# Quick & Easy B. Dubia Roach Colony Set-Up



## robc (Feb 12, 2009)

Came up with a quick & easy way to keep B. Dubia roaches and make clean-up easier. There may be better set-ups but this is the one I like.

[youtube]hW8O5FIJmIg[/youtube]


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## Rochelle (Feb 12, 2009)

:clap: :clap:


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## robc (Feb 12, 2009)

Rochelle said:


> :clap: :clap:


Thank you, Bug Momma!!!


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## Travis K (Feb 13, 2009)

It is cool, but over time your egg crates will start to degrade.  Mine are only good for about 8-12 months depending on humidity.


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## robc (Feb 13, 2009)

Travis K said:


> It is cool, but over time your egg crates will start to degrade.  Mine are only good for about 8-12 months depending on humidity.


I figured LOL...I will just remove them and glue more on!! LOL

Reactions: Like 1


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## gvfarns (Feb 13, 2009)

Hahahahaha.  You put an acrylic hinge on your egg crates?  Well I guess if you have some (acrylic) laying around...

The downside I see here is that since the food an water are under the egg crates, you have to pick the whole things up every time you want to refill, or indeed check on their water and food.  

I don't care for the gel water since it turns gummy as it dries out and they poop on it.  Instead these days I just take a styrofoam water dish and then I tear up a different styrofoam cup and throw all the pieces in there (I make the pieces about as big as the roaches).  Then the roaches can walk on them and stuff and drink the water, but they don't get in the water and drown.  The styrofoam follows the water level up and down.  It works better for me than the gel stuff did.

I think the egg crates are pretty good to go except if they get moist.  I keep all my roaches on moist substrate (I have worms to prevent mold) and the egg cartons wick water up.  Not to mention the worms are eating the egg crates. I'm trying to find a better solution than egg crates for my needs (I was actually thinking styrofoam), but it seems clear that in your case egg crates are just what the doctor ordered.

But anyway, that's a different subject.  Your video is informative and amusing.  Good work.  I'll be interested to hear any follow up comments you have on how the setup is working out.


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## robc (Feb 14, 2009)

gvfarns said:


> Hahahahaha.  You put an acrylic hinge on your egg crates?  Well I guess if you have some (acrylic) laying around...
> 
> The downside I see here is that since the food an water are under the egg crates, you have to pick the whole things up every time you want to refill, or indeed check on their water and food.
> 
> ...


Thanks, it's working great so far. The plexiglass on and under the egg crates keeps the poop out of the food, except when they go in it...I might change that part. I'm thinking about moving the food/water bowl up to the top where I currently have those 2 tubes...might work out better. Maybe you could put some PVC pipe pieces into your substrate for your roaches to hide in...


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## MysticDragon (Feb 14, 2009)

Great idea :worship: i suggest to leave the food and water where it is, and to put another one where are the tubs. This will give better eating acceleration to your roaches and they will grow faster :drool: Better don't put any substrate. Better put same toilet paper or sth. small nymps love that  

P.S. Sorry if my English is awfull  Hope it's is enough to understand


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## robc (Feb 14, 2009)

MysticDragon said:


> Great idea :worship: i suggest to leave the food and water where it is, and to put another one where are the tubs. This will give better eating acceleration to your roaches and they will grow faster :drool: Better don't put any substrate. Better put same toilet paper or sth. small nymps love that
> 
> P.S. Sorry if my English is awfull  Hope it's is enough to understand


I will do that!! thanks for the advice!!


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## P. Novak (Feb 16, 2009)

Great idea Rob! I like it!

Sorry to stray kind of off-topic, but I was wondering if anyone knows if it would be alright to safely put a zoomed heating pad on the side of one of those gray bins?


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## Galapoheros (Feb 16, 2009)

I was really enlightened by that vid.  It made me realize ....how lazy I am!!!  I keep their containers open and dry, I haven't cleaned them out in at least two years.  There's no smell, there are pillbugs running around.  I use large pieces of bark.  I like that idea though.  I'm trying to think of something else to use that could be hinged together that might last longer.  But the cartons might last a really long time since it's kept off the floor.  Pressed wood-like material shaped like egg cartons would be neat to find that could be hinged together.  Anyway, yeah that's a pretty cool idea.


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## robc (Feb 16, 2009)

P. Novak said:


> Great idea Rob! I like it!
> 
> Sorry to stray kind of off-topic, but I was wondering if anyone knows if it would be alright to safely put a zoomed heating pad on the side of one of those gray bins?


It may melt the sides!!!


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## brothaT (Feb 16, 2009)

robc said:


> It may melt the sides!!!


True, with heat pads and plastic it's always recommended to get a rheostat.


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## P. Novak (Feb 16, 2009)

robc said:


> It may melt the sides!!!


