Dubia Roach Pregnancy Test

[HeartBum]

I discovered my first batch of nymphs yesterday (actually cried with pride). Was odd as I had a dream the night before where it finally happened..

Anywho! I was doing a lot of research to see if there was any sure-fire way to tell if they were gravid. Couldn't find anything except "they're fat". Hmm. So, I'm staring at my roaches, wondering how in the world I'm going to know, ever. When I see one with a little bit of white popping out its end, which I've seen before they expel their ootheca. Call it morbid curiosity, but I ever so gently pulled the bottom lip of the... bottom down. I've seen the females open this bit wide when they're just about to push the ootheca out. Sure enough, I could see the ootheca inside, otherwise hidden away. Did it with a couple of others, risky business for my breeders, I know. Some had completely separated white tubes inside, which were obviously the nymphs forming.

Once I'd done being disgusting, I gently closed up their bottoms, and they carried on with their business, seemingly unphased. I'm worried they might drop the ootheca due to stress now, but time will tell. Did anyone else know about this?

 

[MrPole]

Did anyone else know about this?

No. But I know if I ever need a dubia roach midwife I know who to call.

 

[HeartBum]

No. But I know if I ever need a dubia roach midwife I know who to call.

Actually feel quite dirty after doing that. Crushing their heads before feeding? No problem. Now I just feel like I've violated them.

 

[Almadabes]

Actually feel quite dirty after doing that. Crushing their heads before feeding? No problem. Now I just feel like I've violated them.

I grab crickets by the ootheca (ovipositor) when I'm feeding them off.

Is that sexual harassment?

 

[HeartBum]

I grab crickets by the ootheca when I'm feeding them off.

Is that sexual harassment?

Found the Trump of the cricket world.

 

[Almadabes]

Found the Trump of the cricket world.

The female crickets. They like it. They say they don't. but when you're famous? whos gonna say no?
I'm the best at grabbing ovipositors. No one does it better.

 

[RoachCoach]

On the note of stressing them out so much they drop the bag could have a metric butt ton of variables. I've poked full term females only for them to abandon the cash and run. On the other hand, I've put them in the sorting shaker fully gravid and some actually actively mating and they are fine. I think the biggest factor for them dropping the bag is a combination of mishandling/too many males harassing them/not enough food. Otherwise they do very well with strange environmental variations like awkward light/heat cycles etc...
Edit: A hefty to people still keeping crickets.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

[

Edit: A hefty to people still keeping crickets.

Hey some of us live in places where roaches are banned, man.

 

[HeartBum]

PSA I still use this technique and haven’t had any problems thus far. The More You Know

 

[mantisfan101]

Whenever I feed what looks like a plump roach to my oedes or ts, they usually begin extruding their eggsac…granted by then it’s too late but it works…sort of

 

[HeartBum]

Probably because they’re being squeezed… which also works…. If done gently enough

Whenever I feed what looks like a plump roach to my oedes or ts, they usually begin extruding their eggsac…granted by then it’s too late but it works…sort of