Containers for large colonies of climbers?

[Sleepy Lemur]

Hi, first time poster.

I've recently gotten into the roach hobby by buying some g. Portentosa and others. Currently I'm housing about 6 adults/sub adults in about a 27 qt sterlite container, with ventilation holes on the lid, Vaseline, as well as pantyhose cut and tied, and stretched over the top to prevent escapees. I have some airtight containers coming in the mail to replace the standard sterlites. However, these are somewhat expensive. I'm wondering how people cost effectively house larger hisser colonies? Should I stick with standard sterlite containers, and use Vaseline and panty hose? Or are there other ways to keep them contained in a container without a gasket style lid?

 

[Doc]

I simply use vaseline and Sterilite tubs for most hissers. The only exception is Elliptorhina javanica. Somehow the small nymphs can get past the barrier. None of the other hissers I've kept can do this.

I also use sealed containers for N. cinerea, E. floridana, and Gyna species. I don't use the gasket containers. I just get buckets and lids from Home Depot and add aluminum mesh for airflow. These are a much cheaper alternative.

 

[Aphaenogaster]

I simply use vaseline and Sterilite tubs for most hissers. The only exception is Elliptorhina javanica. Somehow the small nymphs can get past the barrier. None of the other hissers I've kept can do this.

I also use sealed containers for N. cinerea, E. floridana, and Gyna species. I don't use the gasket containers. I just get buckets and lids from Home Depot and add aluminum mesh for airflow. These are a much cheaper alternative.

That's a good idea. I'll have to get some buckets from Home Depot. Out of curiosity, what do you use for housing "display" colonies (if you happen to keep those)?

 

[Doc]

I don't exactly have display enclosures for my roaches. If I did, I would just use an exo terra and with non-climbing species only.

 

[Sleepy Lemur]

Does this look ok for containing hissers? It's aluminum screen bought from my local hard ware store:

 

[Doc]

Yup. The easiest way to bond it to plastic containers is to use a soldering iron with a large diameter tip or something similar. Then it'll be molded into the plastic.