MY SELF CLEANiNG DUBiA ROACH COLONY BiN SETUP!

how I made my self cleaning dubia roach colony setup! now that I have Kuzon, my leopard gecko, I had to set up a feeder roach colony so that he could have a constant supply of tasty bugs. actual tutorial of building the roach bin starts at 5:35 :)
Supplies needed ►
2 plastic bins - 10 gallons or larger, depending on how big you want your colony to be. I bought mine at Walmart for about $8 each.
Egg cartons - amzn.to/2Tn2Ljr
[commissions may be earned from the link above. thank you for supporting the channel!]
I save these from when we buy eggs at Costco, you can also purchase them online
Heat mat - amzn.to/2tVV0Sn
[commissions may be earned from the link above]
I use a low wattage germinating heat mat so that I don't have to get a thermostat as well. Make sure you check temps constantly with a laser temp gun though!
Mesh - amzn.to/3ey3pld
[commissions may be earned from the link above]
Tupperware Lid - for food dish :)
Tools ►
Marker Pen
Razorblade
Scissors
Hot Glue Gun
Sandpaper (optional)
Tape Measure
Instagram ► / theturtlegirl
Patreon ► / theturtlegirl
Huge thanks to all my current patrons for allowing this channel to be the best it can be!
Officially Tielo, Pat S, Christopher James McDermott, Darrel Flint, Orlando Vargas, ishaan arya, and 5 others ❤️
// music //
Late by Ikson
/ ikson
*disclaimer*
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means if you buy through them I get a small commission on the sale. All opinions on products are my own, and will always be. Thanks for supporting the channel!

[@TheRareCriticalThinker]

I like the amount of effort put into this video, especially the part with the stop motion assembly process. Pretty neat. Anyway, I really want to do this because I have a bearded dragon that eats about 30 roaches a day and it's getting expensive constantly having to buy 200 of them a week.

[@TheTurtleGirl]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@__Nikola__]

Its a lizard not a pig, stop overfeeding it!! They are cold blooded and don't need that much energy, 5-6 dubias daily is more than enough, and give him some plants too, it will be much healthier.

[@__Nikola__]

@@bigdaddythunderr in nature they eat a lot less and are lot healthier/vital and happier than in captivity. No matter how big it is 30 roaches a day is very bad. If you try to feed your dragon "all it can eat" it will basicaly die from overstuffing. Again the accent is on "they are cold blooded"!

[@TheRareCriticalThinker]

@@bigdaddythunderr Yep. My bearded dragon is 1.5 years old now, and her diet consists of 4-5 roaches a day plus a small mustard green/dandelion green salad, with occasional blueberries.

[@lightend100]

"measure twice cut once"... Someones dad is in the trades :-) great video, well done. I doubt your dad would be mad if he watched the vid, I think he would be very proud,,, even if he does have dubia roaches running over his feet.

[@TheTurtleGirl]

hahahaha this made me laugh so hard. thank you!

[@oooyeahooyeah7451]

Tip: heat the knife with fire from the stove. It cuts through the plastic easily

[@TheTurtleGirl]

thanks!!

[@marshiemellow]

Idk :( I had to use a lighter on mine. Electric stove lol

[@rtw1947]

Cut it quicker with a Dremel!

[@elishamccomas8033]

Solder it

[@jordandudley9120]

Blowtorch dab nation

[@animalisticlee4910]

Just started mine a week ago. I love the 2 bin idea! I have to go buy a second bin now!

[@TheTurtleGirl]

definitely! It's been really helpful :)

[@raymanandeze]

I would be a sad bin too if i had roaches in me lol

[@TheTurtleGirl]

lol what?

[@raymanandeze]

@@TheTurtleGirl you said the toat looked like a sad face 😂

[@TheTurtleGirl]

@@raymanandeze ohhhhh haha I just got that

[@kinnikuzero]

I like the concept. Keeping a small ledge on the bottom would make it stronger and provide a better surface for attaching the mesh

[@hunterhickman9449]

Do the roaches (particularly the nymphs) have any issue walking on the Mesh material?

[@leilani2302]

I’m thinking of switching to Dubai roaches instead of crickets for my leopard gecko should I switch?

[@nicksaquaticsandreptiles6805]

Dubia roaches per roach are the equivalent of 7 crickets

[@Duzzer_One]

Switch

[@tiffanydimas3897]

I loved this idea. But after reading other peoples self cleaning bins learned the roaches eventually eat through the screen and Hot Glue. I fixed this problem by using a Wood burning / Welder. To cut the bin, used Aluminum screen. Instead of Hot glue I used a Iron ore extra that came in my wood burning kit to melt the screen into the plastic tub.. But love this idea!!

