OPEN THE GATES
On arrival
Prepare the holding tub before opening the package. Unpack in a second empty bin, inspect the roaches, and let them recover gradually from transit temperature. Offer a small fresh moisture source and dry food; avoid crowding a large order into its shipping container.
BUILD THE REFUGE
A secure holding setup
Use a secure lid with fine ventilation and upright cardboard flats that leave open space above them. Keep food and moisture stations separate from the resting area so spoiled produce can be removed easily. Smooth sides reduce climbing, but a lid is still essential, especially when flats or debris create a route to the rim.
KEEP A STEADY WATCH
Temperature & placement
A warm, stable room suits short-term holding. Dubia grow and breed more actively in warmer conditions; do not heat a closed tub blindly. If supplemental heat is needed, use a thermostat and measure the temperature where the roaches actually rest. Keep all cultures out of direct sun and away from cold drafts.
PROVISION THE COLONY
Food & hydration
Provide an appropriate roach diet continuously, with small portions of clean carrot, squash, or leafy vegetables for moisture. Remove fresh food before it spoils and keep dry chow dry. An insect-safe hydration gel can provide a controlled moisture source; do not use an open bowl in which small nymphs can drown. Prepare feeders on a suitable gut-loading diet before use.
Prepare with Dubia Superfood, Dubia Water Crystal, Supreme Dubia Roach Feed. Check each product’s directions before use.
THE DAILY WATCH
Care between feedings
Check food, moisture, ventilation, and dead insects daily. Lift the flats gently when inspecting; freshly molted pale roaches are vulnerable. Separate feeders from a breeding group without taking every adult female. Dubia produce live young, so this is not an egg-case incubation setup.
AVOID THE COMMON TRAPS
Mistakes worth preventing
- Leaving wet food against cardboard until mold spreads.
- Packing the tub so tightly that air cannot circulate.
- Assuming a colony must be kept as hot as possible.