Quick & Easy B. Dubia Roach Colony Set-Up

[robc]

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]

 

[Rochelle]

:clap: :clap:

 

[robc]

:clap: :clap:

Thank you, Bug Momma!!!

 

[Travis K]

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.

 

[robc]

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

 

[gvfarns]

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.

 

[robc]

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.

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...

 

[MysticDragon]

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

 

[robc]

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!!

 

[P. Novak]

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?

 

[Galapoheros]

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.

 

[robc]

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!!!

 

[brothaT]

It may melt the sides!!!

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

 

[P. Novak]

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.

 

[Israel2004]

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.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

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

 

[mma316]

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.

 

[codykrr]

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

 

[robc]

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).

 

[codykrr]

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?