Hisserdude Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 This may seem like a noobie question, but is there a staple size bin that you guys use for your roaches, or does it vary from species to species? Do all roaches eventually outgrow their enclosures? I had my R.formosana outgrow their cage, and I'm scared my other roaches are going to outgrow their enclosures too. I don't have too much more room for bigger cages, so I'm hoping they won't outgrow their enclosures. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Yes they do! years ago I started with 7 hissing cockroaches in a 10 gallon glass tank and after awhile it got so crowded nymphs were escaping! then I got a 30 gallon sterilite bin and they've been living there since then I prob have over 500 hissing roaches including nymphs but I wasn't planning on breeding them they breed on their on lol my advice if you want to start a colony get those 30 gallon wide sterilite bins they are big enough and would hold hundreds, I keep my dubia's in one of those and they breed like crazy in a year without heat just feeding them oranges/carrots/broccoli and cat food recently I put some of my dubia in a 20 gallon glass tank to start a second colony more like an experiment I'll see if they breed as fast as the plastic bins if they do I'll make a 3rd/4th colony since I have a few glass tanks I'm not using at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 What kind of lid did you have on your hisser tank? The lids for tanks are often flimsy and I would never have small nymphs in their, they would all escape. Plastic containers with airtight lids, now that's where it's at man! I got them in a fairly big plastic container, but I may upgrade the tank size as the colony grows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 the 10 gallon hisser tank didn't have a lid lol it was used for goldfish in the past, it had this roof/dome thing I just put a cloth between the tank and the dome the cloth had tiny holes like screens do one of the the corners was unsafe that's how a few nymphs escaped I managed to find some running loose once in awhile it really didn't bother me I had so many roaches besides they don't survive outside without food and yes plastic bins are the best and easier to clean too I have a baby turtle living in that 10 gallon tank now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Yeah, roach escapes are no fun! Good thing none of the commonly kept species can infest houses. Luckily I have not had any hisser escapees yet, though I'm sure I will down the line lol! Glad you got your escapee problem taken care of! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Yeah that's why I'm not breeding Periplaneta americana lol perhaps I will breed them someday whenever I get a shed to put them outside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hisserdude Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 Well Periplaneta breed outside and often wander in, they don't actually breed inside your house like Blattella germanica do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 Yeah you're right but Periplaneta americana are fliers and it'd freak me out if one flew to my face while I change their food plates lol it happened once when I was a kid one of those flew straight to my chest and chilled in my shirt for 15 seconds then flew away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovebugfarm Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 As far as bins go I think they always out grow them. At that point I pick one of 3 choices bigger bin, divide into 2 bins, or sell about 3/4 of the colony. Some people freeze or feed to. Thats the great thing with roaches there will always be more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spidermonkey79 Posted April 27, 2016 Share Posted April 27, 2016 I agree with lovebug. there are always more options than getting a bigger bin. I believe it also depends on the species. If you are keeping a fairly long lived and slow growing species it can be a while before you need to thin them out or change containers. I have colonies in bins that range from the small 7 qt sterilite shoeboxes to the big 35 gal ones. all do ok. In my experience I usually only get escapes if the colony has grown enough where they need more food and I havent compensated. If I did not give them enough food then I will see some go wandering outside the bin otherwise they like to stay in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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