Of the 90.5 million pet-owning families in the U.S., about 14.7 million have fish pets. Another 9.9 million have a bird, while 5.7 million keep a reptile. The latter includes geckos, bearded dragons, and snakes, to name a few.
If you’re thinking of joining that crowd, then the first thing you need to know about is what to feed them. Dubia roaches should be on top of your list; they’re ideal food for reptiles, fish, and some birds.
But why choose Dubia roaches, also known as Blaptica Dubia, in the first place?
We’ll tell you why below, so read on.
Contents
1. Meatier Than Other Live Feeder Insects
Many reptiles, including lizards and snakes, feed on roaches, rodents, crickets, and mealworms.
Except for rodents, Dubia roaches are meatier than other feeder insects. That means a single Dubia roach delivers more food than one cricket or mealworm.
2. Excellent Protein Source
According to one study, Blaptica Dubia’s crude protein content can range from 47.50% to 54.32%. The lower value is for nymphs, while the higher is for adult males.
Either way, those figures are higher than those for crickets.
3. Better Digestibility Than Other Live Feed
Moisture, chitin, and fat all determine the digestibility of live feed insects.
For instance, moisture is vital when feeding reptiles as it helps make food easier to swallow. A lower chitin content, in turn, means a feeder insect has a weaker exoskeleton, making it easier to digest. On the other hand, moderate levels of fat are crucial for energy and taste.
Fortunately, Dubia roaches meet all those factors.Â
The same study cited above noted that Dubia roaches have a good moisture content, ranging from 59.06% to 62.70%. It also listed the insects’ chitin content at 3.83% to 5.58%, which is low, and the fat content as 35.49% to 44.22%, which is moderate.
4. Less Foul Odors to Worry About
Live Dubia roaches don’t emit foul smells. They also live for 18 to 24 months under ideal conditions. As a result, you don’t have to worry about them dying quickly and stinking up your house.
Compare that to crickets, which, even in ideal conditions, can only live up to 90 days. However, they can die way earlier than that, and when they do, they emit the smell of death and decay.
5. Easy to Breed
Another great thing about Dubia roaches is that they don’t fly, climb, hop, or make a lot of noise. Such qualities make them easy to maintain and breed at home.
Blaptica Dubia roaches reproduce sexually; males deposit their sperm packets into females. So when one adult male and an adult female meet, they can start breeding.
Take advantage of Dubia roaches’ ease of breeding to rear a live feed supply at home. You only need to house them in a bin heated to 80º to 90º F and give them food and water. You can feed them fruits, veggies, peelings, and waste droppings from other animals.
Consider Dubia Roaches as Your Pet Feed
Now you know that Dubia roaches have high protein content and are meatier than other insects. You also learned that they last longer and are easier to care for than crickets, which die quickly and stink. Plus, they’re easy to breed and digest for your pets.
All that should be enough reason to feed your beloved pet Dubia roaches.
Check out our other home and lifestyle guides for more informative reads like this!