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Why do Bearded Dragons Love Dubia Roaches?

Dubia roaches for bearded dragons are one of the most common feeder insects, and this is for good reason. Dubia roaches contain lots of protein, which helps young bearded dragons grow. They also contain a well-balanced nutrient profile and are fairly active insects. They will keep both you and your bearded dragon entertained. Keep reading to find out why dubia roaches are a bearded dragon favorite!

For Young Dragons… It’s all about Protein.

Young bearded dragons grow at an extraordinary rate. To keep up with this growth, they need a high level of protein. In the wild, a young bearded dragon typically eats insects, especially termites. Termites are much harder to raise in captivity compared to dubia roaches. The smallest dubia roach nymphs, typically around ⅛ of an inch when they are born, make a great termite substitute. Generally speaking, you should never offer your bearded dragon any prey that is larger than the space between its eyes. Offering prey too large can cause impaction, a condition where food items get lodged in the gut. One reason that dubia roaches are great is that they are born at a size small enough for most juvenile bearded dragons. And, they can keep up with the dragon as it grows! As your dragon grows, you can start to feed it larger and larger roaches. Dubia roaches can get up to 2 inches long, which will feed the largest bearded dragons. However, as your bearded dragon matures, it will need less live prey and more leafy greens and vegetables. Since dubia roaches live for over a year, you can make sure you always have them on hand for when your lizard needs a little extra protein.

Bearded Dragons Need Other Nutrients, Too!

Another important aspect of dubia roaches that makes them a great feeder is that their exoskeleton does not increase its thickness significantly as the insects mature. This is typically measured by the ratio of the protein chitin to the insect's overall mass. Chitin is the main protein involved in forming an exoskeleton. The chitin-to-mass ratio typically increases with age in most insects. But, adult and nymph dubia roaches have almost the same ratio of chitin-per-mass. This means that your bearded dragon will easily be able to capture, chew, and digest dubia roaches as the lizard gets older. Other feeder insects, such as crickets and mealworms, tend to increase the amount of chitin they produce as they get larger. This can lead to poor digestion and even impaction. Dubia roaches have one of the thinnest exoskeletons of all feeder insects, ensuring that your lizard gets a very high meat-to-exoskeleton ratio. Dubia roaches also have slightly more energy per unit mass, as compared to discoid roaches and crickets. This means that you can feed fewer dubia roaches for the same amount of energy your lizard receives. Gut impaction is also caused by overfeeding. Bearded dragons will be satisfied with a smaller meal of dubia roaches compared to most other feeder insects, meaning they will be less likely to suffer from impaction. Dubia roaches have many other important nutrients, like fats, minerals, calcium, and phosphorous, which are essential to your bearded dragon’s health. Roaches, in general, have a great profile of protein-to-fat, and dubia roaches are among the best.

Stimulate Natural Behaviors!

Beyond nutrition, one of the most important dietary considerations is allowing your bearded dragon to show natural behaviors. Hunting and capturing insects is an extremely stimulating activity for a hungry dragon. Not only is it good for your bearded dragon, but it is fascinating to watch! Dubia roaches are fairly active, but cannot fly, bite, or jump. This means that they will run from your dragon, but are not great at escaping or finding places to hide within your lizard’s cage. They also cannot bite or harm your dragon. For young dragons, putting dubia roaches in a shallow, slick bowl is a great way to teach the young lizard how to capture insects.

But, Dubia Roaches Are Not Perfect…

While dubia roaches offer great protein, a thin exoskeleton, and allow plenty of opportunities for your bearded dragon to show natural behaviors, they are not perfect. Like other feeder insects, they often lack the calcium and vitamin A most insectivores need in their diet. However, this simple deficiency can be avoided. First, it’s a good idea to use a calcium and vitamin A insect dust before feeding. Much like buying vitamin-enriched cereal for your kids, this ensures that your lizard will receive the calcium and vitamin A as they feed. This can also be accomplished by gut-loading your dubia roaches with calcium-rich vegetables, such as collard greens or watercress. Since bearded dragons are omnivorous, you can also ensure they get enough calcium by offering a wide variety of leafy greens, vegetables, and small amounts of fruit. It is also advisable to offer a diversity of insects, which is common in a wild bearded dragon diet. This may include crickets, superworms, mealworms, beetle larvae, and even baby mice. Pinky mice can be especially useful if you suspect your lizard has a calcium or vitamin A deficiency.