I know I was worried about that, that's why I haven't done it yet, but I've read and been told that it won't melt tubberware.


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## Israel2004 (Feb 20, 2009)

Great stuff there Rob.
Your Youtube channel is great.

For heating I've used the heat rope taped to one side of the bin with no problems of melting.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Feb 20, 2009)

P. Novak said:


> I know I was worried about that, that's why I haven't done it yet, but I've read and been told that it won't melt tubberware.


oh it can and it will.  i had some emperor scorpions in a tupperware and it was heated by a zoomed pad made for a 5.5 gallon.  melted a hole in the bottom in a few months.

your BEST bet i would say are the small zoomed heatpads made for hermit crabs.  those go easy on plastic


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## mma316 (Feb 20, 2009)

*Heat pads & Shoe boxes!*

Use Rubbermaid or Sterile plastic shoe boxes. They have never melted on me and I have 4 w/ small Zoomed heat pads on them. I've always used these, because they hold humidity well. I learned about this 7 years ago when I  first started breeding Blood pythons...they thrive off of high humidity! This is how I house my colony.


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## codykrr (Feb 22, 2009)

rob....i like your idead alot, just not how you have the food under it all mabey if you had a bigger bin you could place the food dish on the side were access is easier to get to....i just posted some pics of my bins i use i am experimenting with a new idea currently.....i put a light soket inside the bin for heat...so far they love it....and it keeps them at 86 degrees exactly i dont mist mine and my egg flats last for at least a year...but between each flat i also put flat cardboad....please go to my flicker page and see what im talking about...my pic link is below...thanks and hope this may help someone


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## robc (Feb 22, 2009)

codykrr said:


> rob....i like your idead alot, just not how you have the food under it all mabey if you had a bigger bin you could place the food dish on the side were access is easier to get to....i just posted some pics of my bins i use i am experimenting with a new idea currently.....i put a light soket inside the bin for heat...so far they love it....and it keeps them at 86 degrees exactly i dont mist mine and my egg flats last for at least a year...but between each flat i also put flat cardboad....please go to my flicker page and see what im talking about...my pic link is below...thanks and hope this may help someone


*( actualy put it on the top, keeps food much cleaner and easier to get to).


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## codykrr (Feb 22, 2009)

ahh...now see that makesmire sence....also hey im going to be in stl in a couple weeks...you and matt wanna hang out while im up there?


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## robc (Feb 22, 2009)

codykrr said:


> ahh...now see that makesmire sence....also hey im going to be in stl in a couple weeks...you and matt wanna hang out while im up there?


Sure!!!


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## man-ti (Feb 25, 2009)

That was well good im going to try it


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## IrishPolishman (Feb 25, 2009)

how many adult roaches did you start with and how long did it take for them to reproduce?


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## robc (Feb 25, 2009)

IrishPolishman said:


> how many adult roaches did you start with and how long did it take for them to reproduce?


I started with around 200 and they started producing after a week....I now have well over 1500 - 2000 in 4-6 months!!


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## james (Feb 25, 2009)

*Ok Ok*

Welcome to the stone ages. One of these days ROBC will have to teach me this neat YouTube trick. I have been keeping roaches way to long and have tried everything. I use a little different system called the "BUCKET METHOD" I developed one night while staring at the ceiling. I like this system because the adults breed and the babies drop into the bottom so I don't have to disturb the adults. The few that out grow the holes before dropping down replace the older adults. Every few months I replace the egg flats and clean out any expired adults. I typically just drop in water crystals, carrots, apples, and dry food and they do the rest. Once a month a empty the bottom bucket which has about 1/2"-1" of vermiculite and all the babies into seperate buckets for rearing. I didn't get a picture of the lid which I also put screen in. This method works well is very escape proof and easy to manage with little work.


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## james (Feb 25, 2009)

*more*

more pics on the bucket system I use now I'm just typing to get to 10 words.


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## james (Feb 25, 2009)

*pics*

pics above a little out of order, but the outer bucket has the vermiculite and I cut the vent low to the bottom. The inner bucket has the holes and I cut the vents high to the top.


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## Israel2004 (Feb 26, 2009)

Love the idea James.

Someone teach this man how to use Youtube. I'd love to see James roach room.


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## james (Feb 26, 2009)

*lol*

Yeah the only problem is unlike ROBCs wife, mine runs in the other direction at the site of any insect. lol I need to have my kids operate the video camera.  
James


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## codykrr (Feb 26, 2009)

haha....james dont feel bad.....my wife said she would divorce me if i was to get any more roaches....


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## james (Mar 19, 2009)

*no doubt*

I know my wife is going crazy over the amount of T's I have. Oh well I just buy her something nice  and that gives me room to add more stuff!!!! 
James


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