# Escape proof roach containers



## Reptiluvr (Dec 10, 2007)

I have a bunch of Blatta lateralis and the things keep getting out. I've had a few hundred in a 20Qt Sterilite with a top and then started finding escapees. I also tried a smooth kitchen garbage can like I did with crickets. They still got out. I bought Bug Stop from blapticadubia.com; they still get out. :wall: :? 
What can I do to make or buy a container with adequate ventilation and be assured these roaches won't escape? I'd like to keep it around $30 each if I make two containers 24 x 12 x 14 inches lets say. I don't have any sort of real building materials so if someone has a real simple idea let me know please.


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## cacoseraph (Dec 10, 2007)

are you sure they are getting out of your colony container?

how much escapeeism are you talking here?



also, lateralis are established species in some areas (and obviously native to some areas) so maybe you aren't seeing escapees, afterall?


speaking of beign established... i found a dead mature male in my friends pool and was SO confused until i remembered they are established in my area of southern California. heh.


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## ShawnH (Dec 10, 2007)

Are you sure you have Blatta lateralis?  They cannot climb glass or smooth plastic and should be extremely easy to contain.  Post a pic if you can...


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## fantasticp (Dec 11, 2007)

cacoseraph said:


> speaking of beign established... i found a dead mature male in my friends pool and was SO confused until i remembered they are established in my area of southern California. heh.


Maybe they are escaping from the animals' enclosures you are feeding them to?

OMG I get blamed every time one is found in the house. I assumed they were ascaping out of the T's containers-maybe not now? I get suriname roaches invading some of my tanks sometimes too, and I haven't had those in years. I think those come in from outside too? 

Unrelated...I get blamed for the widows in the house too.... geez. You have a few pets and all the sudden any bug in the house is an escapee.


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## Reptiluvr (Dec 11, 2007)

These aren't an established species here. I'm talking I find 2 or 3 a day running around. It's terrible. I did figure out one possible escape route through one of the cages, but that doesn't warrant the number I'm finding. Any plans on how to build an escape-proof cage? For safety's sake let's imagine I have a species that does climb...how would you contain them?


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## Stickytoe (Dec 11, 2007)

For these guys I prefer a bucket style cage. It consists of a 'painters bucket' with a tight fitting lid. You then cut a hole in the top and cover it with microscreen (and hot glue it into place). For additional reassurance you can put a 2" barrier of vasoline around the top edge.

I started noticing escapees with B. lateralis and realized they were escaping out of my exo-terra cages. So now I place a small lidless kritter keep with the roaches in the cage, so the animals can just go in and eat them, while the lateralis cannot climb out.


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## Dom (Dec 11, 2007)

Stickytoe said:


> I started noticing escapees with B. lateralis and realized they were escaping out of my exo-terra cages. So now I place a small lidless kritter keep with the roaches in the cage, so the animals can just go in and eat them, while the lateralis cannot climb out.



They can still escape!!, maybe. 
Especially if you put more than one lateralis in the kritter keeper. I found with my geckos that as they were munching on one lateralis another would be climbing up it's back and managing to escape. Could happen with tarantulas also.


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## Reptiluvr (Dec 12, 2007)

How are they escaping the Exo-Terra? I saw that too but I took out the foam background (they were also hiding behind it) and closed the sliding grommet thing. I hope there's no escaping through the vents in the front cause then I could be hopeless. I have 3 large plexiglass cages with opening front doors but the gaps there I can't imagine are providing an escape route and they can't climb this surface nor is there cage furniture providing contact to the walls near there.


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## james (Dec 12, 2007)

*roaches*

Just because roaches are non-climbers doesn't mean the can't and won't climb. LOL that doesn't make sense, but it really does. Roaches still have a great ability to grip stuff. If anything builds up on the walls on an enclosure this may be just enough for them. Usually larger species like dubia and discoids have a harder time but give small nymphs a dirty walled bin and they will climb. Lateralis have even more going for them. The females lay egg cases which often have a sticky substance with them. This can get on nymphs and walls an assist in climbing. Over the years I've foound most of the blaptica and blaberus will not escape, but smaller species will. Prevent steps are a substance like vaseline or something a little cleaner like bug stop(boundary). Also a nice tight fitting lid help as a final precaution. 
James
www.blaberus.com


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## cacoseraph (Dec 12, 2007)

james said:


> Just because roaches are non-climbers doesn't mean the can't and won't climb. LOL that doesn't make sense, but it really does. Roaches still have a great ability to grip stuff. If anything builds up on the walls on an enclosure this may be just enough for them. Usually larger species like dubia and discoids have a harder time but give small nymphs a dirty walled bin and they will climb. Lateralis have even more going for them. The females lay egg cases which often have a sticky substance with them. This can get on nymphs and walls an assist in climbing. Over the years I've foound most of the blaptica and blaberus will not escape, but smaller species will. Prevent steps are a substance like vaseline or something a little cleaner like bug stop(boundary). Also a nice tight fitting lid help as a final precaution.
> James
> www.blaberus.com


yeah, we should really say scopulate roaches instead of climbing roaches


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