark. Here's hoping for a female for once.
If you have an Exo Terra with the original background, you'll probably find a whole family, or more, behind the background. I found, back in the dark days when I fed crickets, you will be surprised how many will live behind one of those backgrounds very happily.I know Dubias prefer to burrow but they also like anywhere dark. Removing the background will be a good move.
 

Blonc

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 6, 2005
Messages
175
If you have an Exo Terra with the original background, you'll probably find a whole family, or more, behind the background. I found, back in the dark days when I fed crickets, you will be surprised how many will live behind one of those backgrounds very happily.I know Dubias prefer to burrow but they also like anywhere dark. Removing the background will be a good move.
That's where I found the two dead nymphs and had my little panic moment. I had a look/see to make sure there weren't any back there and lo and behold.
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
702
As a keeper of hundreds of thousands of D. Blaptica, anyone telling you they can't fly... Let this be a lesson. They can't fly, but I have watched them post up on the highest spot to leap and try to grab ledges. They fall to the bottom. BUT, they will run back to the same spot and try again. I am not kidding. They aren't as stupid as you may think. B. Discoidalis are the same but worse. Only because they are larger and can span the gap. If you aren't prepared for a refugee then let me be your PLF. They want to expand when they populate. If you don't offer more space... they will find a way to make you give them more.
 
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