Why You Will ALSO Love Dubia Roaches…

Your bearded dragon will definitely love chasing, catching, and eating dubia roaches. They have a well-balanced nutrient profile. With greens, vegetables, and fruit, they can certainly meet the nutritional needs of your dragon. However, dubia roaches are not only great for your dragon. They can also be great for YOU, too! As a feeder, dubia roaches are available in sizes ranging from ¼ inch to 2 inches. Dubia roaches cannot climb, nor can they fly. This means that they are easy to keep contained. Further, roaches can live for well over a year, meaning you can keep a small colony to slowly feed out to your reptiles. Dubia roaches are also notoriously easy to breed, meaning you could start your own colony and have a steady supply of roaches available on any occasion. Unlike crickets, superworms, or mice, dubia roaches are not stinky and are relatively clean insects. As long as you keep their container free of rotting food, the maintenance and upkeep are minimal! [post_title] => Dubia Roaches for Bearded Dragons - Why do BD's love Dubias? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => dubia-roaches-for-bearded-dragons [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-18 20:44:25 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-19 00:44:25 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/?post_type=topic&p=1908 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1896 [post_author] => 590 [post_date] => 2019-09-16 13:45:24 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-16 17:45:24 [post_content] => Hi this is my 3 lizards. Sam is the female anole(white stripe down the back) drako is the male anole(black stripe down the back) and mr eddie is the male leopard gecko. Fun fact reason mr eddies name is that is becuase when i was little i would name evrything that. Have a good day people. [post_title] => The hungry lizards of society [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => the-hungry-lizards-of-society [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-16 13:45:24 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-16 17:45:24 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 6 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/forums/topic/the-hungry-lizards-of-society/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1859 [post_author] => 583 [post_date] => 2019-09-13 11:08:01 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-13 15:08:01 [post_content] => Vote for Jack Sparrow. He adores his broccoli, but once those crickets jump in he goes crazy! [post_title] => Cricket Contest [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => cricket-contest-174 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-13 11:08:01 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-13 15:08:01 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/forums/topic/cricket-contest-174/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [3] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 531 [post_author] => 217 [post_date] => 2019-04-27 17:46:32 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-04-27 21:46:32 [post_content] => I’m hoping this post will help me win 500 crickets for our dear beardie, Colonel Mustard!  He’s our 19 month old baby and loves him some crickets!  Good luck to all participants and wishing everyone and their pets a good day!! [post_title] => Colonel loves crickets!! Yum! 😋 [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => colonel-loves-crickets-yum-%f0%9f%98%8b [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-04-27 17:46:32 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-04-27 21:46:32 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/forums/topic/colonel-loves-crickets-yum-%f0%9f%98%8b/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [4] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1705 [post_author] => 118 [post_date] => 2019-09-04 15:25:50 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-04 19:25:50 [post_content] => This is my baby Onion when I first brought him home. He is the King of Camouflage!! He is now 8 months old and triple that size. [post_title] => Critter Contest [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => critter-contest-3 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-04 15:25:50 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-04 19:25:50 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/forums/topic/critter-contest-3/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [5] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1852 [post_author] => 569 [post_date] => 2019-09-11 21:25:40 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-12 01:25:40 [post_content] => Miss Wanda aka(dvr) and i went apple picking the other day and she just looked so precious i couldnt help but share. I do hope this helps us to win because she loves her crickets and my wallet is started to cry lol. [post_title] => Cricket contests [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => cricket-contests-2 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-11 21:25:40 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-12 01:25:40 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/forums/topic/cricket-contests-2/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [6] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1864 [post_author] => 6 [post_date] => 2019-09-13 20:08:59 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-14 00:08:59 [post_content] =>

Dubia Roaches vs Discoid Roaches: Nutritional Value, Breeding, Legality and More!

Comment Below and Let us know Which Roach you Prefer!

difference between dubia and discoid roaches Dubia roaches and discoid roaches are two of the most popular feeder insects for reptiles and arachnids. However, most people don’t fully understand the differences between these two roaches. The differences between them are subtle, but they may influence your decisions on what insects to feed your favorite insectivore.  Below, we'll review the following categories, and decide which species offers the better value for your beloved bearded dragon:
  • Nutritional value
    • Moisture Content
    • Fat Content
    • Chitin Content
    • Crude Protein
    • Calcium-to-Phosphorus Ratio
    • Total Energy
  • Breeding Differences between both species
  • Legality in Specific States (lookin' at you, Dubias!)

