Crickets vs. Dubia Roaches - Which is the Better Feeder?
After you decide to get a new pet, you need to start thinking about feeder insects. The feeder you pick will be your pet’s main food source. It might be something you can buy in bulk, or you might want to start a colony of your own. There are a lot of options out there, and what you pick depends on a lot of things, including your own pet.
In this article, we’ll compare one of the most popular feeders, crickets, with a less-common option, the dubia roach. Let’s get into it and figure out which is the right choice for you.
Reptile Dietary Needs
Your first concern is what your pet needs. This obviously depends on what kind of pet you have. For carnivores like leopard geckos, you need a bug with high protein and fat, low fiber, and lots of calcium. In general, reptiles need a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 3:2 to stay healthy. Leopard geckos thrive on variety, so you could also use two feeder insects, one that’s higher in fat and another that’s higher in protein.
Omnivores like bearded dragons also need high protein and fat, but their diet is split evenly between insects, fruits, and vegetables. Juvenile beardies are more carnivorous, and need lots of fat to maintain their energy levels. As they age, they tend to shift to a more vegetarian diet.
Another thing to think about is how big the insects you give your pet are. A good rule of thumb is that feeder insects should be as long as the distance between your pet’s eyes. So as your pet ages, you will want to give them bigger insects.
Cricket Biology
Crickets are a popular option because of how easy they are to get. You can find them in just about any pet store, which makes them a good backup option in case something goes wrong with your other feeder.
There are two main species of crickets people use as feeders: the brown house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and the banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus). Both are native to Southeast Asia and grow to around the same size (.7-.8”). This is about half the size of a large dubia roach.
Brown house crickets are more common, but banded crickets are also a good option, especially if you plan on starting a colony. Banded crickets are a little more resistant to disease, but they’re more aggressive and can end up bullying your pet.
Dubia Roach Biology
The humble dubia roach (Blaptica dubia) is shamelessly one of our favorite feeders. Dubias are native to South America and live in leaf litter on the forest floor. They’re notoriously bad at both climbing and flying, which makes them great for keeping a colony indoors. They have very simple needs: moderate humidity, slightly above room temperature, some egg flats, and a few pieces of stale bread, and they’ll be as happy as can be. Dubias grow from about ⅓” to 1 ½” as adults, which is a good range of sizes for most reptiles.
Nutrition Comparison
Now let’s compare nutrition. In some ways, crickets and dubias are very similar, but they also differ.
Brown House Cricket Nutrition Facts
Protein: 21.4%
Fat: 6.9%
Moisture: 66.1%
Ash: 1.6%
Fiber: 3.9-7.5%
Calcium to phosphorus ratio: 1:10
Dubia Roach Nutrition Facts
Protein: 22%
Fat: 7.7%
Moisture: 60%
Ash: 1.7%
Fiber: 2.9%
Calcium to Phosphorus ratio: 2:3
As you can see, crickets and dubias both have good protein content and lower fat, making them what we would call “lean protein” for reptiles. This isn’t bad, but if you were to pick either, you would want to supplement your pet’s diet with another, more fatty insect like a superworm. You can also boost their nutritional content by gut loading them before giving them to your pet.
They also both have good moisture and ash content. Crickets have significantly higher fiber, which can be a problem for animals like bearded dragons that can become impacted easily. Dubias have a better calcium to phosphorus ratio, but neither option is ideal. You would want to dust your feeders with a calcium supplement whether you chose crickets or dubias.
Digestibility
The main standout here is fiber content, which you can’t really do anything to reduce. As we mentioned already, the main benefit of crickets is how easy they are to get. If you have a colony of a different feeder at home and something goes wrong with it, you can always rely on crickets from the store until you get your colony up and running again.
Which Do Reptiles Like Better?
Nutrition is only one factor, though. Predatory animals have a psychological need to hunt; it’s their main source of entertainment. This will vary depending on your pet’s species, temperament, and age. Older reptiles may be more sedentary and less interested in chasing their food, while juveniles almost always love hunting.
In the “fun factor” category, crickets win out every time. Dubia roaches are pretty sedentary for the most part, and don’t put up much of a fight for a predator like a leopard gecko. If you have an active young lizard, they are going to want something active. You could even mix your main “nutritional” feeder, like a dubia roach, with some more “fun” feeders like brown house crickets.
Ensuring a Balanced Diet
As always, we need to mention that variety is the spice of life, and that you shouldn’t just give your pet one insect for its whole life. Even carnivorous reptiles like leopard geckos need a healthy mix of insects to stay healthy and happy. You might choose a “lean protein” feeder like a dubia roach, along with a fatty “snack” insect like a superworm to round out its diet.
Omnivores like bearded dragons will need a mix of insects, leafy greens, and fruits to keep their health in check. Along with their main feeder insect, they love greens like kale and collards, along with sweets like mango and banana.