Optimal enclosures

[TheSwarmThing]

Hi everyone,

As I've started buying more and more roaches I was wondering what would be the optimal set-up for my insects. I keep 12 species now, so our home is full of plastic containers. They are pretty ugly, not so easy to clean and their walls are opaque. I really would like to see what's going on with the roaches. Glass terrariums would be nice, but might be expensive as well.

Do you have any suggestions for optimal enclosures? How do you keep your roaches?

Thanks in advance!

[pannaking22]

I keep mine in pretty clear plastic shoe boxes from Target. Really good for smaller colonies or smaller species and they stack nicely too. 

http://www.target.com/p/sterilite-clearview-latch-15-qt-storage-tote-clear-with-purple/-/A-13794491

It's a lot like those in the link, but they are significantly cheaper. The plastic isn't crystal clear, but it's clear enough that I can easily see what's going on and I can even sex individuals when they climb up the sides. 

[Manuel_P]

I use BraPlast Boxes for the smaller species.
i would´t use Terrariums for roaches, because they will never be 100% escape proof
But if you want really clear ones you could build your own boxes our of Plexi-Glass.
I built some for Beetles a while ago, I would upload pics, but I don´t have the boxes anymore
They were pretty much just cubic or cuboid Boxes with a flip top. and ventilation holes in the sides and the lid. I used these for beetles because they need really high substrate, which would be impossible to do in normal Terrariums.

Might be something for you

I didn´t explain it very well, but I hope you get the idea
I´ll look for a photo on my pc, if I find one, I´ll post it
 

[TheSwarmThing]

Thank you @pannaking22 and @Manuel_P for the suggestions. Plastic boxes would work for me as well.

Do you provide any additional heating for your animals? My home is pretty cold (around 72 F), and I guess I would need to place a lamp above the plastic boxes. Do you think the heat would go through properly?

 

[lovebugfarm]

The clear bins from Ikea are super smooth and very clear plus cheap. I also use gasket bins from the container store.

[pannaking22]

On 1/4/2017 at 7:55 AM, TheSwarmThing said:

Thank you @pannaking22 and @Manuel_P for the suggestions. Plastic boxes would work for me as well.

Do you provide any additional heating for your animals? My home is pretty cold (around 72 F), and I guess I would need to place a lamp above the plastic boxes. Do you think the heat would go through properly?

 

72 F will be fine for most species. They may not breed as well (or at all in some cases), but they will continue to survive and grow. Pretty much all species experience a cooler or drier period of some sort, so no huge need to expend a bunch of extra effort where not needed  What species do you have?

[TheSwarmThing]

Thanks for the help!

5 hours ago, pannaking22 said:

What species do you have?

The species I keep:

Blaberus discoidalis, Blaptica dubia, Eurycotis opaca, Gromphadorhina portentosa, Gyna caffrorum, Gyna lurida, Phoetalia pallida, Princisia vanwaerebecki, Shelfordella lateralis, Therea olegrandjeani and Therea regularis.

And I've just ordered a few Elliptorhina javanica individuals.

[pannaking22]

10 hours ago, TheSwarmThing said:

Thanks for the help!

The species I keep:

Blaberus discoidalis, Blaptica dubia, Eurycotis opaca, Gromphadorhina portentosa, Gyna caffrorum, Gyna lurida, Phoetalia pallida, Princisia vanwaerebecki, Shelfordella lateralis, Therea olegrandjeani and Therea regularis.

And I've just ordered a few Elliptorhina javanica individuals.

You're welcome! All those will survive without a problem at 72 F. Some will breed, albeit slowly, at that temp, and the rest will need at least 77 F to really get going. I believe E. opaca and E. javanica need higher temps to breed at all. 

[TheSwarmThing]

Thank you @pannaking22 for your help! I'll rise the temperature for E. opaca and E. javanica.