# Roach enclosures



## bigjej (Sep 11, 2011)

( I couldnt figure which forum this goes in so please move if necessary mods )

Ok s I've raised roaches for feeders in the past but stopped when I moved oved the summer. I'd like to get a couple of feeder colonies going again but a major issue I've had was coming up with a clean way of preventing escapes. I've always used the vasaline method but after a while the vasoline starts sliding down and getting into the actual colony and becomes nasty with frass and other gross stuff. Then its a real PITA to properly clean the enclosure so I've actually ended up just throwing them out and transferring the roaches to new containers. I've used aquariums as well as rubbermaids and other plastic containers. I just really dont like the vasoline method so if you could share another one that has been successful for you I'd be appreciative.

As an aside, I've tried using double sided tape to keep ants out of the cricket and roach colonies but they just walk right across it ( though not the vasoline ). Any other ideas ( i know the tuna can filled with oil but that is not always practical ).


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## Allanzo213 (Sep 11, 2011)

What roaches are you going to start? someone said with dubia's to just align the top of the container with packing tape and they wont be able to get out since its a super slick surface.


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## HighFlyer (Sep 11, 2011)

Single sided packing tape works good.


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## Stopdroproll (Sep 12, 2011)

Packing tape single sided along the top.


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## xhexdx (Sep 12, 2011)

Regarding cleaning, use dermestid beetles.  They keep the smell and waste levels down.


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## JODECS (Sep 16, 2011)

yup packing tape along the top portion of the bin


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## bigjej (Nov 8, 2011)

Ok so I tried the tape and it worked great with crickets. I recently set up a rubbermaid type ( clear plastic but dont recall the brand ) enclosure for a mixture of hissers and dubia. I ran a couple lines of clear packing tape around the perimeter a few inches from the top. Well much to my surprise, when I moved a box that was next to the enclosure, I found a bunch of hissers undernead. So now I have to search around the basement to make sure there are no more hiding around but more importantly, how do I prevent this? I REALLY dont want to do the vasoline method. It just gets so messy.

---------- Post added 11-08-2011 at 09:45 PM ----------

Oh and where do I get dermestids?


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## pipsiugbo (Nov 8, 2011)

Am I missing something, or is it too obvious to suggest a lid with a mesh top?


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## peterUK (Nov 9, 2011)

Ever thought about getting NON climbers ? 



pipsiugbo said:


> Am I missing something, or is it too obvious to suggest a lid with a mesh top?



Like these. . .


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## bigjej (Jan 14, 2012)

Ok I have still not figured this out. The tape does NOT work, even with the lid closed, the roaches still squeeze through. So even if I cut a hole in the top and cover it with mesh, the roaches just squeeze through the side and the lid.  ( Wife freaked out the other day when she found a large hisser in the tub! ) I like the hissers but what other non-climbing species would you suggest? And how do you keep the climbers in the bin without resorting to vaseline ( cause that just gets too messy as it eventually slides down the side )?


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## bigjej (Feb 5, 2012)

bump. Anyone ?


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## Moonbug (Feb 5, 2012)

Do the dermestid beetles fly?  Or do they stay in the enclosure?

I have dubia roaches and they don’t climb!  I have never had them escape from their cage.


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## Vfox (Feb 6, 2012)

Your only other option is to use liquid Teflon as a barrier. It dries into a powder and the roaches cannot get a foothold on it. If that's not an option use a plastic bin with a gasket seal, just hot glue mesh vents in and you're set. The only problem with that is the roaches will be on the walls and lid when you open it.


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## bigjej (Feb 6, 2012)

I'll look for a bin with a gasket. Hissers are slow enough that I'm not concerned with them being on the lid or wall. The liquid teflon - where do I get that ?


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## J Morningstar (Feb 6, 2012)

I know there are teflon proudcts made for cooling burrs while drilling metal, that are almost the exact same as "roach stop" that are rubbed on like a crayon, but I have found the vasaline 2 inch barrier works as well then I just wipe down the glass with a few paper towles, in succession, then apply new vasaline. It actually even cleans the glass nicely if it is wiped off multiple times with fresh paper towles.


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## Vfox (Feb 6, 2012)

It's sold as fluon most of the time. Here's a link, never used these guys though so I can't say they are the best...but this is the product. 

http://www.bioquip.com/search/DispProduct.asp?pid=2871A


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## J Morningstar (Feb 6, 2012)

Something like this..

http://www.gregsexoticinverts.com/roachbarrier.htm


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## Brachypelmo (Jun 12, 2013)

I have seen this but never used it has any one used the liquid roach barrier they sell? I also tried the packing tape and hissers especially babbies climbed it with no issues.
I am currently using vaseline too and hate it! please let me know if any one has tried the liquid roach barrier and how it worked.

http://aaronpauling.com/catalog/dry-goods/super-slick-roach-barrier


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## MatthewM1 (Jun 12, 2013)

Get a 2 dollar roll of weather shipping. It's a thin roll of foam with a sticky side, run that around the rim of you tub and when you put the lid on it will make a seal and keep the hissers from getting out. I've got my hissers in a steralite shoe box sealed this way with no escapes
Sent from my LG-P930 using Tapatalk 2


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## Akai (Jun 15, 2013)

I like storage bins with these sort of latches. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sterilite-12.7-Quart-Latch-Box-Set-of-6/20699641  Obviously you're going to get a bigger size at least 10 gallons but nothing is squeezing through the sides of these.  I just cut a mesh top in these and I'm set.


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