Red Runners escaping

[Jesus]

Hi there! 2 days ago I went to feed my red runners and saw 4 babies out of the bin attached to some old cardbox seems they are escaping thru the bin handlers you know where the security locks are at the sides? to lock the lid? the small ones squeeze through that and get out is there a way to prevent that escape without rubbing vaseline all over? I don't want to deal with vaseline for my red runners because it's messy just hope I don't get infested Lol

[pannaking22]

You can provide more hiding spots and that could discourage them from trying to escape. Vaseline may be your best bet though. 

[Xenoblatta]

Hello Jesus,

Blatta lateralis are not supposed to climb, however they are very good climbing when the vertical surfaces have small irregularities (sometimes this is invisible). Which is very common in old plastic boxes. Lamentably Vaseline wont work (I've never seen Vaseline really working in the family Blattidae). What I have read in this forums is that you could add a lay of glued plastic tape in the internal borders of the box; with the purpose of supply a new and soft surface where they hardly could climb: make sense to me and I would try it :-).

Of curse you should check the other basic things like possible ramps to a roof with big holes

[lovebugfarm]

The key I found with mine was a super smooth plastic bin the clear kind cause it's the smoothest. Also gasket bins are great they say water/airtight. The other thing I noticed is if there isn't enough ventilation it gets moist on the sides that helps them climb and/or if it gets dirty they have something to grip even if it doesn't seem that dirty. I lay my egg flats sideways that way I get more in there and can keep them 3-4 inches from the lid. I have also tried smooth packing tape around the top which kinda works. On a side note about non flying spieces I have seen both male Dubai and orange heads fly out of their bins. They run up the eggcrate and do an unflattering flutter but it get them out granted I had been out of town at the time and they were hungry. My wife was pretty upset when they crawled onto her pillow in the middle of the night.

P.s. I still plan to do that video life is a bit distracting right now.

[Jesus]

4 hours ago, Xenoblatta said:

Hello Jesus,

Blatta lateralis are not supposed to climb, however they are very good climbing when the vertical surfaces have small irregularities (sometimes this is invisible). Which is very common in old plastic boxes. Lamentably Vaseline wont work (I've never seen Vaseline really working in the family Blattidae). What I have read in this forums is that you could add a lay of glued plastic tape in the internal borders of the box; with the purpose of supply a new and soft surface where they hardly could climb: make sense to me and I would try it :-).

Of curse you should check the other basic things like possible ramps to a roof with big holes

I might try the tape but these handler locks are not in the corners they are at the sides but in the middle, they never manage to climb above the lid/mesh screen never seen one up there it is just in the places I mentioned it only babies manage to get in there adults don't/fit in those tiny spaces next time I'll put some tape and see what happens

[Jesus]

3 hours ago, lovebugfarm said:

The key I found with mine was a super smooth plastic bin the clear kind cause it's the smoothest. Also gasket bins are great they say water/airtight. The other thing I noticed is if there isn't enough ventilation it gets moist on the sides that helps them climb and/or if it gets dirty they have something to grip even if it doesn't seem that dirty. I lay my egg flats sideways that way I get more in there and can keep them 3-4 inches from the lid. I have also tried smooth packing tape around the top which kinda works. On a side note about non flying spieces I have seen both male Dubai and orange heads fly out of their bins. They run up the eggcrate and do an unflattering flutter but it get them out granted I had been out of town at the time and they were hungry. My wife was pretty upset when they crawled onto her pillow in the middle of the night.

P.s. I still plan to do that video life is a bit distracting right now.

mine do not get moisture except the hissing bin but that's because of so many dead roaches, my bin walls are clean most of the time I put my egg flats straight up then at the top I add paper rolls to be able to get some roaches out easily rather than pull an egg flat but I'll use the tape dunno if it will work though cause they might outsmart it, I did not know Dubia can fly my bins have screenmesh so I don't have that issue I did get some escapes but no adults just nymphs my future wife would not allow me to keep roaches insite the house she said they'd be either in the garage or outside in a shed the only pets she'd allow inside are dogs/cats/birds/fishes even small animals like bunnies said no then again it won't be a big deal if I manage to build a shed or get one for free through craiglist after all the weather here is good, It's still hot now bet it won't get cold till December hits but yeah take your time with the video no rush

[Axolotl]

I second the smooth plastic option. I keep mine in larger shoe box style bins that are nearly transparent and very smooth. I got them at Lowe's. The lids are white and say Bella, and they're about $4 for a large. Mine can't climb that particular surface at all. I also keep the items in the enclosure low so they can't get near the lid. I use terra cotta pot pieces and tiny plastic deli cups.