B. lateralis/Red runner care & questions

[Cning]

I've been keeping tarantula slings since July and have been feeding them red runners since I got them. I never had a problem while they were still small, but as they've grown in size, I've had to purchase larger roaches to accommodate them. Lately I've ran into some issues and I'd like to step back and correct any husbandry errors I'm making.

I've noticed within the last two months that roaches are dying off. It seems whenever I examine the bin I'm keeping them in, there are more dead individuals to clean up. I feed them a variety of carrots, citrus fruit and pet food. I keep the house at a temp of ~68-70, considering it's winter here.

I've read in care guides and feeder recommendations that one of the red runner's advantages over crickets is that they don't smell. I clean out the frass from my roaches' housing every so often and scoop out the dead ones but the first thing I notice when opening the lid is the terrible smell. I don't know if this is the fault of the droppings, or dead roaches or odors from the food I'm feeding them. It's bad enough I need to hold my breath while stooping over the housing.

I have under a hundred roaches, juveniles and mid-size. They're kept in a tall, plastic tupperware about a foot long, with a locking lid that I've punched rows of ventilation holes into. Inside are a few rows of paper egg cartons for them to inhabit.

What could be the cause of these issues, and what can I do to correct them?

 

[Introvertebrate]

On the surface, I don't see anything you're doing wrong. Can you post some pics of your enclosure? They might provide some clues.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

They need more ventilation. Try cutting a large square out of the lid and hot gluing screen. All my bins are done this way. Holes are not going to provide enough.
There could be contamination.
The temp is a bit low.
If you are noticing that bad of a smell, it's probably because you have limited ventilation and are feeding them a diet with too much moisture. Runners are constantly pooping and too much fruit or greens gives them the runs. If you are giving them citrus regularly, cut it out. Dead roaches in a stuffy box will gag you. Remove dead as you see them. If it continues, shake everybody into another container and start over with new harborage in a clean setup.

 

[Scoly]

Red runners need to be kept hot and dry. They'll survive for a while at cooler temperatures, but cold and wet will kill them off, and what you're smelling is the decay from the dead.

Aim for high 20's (I keep mine at 30 pretty much 24/7 as it's above my hot water storage) and limit how much wet food you put in there, depending on ventilation levels. I have lids on my tubs (many people don't) which means I can only put wet food in there about 3 times a week, the rest being oats and cat food.

 

[Cning]

Thanks for all the responses! I don't feed them wet food too often - I'd say dry carrots, pet food, etc. make up the largest percentage of their diet. But I'll be more conscious of how often I feed moist foods now.
I take dead roaches out when I see them and do a clean of the bin when I notice the waste build up, but I've transferred everyone to a new bin with a screened lid as a fresh start. Noticed an improvement for the couple of days after doing so, so I'll keep it up with the advice I've gotten and keep them dry & hot.