More Dubia Questions.....

Hello I purchased a small colony of dubias to start breeding for my beardie. I have a pretty primative setup. Just a human heating pad on the side of the tub set on the lowest setting with a screened hole at the top for ventilation. Feeding roach chow and watering via water crystals. I have provided fresh oranges every couple of days. I was wondering if I should have my egg flats stacked vertical or horizontal? Also, should I have the heating pad on the side of the tub or the bottom? Thanks in advance. I do plan on getting a cheap stat and therm eventually just looking to get everything going now. Also seems I only have 10 males and maybe 100 females how many more males should I get? Thanks

I keep mine in a heated room but I would put it on the side not bottom.
Egg crates go vertical :gj:

I thought so they are horizontal now, and I'm having a hell of a time trying to get them to stand together vertically. I've been trying to tie them together with a shoe string. I'm using new egg flats as the current ones are very full of holes. Anyways i want to get them together before I put them in so I don't crush any roaches

I stood mine up against the side of the tub. Vertical lets the frass fall to the bottom. Alternate the "face" of the egg flats to create a little more space...

I wouldn't bother adding more males. You'll get them eventually as they breed anyway. I just fed off adult males to keep my ratio around 1male to 3 female.

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Originally Posted by Martian

I thought so they are horizontal now, and I'm having a hell of a time trying to get them to stand together vertically. I've been trying to tie them together with a shoe string. I'm using new egg flats as the current ones are very full of holes. Anyways i want to get them together before I put them in so I don't crush any roaches

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They can go either direction. I have several large colonies with the heat pads on the bottom. In winter, I stack the egg crates horizontally and this helps trap the heat throughout the enclosure. If your not concerned about heat then go vertically.

Lots of holes means your dubia are not getting enough food. I don't feed roach chow or water crystals. Instead of water crystals, regularly provide fresh fruit such as oranges and cantaloupe or veggies such as carrots or sweet potatoes. Water crystals don't provide any nutrients and I think are more difficult to clean out than an orange rind.

Roach chow is fine but I think it's easier and better to provide carbs from your pantry. Give them bread, cereals, etc. If you need a larger food supply then a bag of chick feed works great!

Well, being very concerned about heat, and because I am running the heating pad on low I am now somewhat persuaded to run them horizontal with the heat pad on the bottom.... Hmm

So I turned the heating pad up a notch to medium, everything is still vertical mind you, and the temp about 2" away from the heated side its 84.5 Now the side is hot haven't checked it yet but I know its hotter then what I want my roaches to be standing on, so I think horizontal is out of the question for now. The question is do I risk turning the heating pad up yet again, but to high this time, or do i try to find another heat source to ad? I'm broke at the moment so I need to be kind of innovative.

Would a human heating pad melt a plastic bin?

[QUOTE=Martian;2390113]So I turned the heating pad up a notch to medium, everything is still vertical mind you, and the temp about 2" away from the heated side its 84.5 Now the side is hot haven't checked it yet but I know its hotter then what I want my roaches to be standing on, so I think horizontal is out of the question for now. The question is do I risk turning the heating pad up yet again, but to high this time, or do i try to find another heat source to ad? I'm broke at the moment so I need to be kind of innovative.

Would a human heating pad melt a plastic bin?[/QUOTE

If it's working properly it shouldn't.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Martian

Hello I purchased a small colony of dubias to start breeding for my beardie. I have a pretty primative setup. Just a human heating pad on the side of the tub set on the lowest setting with a screened hole at the top for ventilation. Feeding roach chow and watering via water crystals. I have provided fresh oranges every couple of days. I was wondering if I should have my egg flats stacked vertical or horizontal? Also, should I have the heating pad on the side of the tub or the bottom? Thanks in advance. I do plan on getting a cheap stat and therm eventually just looking to get everything going now. Also seems I only have 10 males and maybe 100 females how many more males should I get? Thanks

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i keeping my dubias colony just as you, in primitive set up lol.

for diet i mainly use veggie chow, fruits, and pellets and watering via water crystals. That work just fine
i stacked my egg flats vertical so dubias waste can fall easily to bottom of the tub, nymph will use adults waste as their food.
i keep my male to female ratio in 1 : 3 . So i think you need extra males, but no worries you can keep it as it is and keep more male in next generations.
for heating, i dont use any heat source hence i live in Indonesia. Its pretty warm here, around 84 - 86

:gj: