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Creating humidity


Mmfh

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I was wondering if I could create humidity in my enclosure by filling a jar with water and poking some small holes in the lid. I know many ppl just use damp coir. The reason I do not want to do this if I can avoid it is because I have a millipede cage that I keep moist and it is a source of concern every summer. I get a crap-ton of small black flies with their wormlike maggots and grain mites and swarms of fruit flies (I swear I inhale thousands ;) ). So I don't want another cage where these nuisances can spread.

Also, if this idea is viable, will the roaches still breed with ambient humidity or do the ooth need to be in contact with a wet source? Thank you.

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I use the jar with holes method and it seems to work for my dubia. Kinda depends on which type of roach you have. Also for some of my beetles I put a piece of clothes line rope threw a hole to wick water I even put the rope threw a sponge. I put a lil mesh ramp so they can get to it. Roaches might eat some of the sponge though. Play around with it get creative you could prolly improve on it some :)

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In the roach room at my university, there are jars filled with water placed upside down in little dishes filled with paper towel. It keeps the humidity up and provides a nice spot for the roaches to drink. As an added benefit the paper towel keeps the water level from getting too high so the nymphs can't fall in and drown. It gets kind of nasty after a few days, but it's really easy to clean.

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I think I have decided to go with Gyna sp. their shape and colors really appeal to me. So I'm hoping that this method will work. I'm going to experiment a bit and see what works. Thank you for your responses.

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  • 4 months later...

I am keeping german cockroaches in a closed container with some fine holes in the lid. I am quite paranoid about them escaping. They are on a reptile heat mat and there is very high humidity in the container. Are they tolerant of these kind of conditions ?

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You could moisten a large sponge and cover it with mesh to keep the pests from laying eggs into it. They are a pest species so they can live in almost any conditions. They're very tolerant to any type of environment. May I ask why you want high humidity? German cockroaches really don't need it.

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A good idea about the sponge. I have read a few different articles that mention German cockroaches preferring high humidity environments. However I think you are quite right that they are a tolerant species and will breed anywhere. I am fussing over them way too much. They rarely emerge from their egg carton hides and I haven't seen them feeding either.

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I have them in a plastic storage tub, has egg cartons for shelter and ventilation. Pleased to say that they are now active and eating so I think I was too fussy with them. They never attempt to escape I think they are quite happy in their enclosure at around 22 deg cel.

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I think I have decided to go with Gyna sp. their shape and colors really appeal to me. So I'm hoping that this method will work. I'm going to experiment a bit and see what works. Thank you for your responses.

I believe Gyna require a moist substrate, so a water bowel alone ain't gonna cut it, and with a moist substrate a water bowel isn't really needed.

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A good way I have found to tackle fungus gnats and fruit fly is to add Collembola to the Vivarium. I used Seira species, which are available to buy as small colonies from breeders of Dart Frogs, but any species will do. I add several hundred individuals to a large roach Vivarium, and the same again a couple of weeks later. The collembola out compete the flies in most situations, but if possible add them to the Vivarium before the problem reaches plague proportions.

Hope this helps from Bill. :D

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