How To: BUCKET CAGING

Gsc

Gsc

Fifth Instar
Today I made up a new group of Bucket Cages and decided to document the experience and share with the fourm members. Firts off, credit for the idea/design goes to the ALLPET ROACH GUIDE book- if you don't already have it, you should REALLY get it...worth every penny.

Bucket Cages work VERY well for smaller/pet colonies. They are:

Stackable (don't take up much space)

Light Weight

Cheap To Fabricate

etc.

Here is what you need to get started:

- 5 gal. Bucket (I but the cheap ~$4 from Lowes, Home Depot, etc)

- Tight Fitting Bucket Lid

- Dremel w/ cutting wheel

- Hot Glue Gun

- Metal/Aluminum Window Screening

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Once all you supplies are gathered it's time to move to Step #2: Cutting a vent hole(s). I use one vent hole BUT the ALLPET ROACH GUIDE book suggests 2 vents (1 in the lid & 1 in the side- this would work very well). The dremel makes cutting the hole(s) easy...remember to use all suggested safety guidelines when using it.

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After the hole is cut out, it's time to hot glue the metal/aluminum screen in place. You should make sure that the pieces of screen cut are larger than the hole(s) you cut. You'll be glueing a piece to BOTH the inside and the outside...this will give you double protection from escapes in the event that one is damaged.

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Vola- you're done. I was able to make 6 bucket cages with 1 1/2 hours... ready to get some new species!

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These cages can easily be stacked in a small amount of space. If you're interested in making the cages I strongly suggest Orin's ALLPET ROACH book... it has this info and much more in it... these cages are great in my view for smaller colonies of pet roaches!

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Gsc said:
These cages can easily be stacked in a small amount of space. If you're interested in making the cages I strongly suggest Orin's ALLPET ROACH book... it has this info and much more in it... these cages are great in my view for smaller colonies of pet roaches!
Click to expand...
Are the buckets you use screw-on lids or snap-on lids? All mine are in bins not buckets. However, I have had occasion to want to put a specie in a bucket that seals up tight, but is easy to open (snap-on lids can be difficult to open).

???????

 
I normally just use the cheap "snap on" lids BUT I do have one screw top lid. A military/camping surplus site called Chaeper Than Dirt sells screw on lids (the thread part snaps onto the top of the bucket)...I really need to invest in more of them...they work MUCH easier...

 
Gsc said:
I normally just use the cheap "snap on" lids BUT I do have one screw top lid. A military/camping surplus site called Chaeper Than Dirt sells screw on lids (the thread part snaps onto the top of the bucket)...I really need to invest in more of them...they work MUCH easier...
Click to expand...
It would be nice if there was a screw-on lid with a gasket in the lid. Many snap-on lids have a gasket so tiny nymphs that are climbers like Drymaplaneta, Pseudomops, even Gromphadorhina and Elliptorhina though much larger nymphs like to climb and weasle into tiny cracks.

To me the screw-on lid is the easiest to use but I can't tell how tight it fits, so would be reluctant to put tiny climbers inside.

The trick is to find a supplier who has tight gasketed scre-on lids for 5 gallon buckets! But it really depends what species you are keeping in the bucket.

 
Lids that fit hold in air and water and certainly keep in ANY roach. Some places sell buckets with lids that don't match up and those should be avoided (usually the wrong lids don't even stay on or are impossible to close so check before buying).

 
Orin McMonigle said:
Lids that fit hold in air and water and certainly keep in ANY roach. Some places sell buckets with lids that don't match up and those should be avoided (usually the wrong lids don't even stay on or are impossible to close so check before buying).
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But the nymphs if they can find a crack to squeeze into will be waiting when you open the bucket to fall out and run under the heaviest object nearby :lol:

 
Crittergu, have you used the bucket cages before? I have NEVER had a problem with nymphs or adults waiting to escape...I've used the bucket cages for probably 5 years now with a ton of different species...

 
Those bucket cages are cool. What an awesome idea. Saves space too. Most of mine are in glass tanks right now that take up a lot of room, so If I get more species I might have to switch to the bucket method.

 
Roachsmith said:
Those bucket cages are cool. What an awesome idea. Saves space too. Most of mine are in glass tanks right now that take up a lot of room, so If I get more species I might have to switch to the bucket method.
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It's nice to have a few "display" tanks of your favorite species, but the bucket cages are great on saving space.

 
GSC: Nope never had them. However, I've seen that happen with a lot of other similar enclosures if they have any cracks along the lid for the nymphs to squeeze in. If this is only meant for non climbers or if something makes this unappealing to the roaches I stand corrected.

 
I like the 66 quart tubs I use. More surface area for ground dwellers, more room for object for climbers to climb on. My tubs are modified with screen, vaseline, and now I am trying out teflon to see what I think of it. Only escapees I have had were from not closing the lid on a flying species (Gyna lurida and Panchlora sp. 'giant', found a few in my window sill/ window box plants !!)

 
Gsc said:
It's nice to have a few "display" tanks of your favorite species, but the bucket cages are great on saving space.
Click to expand...
It would be nice if roaches actually sat around in the open in the daylight and looked cool for an audience! In my dreams...

 
Very nice but what about the surface area? Buckets are not very spacious IMO and I like to pamper my feeders.

 
Tleilaxu said:
Very nice but what about the surface area? Buckets are not very spacious IMO and I like to pamper my feeders.
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Several pieces of egg carton go in on thier side for climbing space to crowd up. You can put several hundred in one bucket and they are fine. First time I used a bucket I just ahd wadded up newpaper in there but they chewed it up.... you could also try folded (bent) strips of cardboard, but I recommend egg cartons... They prefer to climb more than run around on the surface of the substrate (which you dont have to use, but I do).

 
For feeder species you may use a more spacious cage. I LOVE the bucket caging for my small colonies of "pet"/collector species that I maintain.

 
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