Dubia Roach molted and grew wings....

[IrishEyes]

I take this to mean it's now an adult. And it grosses me out. "Bigly :roll:. What the heck am I supposed to do with it, now? I have a half dozen immature dubias left (for my Bearded Dragon, actually), and although they are unpleasant to me, they don't immediately make me freak out, like the big roaches in Hawaii do.

I'm not feeding a winged roach to the dragon. What now? Advice?

Thanks

p.s. I would have posted this on the beardie forum I belong to, but they don't answer questions in a timely manner. I'm hoping you will .

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

How large is your beardie? Do you think he'd eat this winged roach?

Otherwise you can destroy it.

 

[PoppyDear]

The Dubia Roach can be fed if it is the correct size, you could pull the wings off if that is what you are worried about. If it is too big you only have a few options:

•Save it for breeding if you are interested.

•See if you have any other friends that could feed an adult dubia or use it for breeding.

•Keep it alive with the rest of your roaches, it won't breed if it has no mature females. If you need to wait to give it to a friend or wait for animals to size up so you can feed, it is a good option.

•Kill the roach via the freezer or squishing.

 

[IrishEyes]

How large is your beardie? Do you think he'd eat this winged roach?

Otherwise you can destroy it.

He's an average-sized full grown Beardie, I'd say, based on the others I saw at the place where I got him. The roach is big, but not a whole lot bigger than some of the largest (and possibly molted female, now that I've seen photos of them) roaches I've fed him, and which he's eaten with gusto and w/out any negative effects. He could, and probably would, eat it, but what about those long wings? This may sound dumb, but won't they get stuck in his throat or digestive tract somewhere if he eats it?

As for me, I don't even kill the irritating little "flightless" (but man, can they HOP!) fruit flies that find their way out of vivs. I don't kill. I can't amputate crickets at the knee, either, even if it keeps them in the dishes in which they're placed. I can't kill the spiders I hate and fear so much--I send Z to take them outdoors. Killing and maiming God's living beings is not within my ability to do. I'll feed live insects to animals that can basically swallow them whole, which Buddy can do, with just a few "chews" thrown in to make sure they go down, but if the animal has to rip its live food to shreds before eating them, forget it. I can feed my snakes whole creatures, because I buy the rodents online, frozen, to thaw out and feed as necessary, like us going to the grocery store to buy chicken or something, but I'm not giving them something living that they have to squeeze to death or bite repeatedly until it dies.

So, if anyone wants this disgusting big winged male dubia roach for anything (add it to their dubia colony, perhaps?, or they have some big, honking monitor or somesuch that would appreciate a snack), and they're attending the reptile expo in PDX on Saturday, I can probably bring it in to them--just let me know. Otherwise, I guess I have a "pet" Dubia for the remainder of his (hopefully short) life :shock:....

 

[PoppyDear]

They can live around 2 years, it takes near 6 months to fully mature.

Also be careful if you have any newly molted females, if they aren't fed fast enough you could have baby dubia very soon.

I don't think the wings would get caught in his digestive tract either. In the wild they would eat things with wings no problem. I know many others who feed them as well, just make sure it is chewed well. I'd say it is perfectly okay to feed!

Nor do kill anything unless absolutely necessary, however if amputating an insect's leg will preserve one of my pet's life I will do it. I think frozen is promoted for snakes (I don't own a snake) because it is less cruel than live and supposedly safer. However those frozen animals were likely raised in bulk (Usually not good conditions.) and killed for this purpose. As are frozen chicken, beef, etc.

I would bring the dubia to that Expo and give it to a vender with a big beardie or other large reptile capable of eating it. I am sure many will accept!

Good luck!

 

[IrishEyes]

They can live around 2 years, it takes near 6 months to fully mature.

Also be careful if you have any newly molted females, if they aren't fed fast enough you could have baby dubia very soon.

I don't think the wings would get caught in his digestive tract either. In the wild they would eat things with wings no problem. I know many others who feed them as well, just make sure it is chewed well. I'd say it is perfectly okay to feed!

Nor do kill anything unless absolutely necessary, however if amputating an insect's leg will preserve one of my pet's life I will do it. I think frozen is promoted for snakes (I don't own a snake) because it is less cruel than live and supposedly safer. However those frozen animals were likely raised in bulk (Usually not good conditions.) and killed for this purpose. As are frozen chicken, beef, etc.

I would bring the dubia to that Expo and give it to a vender with a big beardie or other large reptile capable of eating it. I am sure many will accept!