[@FishForThought]

Did not know keeping Dubia roaches needed this much consideration! Also I think those roaches might groom themselves more often than I groom myself :')

[@TheTurtleGirl]

hahahaha

[@mulefan711]

Be careful with this build. If the heat mat doesn't get enough ventilation it will melt and catch fire

[@TheTurtleGirl]

appreciate the word of caution! So far no issues, but I'm definitely always keeping an eye on it :)

[@snowyg357]

so why not do mesh on one side of the bin, and shake bin to that side to clean when feeding. Plus this would allow babies to eat amply with all excess. This would also prevent bin warping from lack of structure.

[@TheTurtleGirl]

ooh, that is an interesting idea! that could definitely work.

[@snowyg357]

Thanks. It works to clean it, plus it maintains the bins integrity. The cheap plastic uses both the base and the lip to keep the bin in its shape. It's less about heat changing the bin shape and more about the lack of structure not supporting it when the plastic heats the bin.

[@xSensu]

@@snowyg357 So then use that same heat pad and put it over the the mesh side where most of the heat actually goes into the bin and doesn't have to go through the plastic? Have you made one like this, if so you should put up some pictures and link it for others to see and get ideas :)

[@guppykingaquatics7477]

Good bin ideas for sure :)

[@jasminewelland2521]

I've literally done the exact same thing as you and I thought I was unique lol

[@arachnofan73]

My original colony is doing fine . I ordered 12 females and 7 males. A male and female died the first night and another female died last night. Maybe old age? Stress?

[@ahuyx]

I’ve been thinking about starting a farm for my beardie...very interesting thank you

[@jonathanbetancourt4486]

If you do, don't feed the roaches citrus. I watched a video mentioning that the citrus causes a build of a chemical in the feeders that isn't good for the bearded dragons. I can't say that that is a 100% true but I'd rather take the advice of someone who has had more exposure with raising beardies.

[@yesyes1299]

@@jonathanbetancourt4486 i heard that dubia roaches have an enzyme that kills the citrus

[@2pacalypse601]

@@jonathanbetancourt4486 I realize your comment is super old but wanted to comment for future readers. Saw a vid made by someone who needs beardies & he said to give crickets & Dubai's orange slices because beardies need vit c & the powdered supplements don't have it or not enough of it. I will be researching this myself & others should do the same..

[@annmarieodwyer8027]

How do you clean the roaches. Can you do a video with you transferring them from one to another?

[@TheTurtleGirl]

Coming soon! :D

[@courtrye]

The stop motion was pretty neat!

[@amandafox29]

I have started a colony with your awesome idea! However, the heat mat I ordered (the one linked) only heats the warm side of the bin to around 75-78, any ideas why it's not warm enough? Did I get a dud of a mat?

[@aikorodriguez6903]

I'm trying to figure out a heating source. I been looking at heat pads and also Heat tape. I'm new to this and am trying to start a colony of roaches.

[@sarjuvlogs8813]

I'm like to start cockroach business in india You have any idea you can share with me I'm new for this business Please you can help me

[@dragonspirit1185]

This is not self cleaning. Roaches eventually expire and then you'll have all the roach bodies in the bottom the only thing that this would be good for is frass AKA roach poop however you're supposed to retain some of the frass for the nymphs to eat. So you will wind up still having to clean this.

[@ultum4tegunz]

How is that enough roaches ? I have 500+ and that’s just pushing the lower limits my tarantulas eat dubia like hot cakes. Excellent video!! I never thought about a self cleaning bin that’s genius !!! 6:05

[@jennagarlock567]

How often do you feed the big burger? Do you just make sure there’s always food in their bowl?

[@OutlawMenace82]

Great content

[@ginofoogle6944]

Guess you could put a big mesh vent hole on the side where the heatmat is so the heat doesn't get trapped and function more efficiently in heating the bin..

[@TheTurtleGirl]

another great suggestion!

[@retaliationeffort2864]

I know this is an old video but thought I would comment for some ideas. I purchased a dubia roach colony from a reptile expo about 3 years back. The colony was being housed in a bin with clips on the side with egg crates inside. The only problem I have is that there is Coconut coir as a substrate, this seems to trap moisture. I also have fruit flies/ gnats inside the bin and they fly out of the bin when I go to feed the roaches. How do I go about changing or taking out the coir without throwing away baby dubias? Do I need the coir? I do not have a heater on them because I keep my house at about 77-78F and I think the room I keep them in is a little bit hotter because of my bearded dragon's lamps.