Nutritional Value

One of the most important aspects of feeder insects is that they support the nutritional needs of your pet. Nutritionally, dubia roaches and discoid roaches are very similar. However, there are some important differences in specific nutrients you should be aware of.

Moisture Content - Advantage Discoid Roaches

Moisture is an important aspect of the composition of feeder insects that relates to your animal’s ability to digest them. Between dubia and discoid roaches, discoid roaches have slightly more moisture in their bodies. While the difference is minimal, if you have a reptile prone to gut impaction, you will want to feed insects with higher moisture content, like discoid roaches. 

Fat Content - Advantage: depends on your outlook - Dubias have more fat

dubia roaches for sale Eating an extremely high-fat diet is bad for both reptiles and humans. However, roaches are typically a well-balanced meal for most insectivores. However, dubia roaches have a slightly higher fat content per body weight. So, if you have a skinny reptile who needs to gain weight, dubia roaches are best. If you have an overweight animal, you may want to consider discoid roaches.

Chitin Content - Advantage Dubia Roaches

Chitin is the main molecule involved in the formation of an insect’s exoskeleton. Feeders with a high chitin content compared to their mass have thick, tough exoskeletons. Between dubia roaches and discoid roaches, dubia roaches have slightly less chitin. This means dubia roaches have a slightly thinner exoskeleton. For picky eaters or those prone to gut impaction, dubia roaches make a better choice. 

Crude Protein Content - Advantage Discoid Roaches

Protein content is important for the growth of your pets. But, your animals need both a good quantity of protein, as well as high-quality protein. While dubia roaches and discoid roaches have relatively the same amount of protein per mass, they do differ in protein quality. Discoid roaches have a higher essential amino acid index. In simple terms, this means they have a greater diversity of protein building blocks, known as amino acids. This makes discoid roaches a better choice for animals which may have a protein deficiency in their diet. 

Calcium-to-Phosphorus Ratio - Advantage Discoid Roaches

Calcium is a very important nutrient for insectivores. Phosphorus, on the other hand, typically lowers the amount of calcium your pets can actually absorb from their food. Thus, the ratio between calcium and phosphorus in insects is very important. In this category, discoid roaches are much better. They have a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of about 1:3. Dubia roaches, on the other hand, have a ratio of about 1:22. This means that dubia roaches will require significantly more calcium supplementation if they are used as feeders.

Total Energy - Practically a Tie

As adults, dubia roaches and discoid roaches have almost the same amount of energy per body weight. However, dubia nymphs contain more energy per mass compared to discoid roaches. But, discoid roaches get slightly larger than dubia roaches. For juvenile lizards and insectivores, dubia roaches will make them satisfied with fewer feeder insects. However, very large pets can be switched over to discoid roaches to fully satisfy their hunger. If you want, you can check out the entire study done on the nutritional value of discoid roaches and dubia roaches.

Breeding Roaches

The phrase “breeding like roaches” is a real thing. Both of these species are very easy to breed in captivity. Neither species can jump, bite, or fly, which makes them very easy to contain and lessens the chance they will escape and infest your home. While both species have wings, neither species can use those wings for anything but gliding in a controlled manner as they fall. Both species are much quieter than crickets, and neither species has a strong odor. One aspect you may want to consider is allergies. Dubia roaches have a notorious reputation for causing allergic reactions in people who handle them and clean their containers. Discoid roaches do not carry this reputation, but that could be because they are not as popular as dubia roaches. Keeping your roach colony clean with very high humidity is the best way to mitigate possible allergies. You can also use a respirator, gloves, and a Tyvec suit to completely avoid an allergic reaction if you are susceptible.

Legality in Certain States

Dubia roaches have been banned in several states, likely due to their popularity as a feeder insect. Discoid roaches do not seem to have been banned from any states. However, the laws in each state vary drastically when it comes to which types of animals and insects you are allowed to own. Florida, for instance, bans dubia roaches but is open to discoid roaches. Before you make a decision on what type of roach to buy for your pet, make sure that it is legal in your state!

