Are you a new leopard gecko owner, or are you just curious about what foods leopard geckos can eat? Well, look no further, as I have the answers you need. Some of the most common foods for leopard geckos are Crickets and Mealworms, however this question always pops up, “Can leopard geckos eat Dubia Roaches?”
(Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to find ‘Other related articles you might like’, once you are done reading).
A leopard gecko can grow to around 15cm – 25cm in length and live for anywhere between 10 – 20 years as a pet. For your leopard gecko to live to such ages, and grow to a healthy side, it will need a varied, staple diet.
And its for this reason that, yes, leopard geckos can eat Dubia Roaches.
Leopard geckos will eat just about any insect, given it’s the correct size and looks edible. However, not all insects are safe for a gecko to eat. Fortunately for you, Dubia Roaches don’t come under this category and are completely done to eat. In fact, they have many dietary benefits which help towards a healthy lifestyle.
Table of Contents
What is a Dubia Roach?
Dubia Roaches, also know as Blaptica Dubia, are part of the Cockroach family, which scale from medium to large in comparison with other roach species. They are native to Central and South America and make great foods for reptiles.
Out of all the roaches species, Dubia Roaches have one of the softest shells, which means they are easily edible and digested by reptiles. Unlike other roaches however, Dubia Roaches cannot climb flat surface, which makes using them as reptile foods that much easier. It sounds kind of harsh, but they cannot scar the enclosure walls to evade being eaten. This means your leopard gecko has a much better chance of catching them if they have no choice but to be on ground level.
Do keep in mind that all roaches do like to bury themselves. So make sure your gecko has actually eaten to roach before it finds somewhere to hide and burry itself. This should be done for all insects as during the night insects can feed on loose reptile skin, which in turn can lead to bacterial infections.
Dubia Roaches can usually live anywhere up to 2 years, depending fully on their care, with a size up to 2 inches. Males will commonly be larger than females due to their larger wings.
Where can you buy Dubia Roaches?
You should be able to find Dubia Roaches at any reptile store. Dubia Roaches are very common foods for reptiles as they have many dietary benefits. They will also vary in size, so be sure you get the correct size for your gecko. Too big and your leopard gecko won’t even attempt to eat them.
You can also buy Dubia Roaches online, which can be delivered straight to your door. This is great for when you simply do not have the time to stop by a reptile store. Reptile store are far and few in-between, so it’s understandable if you cannot find the time to drive out of town.