Dubia Roach Colony Size Calculator
Last updated: · Reviewed against sources listed below
This dubia roach colony calculator tells you how many breeding females you need to feed your reptiles from your own colony, how many roaches to start a colony with, and what size container to use. Start from your reptiles or from the number of roaches you use each week.
Your colony plan
- Roaches used per week
- Adult females needed
- Starter colony
- Container
What the numbers mean: a colony with the suggested number of females can supply your weekly use without shrinking. The range is wide because litters vary and warm colonies breed faster. If you are unsure, start near the top of the range.
How it works
If you start from your reptiles, the tool uses the same feeding data as ourinsect feeding calculator, converted to dubia roaches, to estimate how many roaches you use each week. This assumes all feeders are dubia.
Dubia roaches give birth to live young. Research on Blaptica dubia puts gestation at around two months, with about20–40 young per litter. That is roughly 2–5 young per female per week. You cannot harvest all of them, because some must grow into new breeders, so we use about 1.5–2.5 feeder-sized roaches per female per week.
Females needed = weekly roaches ÷ harvestable roaches per female. Males are added at about one for every3–5 females, and the container is chosen from the number of females.
Reference data: colony figures
| Young per litter | 20–40 |
|---|---|
| Time between litters | 7–9 weeks |
| Harvestable per female per week | 1.5–2.5 |
| Females per male | 3–5 |
| Wait before first harvest | 4–6 months |
| Breeding temperature | 80–90°F27–32°C |
Container by colony size
| Adult females | Container |
|---|---|
| 1–100 | 18-gallon plastic tote |
| 101–300 | 27–31-gallon plastic tote |
| 301–600 | Two 27–31-gallon totes |
| 601+ | A shelf of several large totes |
Frequently asked questions
How many roaches do I need to start a colony?
Start with the number of adult females the calculator suggests, plus roughly one male for every three to five females. Many keepers also add some medium nymphs, which grow into the next generation of breeders. Buying a few more females than you need helps the colony get going faster.
How long before I can feed from my dubia colony?
Expect to wait about four to six months. Females give birth roughly every two months, and the young need time to reach feeder size. Keep buying feeders during this time. Harvesting too early is the most common reason new colonies crash.
What temperature do dubia roaches need to breed?
Dubia roaches breed best at about 80–90°F (27–32°C) with humidity above about 60%. They survive at room temperature but breed slowly or stop. A heat mat or heat cable on a thermostat under part of the bin is a common setup, which also gives the colony a cooler end.
Can dubia roaches escape or infest my house?
Dubia roaches cannot climb smooth plastic or glass and cannot fly, so a smooth-sided tote with a ventilated lid contains them well. They also need warmth to breed, which makes an infestation in a typical home very unlikely. Some US states restrict keeping them, so check your local rules first.
Sources
Litter size, time between litters and breeding temperature are cross-checked against published data. Male-to-female ratio and container sizes follow common breeder practice.
- Endocrine aspects of ovary growth and gestation in the Argentinian cockroach, Blaptica dubia — Invertebrate Reproduction & Development (2013)
- Wikipedia — Blaptica dubia
- DubiaRoaches.com — Breeding Dubia Roaches
- Dubia Roach Depot — Breeding Dubia Roaches: A Comprehensive Guide
Where sources disagree we show the range they share. See our sources and methodology for how every number is checked.