[@cogwheelfeline9124]

Ooo I’m about to replicate this with my paint bucket I just bought and messed with

[@bmerceri69]

A while ago we utilized a heat pad for our Colony and noticed they were not responding well and no breeding. We since removed the UTH and went with a low profile heat lamp above and it made a world of difference. They are breeding very well and now are up to a few hundred.

[@joriantrowbridge5701]

Hi I just watched your video, I love it thanks for uploading it. I was just wondering if you ever developed an allergy to the roaches or if you take precautions to prevent developing one? Thanks for any insight you can provide!

[@austinburton9247]

Love this video and idea! I definitely need to give this a try, cleaning the bin can be such a pain lol

[@mrsdiaz614]

I’m thinking about breeding discoid roaches. I live in Florida and it gets pretty hot here. My house is usually 72 degrees. Would I be able to do this same setup without a heating pad?

[@aaronkeys4470]

Mrs Diaz " How many roaches have U Step On in your lifetime?

[@2pacalypse601]

Yes.. I've spoken to many people from Florida & none of them use an outside heat source.

[@cheyenneb4263]

Hi, I live in Florida and I have a discoid setup. They don’t need additional heat, but if they aren’t breeding fast enough I will warm them for a little bit with a ceramic heat emitter and that usually speeds up their breeding and growth

[@lauraclegg794]

I think they are beautiful too I have 2 female that are pets, I wont feed them to my spiders or Crested gecko xx

[@akiraandrews5630]

Big cockroaches scare me so much enough to induce a panic attack. But I admire you so much taking the dedication to take of them in order to feed your babies :)

[@lanieg8306]

Hi! I've been wanting to start a colony myself for a while...primarily for my dumpy frogs, but also my musk turtle and hedgehog. I was just wondering where you got your starter colony? How is your colony doing today? (I am sorry if you answered this elsewhere already, but I have not found that). I have been a fan for about 2 years now, i love your work!

[@madfishdiva]

Wow that is pretty cool. Roaches are pretty interesting creatures.

[@TheTurtleGirl]

They really are!

[@MonotoneGaming]

I would skip the hot glue step and use some strong electrical or duct tape if you don't want to buy a glue gun.

[@trinitymerrill8862]

Uhhhhh literally don’t know how you could hold them

[@TheStephany1219]

Awesome video ! Definitely gonna give this a try

[@aaronkeys4470]

Stephany Banks " How many roaches have U Step On in your lifetime?

[@ArtietheArchon]

how do you select which animal to use as food and which to let live

[@emilylovescoke]

Who else felt the water when she was spraying the roach bin

[@reptitan5498]

Great video! If you don't mind me asking what do you use to record?

[@TheTurtleGirl]

I film with a Panasonic g85 and usually my 12-60mm lens

[@yesyes1299]

Why do i see u in alot of videos reptilian

[@mr.j6567]

Nice video. Thank you for sharing. Peace, love and blessings!

[@mossriverbank7817]

I started my colony like, a year ago and just now started seeing babies (I got my first generation as babies) but some of my babies have died so I looked up why that would be and how to prevent it, and your video came up, so I'll definitely be using this idea if you don't mind 😊 Also does anyone have suggestions for what to do with extra males? A big reason I'm only now seeing babies was that my males stressed my females out so that they dropped their oothecas instead of giving birth - I solved that by giving the males their own bin, but unless I figure something out for them they're just gonna vibe in their own bin together until they pass. They only grew up because I didn't know how to sex them at the time when they were small enough to feed to my crested geckos, and I didn't want to accidentally feed away all of my females

[@heathertyler8730]

How do you know which is which

[@ch6201]

THAT INSANE ROACH QUALITY 😱

[@thereptiledude7247]

piconico I know I’m resurrecting the dead here but what? She could have so many more if she didn’t have the self cleaning part

[@silverpanda7167]

How many males and females did you start with?

[@luisnolasco1609]

do more videos of your turtles! always enjoy watching them (:

[@rebeccagrace5715]

I never thought I'd find a video on roaches so fascinating lol

[@wolf2468]

when you lifted the carton at 3:00 i almost screamed lmao :')

[@bakenman6371]

why are the i’s in ur title not capitalized? its making my OCD go wild

[@TheTurtleGirl]

hahaha I like the way it looks XD

[@AWildGrickit]

What a great video. Thank you so much!