And the winner is….

While dubia roaches are a common choice among reptile enthusiasts and arachnid keepers, comparing them to discoid roaches is hard. Discoid roaches are better in several areas, including the calcium-to-phosphorous ratio, moisture content, and protein quality. While dubia roaches do have a slightly thinner shell, their extremely high calcium-to-phosphorus ratio makes it much more likely to cause calcium deficiencies in insectivorous reptiles. Further, discoid roaches do not have the reputation of causing allergies or being illegal in various states.  This makes discoid roaches slightly better, though dubia roaches are still a great choice. You can try out both types of roaches to give your animal diversity in its diet, and see which type of roach they enjoy the most! [post_title] => Dubia Roaches vs. Discoid Roaches - What's the Difference? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => difference-between-dubia-roaches-and-discoid-roaches [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-13 20:08:59 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-14 00:08:59 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/?post_type=topic&p=1864 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [7] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1750 [post_author] => 520 [post_date] => 2019-09-05 21:53:58 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-06 01:53:58 [post_content] => These little beardies are jst a few months old. Rock's, Crusher and Spaz [post_title] => Cricket Contest [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => closed [post_password] => [post_name] => cricket-contest-171 [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-05 21:53:58 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-06 01:53:58 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/forums/topic/cricket-contest-171/ [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 8 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 1908 [post_author] => 6 [post_date] => 2019-09-18 20:43:44 [post_date_gmt] => 2019-09-19 00:43:44 [post_content] =>

Why do Bearded Dragons Love Dubia Roaches?

Dubia roaches for bearded dragons are one of the most common feeder insects, and this is for good reason. Dubia roaches contain lots of protein, which helps young bearded dragons grow. They also contain a well-balanced nutrient profile and are fairly active insects. They will keep both you and your bearded dragon entertained. Keep reading to find out why dubia roaches are a bearded dragon favorite!

For Young Dragons… It’s all about Protein.

Young bearded dragons grow at an extraordinary rate. To keep up with this growth, they need a high level of protein. In the wild, a young bearded dragon typically eats insects, especially termites. Termites are much harder to raise in captivity compared to dubia roaches. The smallest dubia roach nymphs, typically around ⅛ of an inch when they are born, make a great termite substitute. Generally speaking, you should never offer your bearded dragon any prey that is larger than the space between its eyes. Offering prey too large can cause impaction, a condition where food items get lodged in the gut. One reason that dubia roaches are great is that they are born at a size small enough for most juvenile bearded dragons. And, they can keep up with the dragon as it grows! As your dragon grows, you can start to feed it larger and larger roaches. Dubia roaches can get up to 2 inches long, which will feed the largest bearded dragons. However, as your bearded dragon matures, it will need less live prey and more leafy greens and vegetables. Since dubia roaches live for over a year, you can make sure you always have them on hand for when your lizard needs a little extra protein.

Bearded Dragons Need Other Nutrients, Too!

Another important aspect of dubia roaches that makes them a great feeder is that their exoskeleton does not increase its thickness significantly as the insects mature. This is typically measured by the ratio of the protein chitin to the insect's overall mass. Chitin is the main protein involved in forming an exoskeleton. The chitin-to-mass ratio typically increases with age in most insects. But, adult and nymph dubia roaches have almost the same ratio of chitin-per-mass. This means that your bearded dragon will easily be able to capture, chew, and digest dubia roaches as the lizard gets older. Other feeder insects, such as crickets and mealworms, tend to increase the amount of chitin they produce as they get larger. This can lead to poor digestion and even impaction. Dubia roaches have one of the thinnest exoskeletons of all feeder insects, ensuring that your lizard gets a very high meat-to-exoskeleton ratio. Dubia roaches also have slightly more energy per unit mass, as compared to discoid roaches and crickets. This means that you can feed fewer dubia roaches for the same amount of energy your lizard receives. Gut impaction is also caused by overfeeding. Bearded dragons will be satisfied with a smaller meal of dubia roaches compared to most other feeder insects, meaning they will be less likely to suffer from impaction. Dubia roaches have many other important nutrients, like fats, minerals, calcium, and phosphorous, which are essential to your bearded dragon’s health. Roaches, in general, have a great profile of protein-to-fat, and dubia roaches are among the best.

