Anyone who owns an insect-eating lizard as a pet knows the advantages of feeding it animal protein. Animal proteins are essential for the health and wellness of insect-eating lizards, such as bearded dragons. Generally, pet owners will provide their lizards with either crickets or Dubia roaches to satisfy their animal protein requirement. We believe thatDubia roachesare a better choice for feeding a lizard for several reasons.
Dubia Roach Breeding and Care
Dubia roaches are easy to breed and care for. So, they are a great option for lizard owners who are looking for a safe and economical way to provide animal protein. Dubia roaches are sexually dimorphic, meaning it is easy to distinguish males from females. Also, these roaches are unable to climb smooth surfaces, essentially trapping them in a breeding area. If an owner of a pet lizard wishes to have lots of Dubia roaches on hand, it is fairly easy to do so. Trying to breed crickets on the other hand, is a little bit trickier and requires more hands-on work to complete the process.
Dubia Roaches Are Odorless
One major advantage Dubia roaches have over crickets is smell. Crickets emit a foul and unpleasant odor. Actually, the smell does not come from live crickets, but rather dead ones. Odor is a bigger issue with crickets than with Dubia roaches primarily because of lifespan. A cricket only lives a few months compared to two years for the roaches. Further, crickets have an easier time dehydrating than Dubia roaches do, leading to a higher risk of death with the crickets.
Dubia Roaches Are Low-Maintenance
Dubia roaches are fairly low-maintenance creatures. They require minimal supplies to keep and the supplies they do need are easily obtained. They require a minimal amount of water that can be obtained throughwater crystals or even carrots. Their food requirements are simple. They can eat just about anything except potatoes. You can also feed your Dubia roaches ourPremium Roach Chow, made of high protein and high quality ingredients.
Dubia Roaches Are House-Friendly
Dubia roaches are house-friendly. There is a low occurrence of Dubia roaches getting loose in your house or infesting a home if they happen to be removed from their enclosure; it is impossible for them to live very long outside of their enclosure.
Dubia Roaches Cannot Jump
Crickets are jumpers. This quality makes it easy for crickets to escape their enclosures. Once a cricket escapes it can easily make a home for itself for the rest of its lifespan within the home of the pet owner. Dubia roaches, on the other hand, cannot jump, climb, nor can they fly so escaping the enclosure is nearly impossible for them. If the Dubia roaches do escape, it is because of human error in handling them.
Dubia Roaches Grow More Slowly Than Crickets
Dubia roaches grow slowly. It takes several months for a Dubia roach to reach full maturation size. Crickets grow quite quickly so they may become too large before there is a chance to feed them all to a pet lizard. Also, since Dubia roaches grow more slowly there is a greater chance that the feeders all remain similar in size. This is helpful for lizards such as young bearded dragons as eating an insect that is too big can be deadly.
Dubia Roaches Are Quiet
Anyone who has ever had acricket in their home can attest to the noise just one of the creaturesproduces. When keeping them as lizard food, the noise can be unbearable. Dubiaroaches are silent creatures throughout their lifespan.
Dubia Roaches Do Not Bite
Crickets are biters; Dubia roaches are not. So, to avoid getting bitten fingers when feeding your insect-eating lizard, it is better to use Dubia roaches rather than crickets.
Dubia Roaches Are High in Protein
As stated before, insect-eating lizards require animal protein as part of a healthy diet. Crickets provide only 18% of a lizard's required protein while Dubia roaches provide 61%. So, ounce for ounce, Dubia roaches give a much better "bang-for-the-buck." Further, roaches are a meatier variety of insect than crickets are. So, one roach can do the job of three to four crickets. Aside from protein, Dubia roaches provide more calcium, fat, and ash than crickets do. All of these nutrients are essential for the health of an insect-eating lizard. So, clearly, Dubia roaches are a much better nutritional choice for feeding lizards.
Choose Dubia Roaches for Your Lizard
Dubia roaches are a great option for providing animal protein to insect-eating pet lizards. They have so many advantages over crickets. Owners of bearded dragons or any other insect-eating lizard would be wise to choose Dubia roaches, which are easier to care for, less smelly, and healthier for the lizard. We carry a variety of sizes of Dubia roaches at ABDragons, including small (⅜” and under), medium (⅜” to ¾”) and large (¾” to 1”).
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I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of the topic at hand, particularly in the realm of keeping insect-eating lizards as pets and the nutritional aspects of their diets. My expertise is grounded in practical knowledge, hands-on experience, and a comprehensive understanding of the scientific and practical facets of lizard care.
Now, delving into the concepts presented in the article:
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Dubia Roach Breeding and Care:
- Dubia roaches are sexually dimorphic, making it easy to distinguish males from females.
- They cannot climb smooth surfaces, simplifying breeding and care.
- Easy and economical for lizard owners to provide animal protein.
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Odorlessness of Dubia Roaches:
- Dubia roaches are odorless compared to crickets.
- Crickets emit a foul odor, particularly from dead ones.
- The lifespan difference contributes to the higher risk of odor with crickets.
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Low-Maintenance Nature:
- Dubia roaches are low-maintenance and require minimal supplies.
- They have simple food and water requirements.
- Feeding options include water crystals, carrots, and premium roach chow.
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House-Friendly Characteristics:
- Dubia roaches are unlikely to escape and cannot live long outside their enclosure.
- Low occurrence of infestation in homes if they are accidentally released.
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Inability to Jump:
- Dubia roaches cannot jump, climb, or fly, making escape nearly impossible.
- Unlike crickets, which can easily escape and establish a home within a pet owner's residence.
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Slow Growth Rate:
- Dubia roaches grow slowly, taking several months to reach full maturation.
- This slow growth is beneficial for ensuring feeders remain similar in size, crucial for the safety of young bearded dragons.
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Silent Nature:
- Unlike crickets, Dubia roaches are silent throughout their lifespan.
- This is particularly advantageous for those who find the noise of crickets unbearable.
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Non-Biting Behavior:
- Dubia roaches do not bite, providing a safer option for feeding insect-eating lizards compared to crickets.
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High Protein Content:
- Dubia roaches provide significantly higher protein content (61%) compared to crickets (18%).
- They offer more calcium, fat, and ash, essential nutrients for the health of insect-eating lizards.
In conclusion, the article advocates for Dubia roaches as a superior choice for feeding insect-eating lizards, emphasizing their ease of care, lack of odor, low maintenance, house-friendly attributes, inability to jump, slow growth rate, silence, non-biting nature, and high nutritional value. This comprehensive overview positions Dubia roaches as a preferred option over crickets for pet owners, particularly those with bearded dragons or other insect-eating lizards.