[@ItsaMeCeline]

your bin looks like a big electrical outlet

[@eliasshapero7357]

What is the point of the mesh on the bottom? Thanks for this helpful vid :)

[@SmokeyEdits]

So waste can fall out and it's not making the inside nasty. That's what she's referring to when she says "crass", the younger Dubias will eat the crass of the older Dubias. That's what makes it self-cleaning.

[@eliasshapero7357]

Smokey Jef oh ok thanks. I believe it’s called frass, though

[@SmokeyEdits]

@@eliasshapero7357 Frass, crass, grass, sass.... whatever it is.

[@2pacalypse601]

Can also just add 2" of potting soil with a thin layer of wood chips then add cleaner crew bugs like isopods/beetles you can get online & they eat any grass & mold that may grow. Don't cut the bottom of bin of using the dirt method! This method rarely rarely if ever needs dumped or cleaned. Just bake some leaves from the woods until crisp & add as an additional light layer once in awhile..

[@Spawn-je9zw]

Awesome video! Thanks 😊

[@mattwilliams3820]

Great vid, thank you

[@joriantrowbridge5701]

I did this build and I was just about to empty out the frass when I saw a ton of babies that fell through the screen. Are you having larvae fall through the screen mesh?

[@Fluffaloo]

It might depend on the type of mesh, I am doing mine with finer mesh (the kind you would find at the dollar store) so hopefully that will have a bit of better results.

[@DowntheWormHole]

neat set up!

[@cjsanders111]

How is your colony doing now?

[@jessthayer3317]

Tropical beetles!

[@stevennelms3870]

Have you begun noticing any issues Dubia allergies or any bad reactions since keeping this colony?

[@TheTurtleGirl]

not particularly. sometimes I wear a mask because I just want avoid inhaling all the dust haha. but never had any reactions ;P

[@birds7020]

I want to buy,,, can you sell?

[@furrylittlemonsters4238]

How often do you mist?

[@triple_A_rockhound]

There funny bug I had tell my mom they were rolly pollys n it roaches lol

[@holliemmx88]

Darkling beetles are great for keeping up maintenance in colonies

[@TheTurtleGirl]

good to know!

[@okmemers]

Do they need water?

[@RoyelAugustine]

Is it possible to make a smaller one and if so will i NEED a heat mat?

[@TheTurtleGirl]

A heat mat is definitely helpful, you could probably scale it down a bit.

[@joshuafritz1386]

Dubious at best.

[@miabaker86]

How many male and female roaches do you have for this size bin?

[@TheTurtleGirl]

hmm.....I don't quite remember. I've had this colony for almost 2 years now I think. I maybe started with 30 females and 15 males and assorted nymphs? Or something like that? But I'm not really sure.

[@ForgottenFriendReptileTV]

Wow, really helpful video! Informative and really fun and well done. We do a reptile rescue in PA and we just subscribed and look forward to more of your videos. Thanks!

[@candytime8880]

Hi love it

[@robertclark2714]

Great Video. The heat pad needs a thermostat control. Without a thermostat to control it, if it goes over 100 it will kill your colony.

[@venitarandall1063]

Amazing I've been trying to think of a way to do that ,ur brilliant 👏 thanks xxx

[@MonsieurPointdujour]

The heating pad...do you remove the white glued sheet from it before attaching it. How come the pad isn’t sticking the the container. Curious as I want to use the same method?

[@13634landing]

Thank you for making this video. Very helpful and your upbeat approach make it very easy to watch. Thank you again, Cheers

[@emerald4691]

The begining was really funny!!! Also they look scary but im thinking of getting a lepard gekko sooz that is bigg oof

[@nothingmanofgod.6288]

Awsome dubia roches is cool😄

[@TheTurtleGirl]

they are!

[@thereptiledude7247]

Just an FYI. The reason you have those giant holes in your cardboard is because there isn’t enough frass in the bottom for the babies to eat. So when they eat on the frass that’s on the cardboard not only are they eating the frass but they’re also unintentionally eating the cardboard. Maybe for you next run try cutting one of the sides off. Like 3”up and 3”in and use the mesh there. Then just tip the colony and tap the box for frass to deposit into the other box. Also would increase airflow for heat mat :).

[@BigFran19]

How is your colony now? Your video is very helpful. I’m just wondering if you made any changes since then?

