How to Raise B. dubia Roaches

Housing

Roaches can be housed in large Rubbermaid or Sterilite plastic storage tubs with slits cut in the sides for ventilation. Metal screen wire should be glued over the slits to prevent roaches from getting out and other animals from getting in. The housing container should have egg crates stacked vertically to give the roaches a place to hide while still allowing the frass (waste) and dead roaches to fall to the enclosure's floor. The entire enclosure should be cleaned every 3-6 months, but make sure to check everything carefully before disposing of it; nymphs (immature roaches) love hiding in frass. Roaches should be maintained at 70-90°F or 21-32°C. As the temperature within this gradient increases, the metabolic and reproductive rates of the roaches will also increase. In other words, if you raise the temperature, the roaches will reproduce faster and consume more food.

Front of Enclosure (Right) | Side of Enclosure (Left)

The roaches should always have food and a source of moisture available. They can be fed unmedicated chicken mash, catfish food pellets, rabbit food pellets, and many other items. There are also multiple choices for how to provide moisture for them to drink. They can be provided with fresh fruits and vegetables or water crystals. The food and source of moisture should be replaced periodically, as needed.

Breeding

The gender of an adult Blaptica dubia roach can easily be found by looking at the wings of the roach. The males have full body wings, while the females only have small stubby wings. Once they have mated, the baby roaches will develop inside the mother for about 30 days, maybe more depending on temperature, at which time she will give birth to live young. Technically, B. dubia do not have live birth; females actually retain their oothecae (egg cases) until they are ready to hatch. The nymphs will eat the same diet as the adults, but they will also eat frass from the other roaches. It will take between 3-6 months for the nymphs to reach adulthood and their entire lifespan will be about 20-30 months.

Male Blaptica dubia (Above) | Female Blaptica dubia (Below)