How to Give Your Roaches the Nutrients They Need to Thrive
How to Give Your Roaches the Nutrients They Need to Thrive
Your newly acquired Dubias are hardy survivors: Even if you don’t pay any attention to what you feed them, they won’t die quickly like other feeder insects. But, despite the inherent toughness of Dubia roaches, you should put some thought and care into their diet for two reasons:
Reason 1: Well-fed Dubias will breed well. When your Dubias get all of the nutrients they need, your feeder colony will do well and your roaches will produce—and that means you won’t need to buy feeder insects in the future.
Reason 2: The nutritional content of your roaches affects your pet reptile. If you want your reptile to be fully nourished from their diet of Dubia roaches, you should care about what your Dubias are eating.
Building a Nutrition-Packed Diet for Your Roaches
1. First Up: Roach Chow
The staple of your roaches’ diet should be “roach chow,” which you can make or buy online. There are many different recipes online, and you can also purchase Premium Chow from ABDragons. We offer both dry food and gel. Our roach chow does not include cat, dog, or chicken food, and features only the highest quality of ingredients.
Whether you make your own chow or order from ABDragons, make sure your roaches have a constant supply of the food source. Put a medium-sized bowl in your roach colony, and keep it filled. If you have a lot of roaches, consider two smaller bowls, spaced out for easy access. Just be sure that you are constantly replenishing their food supply, as your roaches will grow and breed faster when they get all the food they can eat.
2. Next: Bring on the Fruits and Vegetables
In addition to roach chow, you should provide your Dubias with a regular source of fruits and vegetables. This will make your roaches happier and healthier, as they are accustomed to getting some flora in their diet. Carrots are a great choice, as are apples, grapes, oranges, and bananas.
Tips for Feeding Your Dubias Fruits and Veggies
- Slice any fruits or vegetables small enough for roach consumption.
- Maintain variety to provide a range of vitamins and minerals.
- Offer fruits and veggies at least once—ideally twice—a week.
- Watch for mold growth.
- Remove uneaten materials after 48 hours.
3. Finally: Keep Your Dubias Hydrated
Be very careful about how you provide a water source for your Dubia roaches. Just leaving a full water dish in your colony is a very bad idea. Why? First, roaches are very susceptible to drowning, especially your nymphs and smaller Dubias. Second, the presence of water—even if you soak a sponge or paper towel—can lead to mold, which is disastrous for your colony and can wipe out all of your Dubias very quickly. While you do need to keep your roaches hydrated, a basic bowl of water is NOT the way to go about it.
Instead, your roach colony should rely on water crystals for hydration. A bowl full of water crystals will keep your roaches healthy without putting them in danger of mold or drowning.
ABDragons Will Help Keep Your Dubias Happy
Let Us Support Your Roach Colony
In general, your roaches won’t be picky eaters and should be fairly easy to feed and keep hydrated. Just remember the basic formula: a full bowl of chow and a full bowl of water crystals plus one or two servings of fruits and vegetables each week. Make sure you are keeping that bowl of chow full—and keep their colony free of mold by removing uneaten food and not using a water bowl.
If you are ready to start your own roach colony, you can shop high-quality Dubia roaches from ABDragons. Our team is here to provide any support and guidance as you grow your colony.