[@thereptiledude7247]

Good idea on the self cleaning however; if the babies eat off the egg crates itself they will eat holes into them and wear them out quicker. But I’m sure some will be on the floor.

[@geraldineesquivel2593]

Quick question just got a turtle should a baby turtle have a lot of water or a little water I’m scared idk what to do should I add a normal amount of water like a lot for them to swim or a little plz hellpp

[@kyronjadepreddy4964]

Hi! i’m looking into getting a leopard gecko soon and starting a colony like this for him/her and was wondering where you got yours! i know there is several sites online and how many males/females did you start out with? thanks!

[@discobitch]

Hi!! I have a baby map turtle (Voldetort lol), it's my first so I'm not an expert I wanted to ask you if it's ok to take it away from its tank to feed it in a different one so the water stays more clean I see that you're doing it with Haku but I've read online that it can be stressful for them to always take them in and out tanks, especially as babies Thanks and keep it up with the videos, they really helped me!

[@theoistrying9904]

I know it’s kind of late but make sure you have a good filter and remove extra bits of food they don’t eat.

[@hammer-r]

Don’t the little baby ones fall thru the mesh in the bottom? Or are they still bigger than the mesh? Tks great video. We ar about to start our own colony.

[@beatrice9949]

I find your videos are always interesting! Even though I'm not a fan of bugs, I enjoyed this video! But I would not get those Roaches! Ew! I wouldn't be even able to pick one up! You are so cool! :)

[@VL-bf3iq]

Hi Turtle Girl, you keep you turtle tank so clean, what kind of filter do u use? There are so many kinds. And what size tank does the ⭐ of the vidoes live in? My daughter's painted turtle is a mess. We have even begun to feed her in a separate tank. That helps some. I thing she needs a stronger filter. V.

[@Avocetexotics]

How many dubias do you suggest starting with?

[@ascendingspirit1976]

I love dubias. Also i love hissers. Super adorable with the hissing.

[@SecretRedBeard]

Late comment, but have you ever noticed babies down in the Frass tub with this setup?

[@brianmumpower]

I have 5 colonies and I've struggled to keep the enclosure clean without having to spend hours scooping up and catching the babies. I like the mesh idea to let it all fall into another container and it will go a long way to keep the colony healthy and the smell down! Thanks for sharing!!

[@irisliang2833]

Wow!! How do u even bother playing with THOSE!?!??! 😱😰😰

[@Mechtroid10]

Love the layout of the video. I Have been having a hard time keeping my temps up in my dubia's bin. Never even thought of using 2! Thanks

[@MarzieMalfoy]

“My dad is going to be so mad when he sees this video.” Dude, I felt that 😂

[@alysani0193]

this is absolutely genius, i need to make this! I cant seem to keep my colony clean no matter how hard I try. im so scared to throw away any of the buffalo beetle larva or baby dubias

[@briancuprisin4571]

An angle grinder would make short work of the bin bottom. :D

[@truman5838]

You just know by the way she handles these roaches that her house is infested or will be in the near future.

[@SilverConundrum]

Great video. I'll be making one just like it. Thank you

[@nashmancal5007]

dont the colony start smelling bad since you dont clean the bin?

[@itsjustrevo]

I leave the frass unless the bin starts to smell, I also use whole oats on the bottom of the bin in the channel around the edges so the baby's can move to the food and water source easier. Also I have a Dubia and Discoid cohabitation bin. Plus a meal worm farm.

[@hwickward]

My dad just found a tiny little tortoise in my backyard and the tortoise is a newborn I know because one of his eyes still shut In his tummy still soft he is super small and I have him in a in a 10 gallon tank what should I do?

[@TheTurtleGirl]

Do the tortoises naturally occur in the area? If he's wild....I'd personally release him and hope for the best.

[@hwickward]

The Turtle Girl yes they are always in my backyard

[@koalamarsc7452]

That’s not good!Hopefully the mom will come back for him or her.You should probably release him (or her) and check to see if the mother comes back.

[@hwickward]

The Turtle Girl she died 💔😭

[@koalamarsc7452]

hwickward Oh no that’s awful!

[@Fluffaloo]

This is the best idea ever! Do you ever have to deep clean the roach bin? If so how often do you clean that one? I know we would need to clean the under bin where it gets all messy but I was just curious about the other one.

[@michaele.derrickjr.9200]

Awesome video. Thank you so much for the pointer on how to do a set-up for roaches. Very easy and clean