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, PoppyDear (I love your username--it's beautiful, and it's the same nickname we use with one of my Pomeranians ). If Buddy doesn't have it for a meal, today, and I can get it in the door in some sort of safe container, I will certainly bring it along. As for their lifespans--YIKES! 2 years? That's wild. I thought only things like tarantulas and queen bees/termites among the invert crowd had lifespans like that!

As for the mass produced and frozen rodents--that's the idea--I don't have to WATCH a creature get killed, and I don't have to do it myself. AFAIK, the small company we get them from raises them in good conditions and kills them humanely, with CO2. I'm neither vegan nor vegetarian--I love fish, chicken, and dairy foods--and I'm not anti-hunting, as long as it's for food and not a trophy. I just don't like to participate in nor watch something die.

It IS horrifying the way some creatures are raised and then "processed", as the farmers and ranchers call slaughtering and packaging their animals. Cruel and sickening. That's why we eat ONLY humanely-raised, free range animals that are "processed" at home, and humanely. Luckily, our CSA farmer family raises and "processes" their animals humanely, so I don't feel like I'm perpetuating evil husbandry ways by supporting them and eating the creatures they provide for us on a weekly basis. Usually line-caught fish from a small dory boat that goes out every morning, free range chickens who are past their laying years (and roosters), and eggs. We also purchase a half hog from them every year--my husband drools just thinking about eating pork raised by them ). But, as they say, that's a whole 'nother story for a whole different thread. I just felt I needed to get my belief system out there, although, if it comes right down to it, my signature says it all .

 

[PoppyDear]

Hey!

I was surpised at their lifespans as well! One of the many reasons reptiles have gotten me more educated about insects. And another reason I got rid of crickets... Thanks for the compliments on my user name (Now that you brought that up your user name intrigues me!)

As for the roach, you can use a simple sandwhich/deli container, I tend to flip roaches on their backs and gently grab them by the leg with tongs. Then I pop them in a container. Tell us if you managed to get Buddy to eat it, or get it to the Expo!

I'm younger around here (My profile age is inaccurate, that is a story for another day.) but I also do my best to source animal poducts with more humane methods. I am trying to become vegetarian, but due to circumstances and unwilling parents I am unable to do so at this time. I don't have anything against people who are not vegan/vegetarian either, don't worry! In fact I even support all the measures you have taken for the animal's wellbeing! But this conversation has me curious about this hobby's ethics (For everyone in this hobby) and how vegan's would (If at all) be able to support a carnivorious reptile and if insects factor in.

I would love to see something like that in the ethics area on this forum! Anyways, I am getting a bit off topic, if you would like to discuss this more I am open to messaging or another thread.

 

[Magixs]

Hey!

I was surpised at their lifespans as well! One of the many reasons reptiles have gotten me more educated about insects. And another reason I got rid of crickets... Thanks for the compliments on my user name (Now that you brought that up your user name intrigues me!)

As for the roach, you can use a simple sandwhich/deli container, I tend to flip roaches on their backs and gently grab them by the leg with tongs. Then I pop them in a container. Tell us if you managed to get Buddy to eat it, or get it to the Expo!

I'm younger around here (My profile age is inaccurate, that is a story for another day.) but I also do my best to source animal poducts with more humane methods. I am trying to become vegetarian, but due to circumstances and unwilling parents I am unable to do so at this time. I don't have anything against people who are not vegan/vegetarian either, don't worry! In fact I even support all the measures you have taken for the animal's wellbeing! But this conversation has me curious about this hobby's ethics (For everyone in this hobby) and how vegan's would (If at all) be able to support a carnivorious reptile and if insects factor in.

I would love to see something like that in the ethics area on this forum! Anyways, I am getting a bit off topic, if you would like to discuss this more I am open to messaging or another thread.

I would love you to bring up a vegetarian/vegan topic, killing living things is bad-yet I will come up with ways it's okay................. <3

Vegetarians see everything a vegan does, yet doesn't commit to inconveniencing themselves.

Killing something or not is the question to ask..? Do I value an animals life (one which is lesser than a human) not particularly.

 

[PoppyDear]

I would love you to bring up a vegetarian/vegan topic, killing living things is bad-yet I will come up with ways it's okay................. <3

Vegetarians see everything a vegan does, yet doesn't commit to inconveniencing themselves.

Killing something or not is the question to ask..? Do I value an animals life (one which is lesser than a human) not particularly.

I'm not sure this is an appropriate place for this, I feel another thread is more suitable, or a message to me.