Stimulate Natural Behaviors!

Beyond nutrition, one of the most important dietary considerations is allowing your bearded dragon to show natural behaviors. Hunting and capturing insects is an extremely stimulating activity for a hungry dragon. Not only is it good for your bearded dragon, but it is fascinating to watch! Dubia roaches are fairly active, but cannot fly, bite, or jump. This means that they will run from your dragon, but are not great at escaping or finding places to hide within your lizard’s cage. They also cannot bite or harm your dragon. For young dragons, putting dubia roaches in a shallow, slick bowl is a great way to teach the young lizard how to capture insects.

But, Dubia Roaches Are Not Perfect…

While dubia roaches offer great protein, a thin exoskeleton, and allow plenty of opportunities for your bearded dragon to show natural behaviors, they are not perfect. Like other feeder insects, they often lack the calcium and vitamin A most insectivores need in their diet. However, this simple deficiency can be avoided. First, it’s a good idea to use a calcium and vitamin A insect dust before feeding. Much like buying vitamin-enriched cereal for your kids, this ensures that your lizard will receive the calcium and vitamin A as they feed. This can also be accomplished by gut-loading your dubia roaches with calcium-rich vegetables, such as collard greens or watercress. Since bearded dragons are omnivorous, you can also ensure they get enough calcium by offering a wide variety of leafy greens, vegetables, and small amounts of fruit. It is also advisable to offer a diversity of insects, which is common in a wild bearded dragon diet. This may include crickets, superworms, mealworms, beetle larvae, and even baby mice. Pinky mice can be especially useful if you suspect your lizard has a calcium or vitamin A deficiency.

Why You Will ALSO Love Dubia Roaches…

Your bearded dragon will definitely love chasing, catching, and eating dubia roaches. They have a well-balanced nutrient profile. With greens, vegetables, and fruit, they can certainly meet the nutritional needs of your dragon. However, dubia roaches are not only great for your dragon. They can also be great for YOU, too! As a feeder, dubia roaches are available in sizes ranging from ¼ inch to 2 inches. Dubia roaches cannot climb, nor can they fly. This means that they are easy to keep contained. Further, roaches can live for well over a year, meaning you can keep a small colony to slowly feed out to your reptiles. Dubia roaches are also notoriously easy to breed, meaning you could start your own colony and have a steady supply of roaches available on any occasion. Unlike crickets, superworms, or mice, dubia roaches are not stinky and are relatively clean insects. As long as you keep their container free of rotting food, the maintenance and upkeep are minimal! [post_title] => Dubia Roaches for Bearded Dragons - Why do BD's love Dubias? [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => closed [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => dubia-roaches-for-bearded-dragons [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-09-18 20:44:25 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-09-19 00:44:25 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 64 [guid] => https://critterfam.com/?post_type=topic&p=1908 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => topic [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [comment_count] => 0 [current_comment] => -1 [found_posts] => 1930 [max_num_pages] => 242 [max_num_comment_pages] => 0 [is_single] => [is_preview] => [is_page] => [is_archive] => 1 [is_date] => [is_year] => [is_month] => [is_day] => [is_time] => [is_author] => [is_category] => [is_tag] => [is_tax] => [is_search] => [is_feed] => [is_comment_feed] => [is_trackback] => [is_home] => [is_privacy_policy] => [is_404] => [is_embed] => [is_paged] => 1 [is_admin] => [is_attachment] => [is_singular] => [is_robots] => [is_favicon] => [is_posts_page] => [is_post_type_archive] => 1 [query_vars_hash:WP_Query:private] => 3f2300b0f6bad16d321c1f28be50b55b [query_vars_changed:WP_Query:private] => [thumbnails_cached] => [allow_query_attachment_by_filename:protected] => [stopwords:WP_Query:private] => [compat_fields:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => query_vars_hash [1] => query_vars_changed ) [compat_methods:WP_Query:private] => Array ( [0] => init_query_flags [1] => parse_tax_query ) [query_cache_key:WP_Query:private] => wp_query:8b65829236ac678ce7501bd4ef981d48:0.55415700 1751523010 [posts_per_page] => 8 [paged] => 209 [pagination_links] => 1 2 3 208 209 210 240 241 242 )


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