Like other insects (and our reptilian friends!), dubia roaches regularly shed their exoskeleton (outer shell) as they grow. This is a process called molting. Freshly-molted dubia roaches have soft bodies and look creamy white, but they return to normal within a few hours. Juvenile dubia roaches will molt seven times before reaching their final adult stage and size.

Many reptiles and amphibians enjoy the softness of a freshly-molted roach, so try giving one to your pet as a treat! You don't need to throw away dubia exoskeletons, either. The roaches eat their old shells, just like a gecko eats its old skin.

Molting is a time-consuming and vulnerable event for a dubia roach. Here are some short clips to show you how they wriggle out of their old exoskeleton, along with what a freshly-molted dubia looks like after it's fully emerged.