What is too hot for dubia's?

In response to my wife's concerns, I'm trying to keep my colony outside (in the northwest). I actually think I've rigged up a pretty succesful setup, but the ambient temp in there can often push 89 degrees. Down under the cartons near the heating pad the temps are in the low 100's. I haven't noticed any deaths yet however. Would anyone care to check this setup out and give me feedback http://www.chameleonforums.com/my-roach-approach-6908/

thanks!

I would tell the wife that dubia are the all-time safest bet for indoor roaches and keep them in a room on a shelf, but that's just me

Anywhere between 65-95 seems to work. 80 is optimum. 100 or more and I would be concerned that they could pass out from the heat or dehydrate faster than they can get to water, or just plain cook. My bug room stays around 75-78 and everything does fine (the rest of my house is 10 degrees cooler). I have always found roaches in the tropics to live in the coolest available locations.

Trust me - we talked and talked and talked about it. I gave her all of the facts, I gave her all the proof, I even introduced her to my herp vet who said that the balberus are the easiest species of roaches to keep and so much better than having 500-1000 crickets in your house. With all that said she still just wasn't comfortable with it, and I had to try to compromise.

Seriously, people hear "roach" and then they hear nothing else after that.

My wife has actually gotten into it a little more and even helped me setup that outside container. She even monitors their temperature for me sometimes. Marriage - it's a give and take you know.


Thanks for the feedback on temps.

If your temperatures get too high you'll start seeing dead roaches, otherwise 89 is not bad at all. Do they avoid the 100F areas? I am interested in hearing how they fare by the end of winter and after a full year. Is it in a covered area to prevent cooking in the summer?

I think it's a neat idea, we could change the name of the thread to: Cockroach housing to please the squaemish spouse.

Yeah I'm not sure about summers yet. It's partially covered right now, but when the summer comes I'll have to reinvestigate the setup. But by then my father-in-law may have built me a reptile/bug room in the basement (our basement is in flux right now). At that point my wife may have warmed up to the idea of them being shut into a room downstairs. We'll see.

They seem to congragate about one egg crate level up on the heating pad side. But to be fair I'd say they're pretty evenly spaced throughout the enclosure. This morning I spotted two seperate batches of babies since they've been outside (about a week). Does this sound normal?

what's crazy is she's not even sqeamish. My giant asian mantis's have flown across the room and nearly landed in her hair. She has zero squeamishness. She's a registered nurse and has a high value of cleanliness. Some roaches set off allergies, and when she read that it was game over. Whether either of us are allergic to the roaches or not, she can't handle the thought of an allergen causing insect multiplying in the house. She does have a lot of allergies herself.

But she's a real trooper about it. I love her more than my hobbies.

My wife does not like roaches at all, so I can understand your position! But I get to keep them in the house as long as the room they are in is sealed and there are never any escapees. Door thresholds are closed with a large rubber gasket barrier, the air conditioning vent has screen over it, and there are sticky traps with bait all around the floor. Sealed up tight. Wife always comes first, hobby runs a close second...

As for roaches and allergies, that seems to be somewhat rare even with people that handle them every day.