Dubia roaches are one of the best staple insects for a bearded dragon. ReptiFiles lists them with crickets as staple feeders. Pick roaches no bigger than the space between your dragon’s eyes, gut-load them for at least 24 hours, and dust them with calcium before every feed. A baby eats insects every day; an adult needs only 3–4 head-sized insects twice a week, with salad making up most of its diet.
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Dubia roaches vs other feeder insects
| Insect | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dubia roaches | Staple | Cannot climb smooth walls, and females cannot fly. Easy to keep in a plastic tub. Sold from small nymphs to adults about 1.6–1.8 in long. |
| Crickets | Staple | Widely sold. They jump and can escape a tub, so they are harder to keep than roaches. |
| Black soldier fly larvae | Staple | A ReptiFiles staple. Still need a calcium dusting. |
| Silkworms and hornworms | Variety | Good for variety. Feed captive-bred hornworms only. |
| Superworms and mealworms | Treat | High in fat. VCA says to offer superworms sparingly and not daily, and ReptiFiles lists both as treats. |
| Wild-caught insects and fireflies | Never | Wild insects may carry pesticides. VCA warns that fireflies are toxic to lizards. |
Roles follow ReptiFiles and VCA Animal Hospitals. A mix of staples is better than any single insect. Our bearded dragon food guide covers the greens and vegetables that make up the rest of the diet.
What we would buy
- Roaches: live dubia roaches. Buy the size that matches your dragon (see the sizing table below). ReptiFiles suggests buying them pre-gut-loaded from a breeder where you can.
- Gut-load: Repashy SuperLoad. A gel gut-load that also gives the roaches water.
- Calcium: Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3. Phosphorus-free calcium for dusting insects. VCA adds a calcium with D3 two to three times a week; a good UVB light matters just as much.
- Dish: escape-proof feeder dish. Roaches burrow into loose substrate. A smooth-sided dish keeps them where your dragon can see them.
What size dubia roaches for a bearded dragon?
Feed roaches no bigger than the space between your dragon’s eyes. ReptiFiles says this rule matters most for roaches and crickets. Sellers grade roaches by length, so measure the gap between your dragon’s eyes and pick the size that fits.
| Dragon | How often to feed insects | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Hatchling (0–3 months) | Once a day | As many as it will eat in one sitting |
| Juvenile (under 12 in) | Daily | 5–6 head-sized insects |
| Subadult and adult (over 12 in) | Twice a week | 3–4 head-sized insects |
| Gravid female | Twice a week | 4–5 head-sized insects |
Amounts are from ReptiFiles. Take uneaten roaches out after the feed so they do not hide in the substrate.
Gut-loading and dusting
Like most feeder insects, dubia roaches carry far more phosphorus than calcium. A 2025 study in the Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery found that unfed dubia nymphs had 0.13% calcium and 0.79% phosphorus on a dry matter basis, and that a high-calcium gut-load diet (8% calcium) raised the ratio while a low-calcium diet did not (Barras et al., 2025). That is why gut-loading and dusting both matter.
- Gut-load for at least 24 hours. ReptiFiles recommends 24 hours; VCA says to feed the insects within 12 hours of your dragon’s meal. Use a commercial gut-load or fresh vegetables.
- Dust every feed. ReptiFiles says to dust all insects with calcium at every age. Put the roaches in a bag or tub with the powder and shake.
- Add a multivitamin. ReptiFiles dusts a multivitamin on salads twice a week for babies and juveniles, once a week for adults.
Keeping dubia roaches at home
Dubia roaches are kept in a smooth-sided plastic tub with a vented lid and egg crate for cover. They cannot climb smooth plastic, and only adult males have full wings. Give them a gut-load diet, a water source such as gel or fresh vegetables, and keep them warm; they grow and breed best at 25–30°C (77–86°F) with humidity above 60% (Wikipedia, citing published studies).
Check local rules before you order. Canada does not allow the public to import dubia roaches, and some US states restrict them. Where they are restricted, crickets, black soldier fly larvae and other roach species are the usual staples.
Common mistakes
- Roaches that are too big. Stick to the space-between-the-eyes rule, especially for babies.
- Feeding adults insects every day. Adults need insects only twice a week, with salad as the main food.
- Skipping the calcium. Undusted roaches give far more phosphorus than calcium. See our care guide for the full supplement routine.
- Leaving roaches loose. Uneaten roaches burrow and hide in the enclosure. Use a dish, or remove any left after the feed.
- Superworms as a staple. They are a high-fat treat, not a replacement for roaches.
FAQ
Are dubia roaches good for bearded dragons?
Yes. ReptiFiles lists dubia roaches with crickets as staple feeder insects. Gut-load them and dust them with calcium before feeding.
How many dubia roaches should a bearded dragon eat?
ReptiFiles suggests 5–6 head-sized insects a day for juveniles under 12 in, and 3–4 head-sized insects twice a week for adults. Babies eat as many as they want once a day.
What size dubia roaches should I feed my bearded dragon?
No bigger than the space between your dragon’s eyes. Measure the gap and buy the matching size.
Are dubia roaches better than crickets?
Both are staples. Dubia roaches are easier to keep because they cannot climb smooth plastic, while crickets jump and can escape. A mix of staple insects is better than either one alone.
Can dubia roaches escape and infest my house?
They cannot climb smooth plastic, and females cannot fly. Some places restrict them as a possible invasive species, so keep them in a lidded tub and check local rules.
Do I need to gut-load dubia roaches?
Yes. Unfed dubia roaches have far more phosphorus than calcium. Gut-load for at least 24 hours and dust with calcium at every feed.
Sources
- ReptiFiles: bearded dragon food and feeding
- VCA Animal Hospitals: feeding bearded dragons
- Barras E, Boykin KL, Aguilar MG, Lex Z, Bitter A, Mitchell MA. Journal of Herpetological Medicine and Surgery 35(3):176–191, 2025 (gut-loading diets and the calcium to phosphorus ratio of dubia roaches)
- Wikipedia: Blaptica dubia
More guides: food and diet, care, UVB light, enclosure.