My dubias aren't breeding (help!)

RoachyPissyHisser

RoachyPissyHisser

Third Instar
I split my Dubia colony into two, i now have one tank for nymphs and a tank for adults, its been just over a month now and I've had no nymphs from my adults at all. I feed them mostly apple, carrot and a protein supplement called "BugGrub" could the acidic diet be stopping them from breeding? they never touch cucumber when i put it in their tank, I recently started using water crystal gel(Like yesterday), will this help? any tips? Please help!

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Female dubia can take 1-2 months between litters so they might just need more time. My dubia seem to produce better when there's a lot crowded together. Whenever I split my colonies I notice a drop in production. Also, try not to disturb them unless you have to and they'll breed quicker.

 
Doc said:
Female dubia can take 1-2 months between litters so they might just need more time. My dubia seem to produce better when there's a lot crowded together. Whenever I split my colonies I notice a drop in production. Also, try not to disturb them unless you have to and they'll breed quicker.
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This is the truth, though I'm not sure exactly why... I've had this experience three separate times. The first 100 nymphs I ever bought, 10 years ago, I kept in a plastic shoebox right on top of each other, and they grew and started reproducing like crazy, had to move them to the "big" container. I lost that colony to an environmental toxin of some type, then got some more and put them in the small container and got the same results until they "grew into" the large box again. After a couple kids and rebuilding my invert collection, I wanted to start them back up again... I got 100 nymphs, but made the mistake of putting int he big container to start. They are growing at the pace of snails, hardly eat anything, and I haven't seen any breeding activity from the adults in two months. There's just something about being piled on top of each other that they seem to like.

I have a theory that it has to do with the heat that's generated by a certain threshold of biomass that accumulates as a result of the overcrowding, so likely the same could be accomplished by bumping up the heat as well. This is all pure conjecture, but yeah... I've seen it myself.

 
Congradulations! By the way, I've read somewhere that cucumber peel is a roach repellent. Do you peel it first before giving it to them?

 
sorry to hear about your first colony. I've had that happen first with Madagascans. Couldn't get them to eat and had trouble keeping them warm. Then several times I tried keeping crickets and each time they all died even though I tried to give them a good amount of water plus provided soil for their eggs. Though insects can be the least demanding of pets, they can be the most tricky to care for since so little knowledge/help is available.

 
So glad to hear that your colony is back to breeding.

I am new here. Loved reading the comments from so many that gave really good advice.

One thing I wanted to add was that I have found that colonies love to be big in small places.

Over the years I have run hundreds of personal little test colonies. The comment about the small plastic shoe box was the winner.

We start many of our rotation colonies in the same manner. If you live in the states this is really easy to do by going to Wal-Mart and

finding the Sterilite® 6Qt. (5.7L) plastic shoe container. Our local Wal-Mart sells them for 94 cents each and they are perfect for jump

starting breeders.

Anyhow, remember that packing them in is a good key, Dubias love to be close to each other. Some of my tests in really large tubs

I have found that even when given the option of spreading out my colonies would still pack one on top of the other.

Lastly, the comment about give it a week and get back to us was spot on,

even with everything else that can be said about breeding, the main keys really are, pack them in, keep them warm, and leave them alone.

Hope this helps

 
I wouldn't trust Germans in anything but a tightly sealed snap on lid or one of those peanut jars with the threaded lid

 
pierre72 said:
Can those 5 liter shoe boxes keep Germans in that you know?
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RomanBuck said:
I wouldn't trust Germans in anything but a tightly sealed snap on lid or one of those peanut jars with the threaded lid
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Well,

I'm not well versed on Germans, but after the comment about the tightly sealed snap on lid I can say this for the 5L plastic shoe container.

The lids fit very tight and they are snap on, because they are a small container they are not very deep.

I've been using this same container for many years, they are cheap and work very well for our Dubias.

On that note, my wife lets me have them in the house, if you knew my wife you would agree that is one special container :)

 
pierre72 said:
Congradulations! By the way, I've read somewhere that cucumber peel is a roach repellent. Do you peel it first before giving it to them?
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My Dubia's love cucumber, skin and all. Unless there are Oranges in there it's the first thing to go :)

 
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