? on Moist Substrate in roach bins

Israel2004

Arachnoknight
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Apr 26, 2004
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I'm keeping Orange head and Six spot roaches. Right now I'm having the problem of the substrate (which is just their waste and old molts) being constantly moist. I don't think this is harming them any other than attracting alot of little moths. I think that moisture is seeping from the dish i put the water crystals in.

Has anyone had any problems with keeping them in a damp bin? If so I'm going to have to figure out how to dry it out.

On a side note I found baby orange heads last night. YEAH!!!. :D I've had them since June and I think there are more baby Six Spot but there is so much waste in there and little ones already that it's hard to tell if there are new babies.

Oh and how you people clean your roach bins. I'd like to clean them out a bit but it's going to be alot of work to get the little ones out.

Thanks,
Israel
 
Last edited:

xelda

Arachnobaron
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Jul 22, 2004
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That sounds pretty gross. They shouldn't be living on their own poop. I don't use any substrate but just keep egg cartons and paper towel tubes. It's very easy to clean that way without having to take the roaches out. Put all the hides on one side, then sweep the poop with a brush. I use one of those small flat brushes used in cooking to spread sauce on food. The roaches will run away from the brush into the hides, so you just have to sweet the bin in sections.

You should be doing this every few weeks or else the roaches will start to stink (though nowhere near as bad as crickets). You also don't want them living on their own poop, because that just creates a nesting ground for bacteria and also attracts bugs. Moisture makes it a hundred times worse, so you need to get a better water dish.
 

Israel2004

Arachnoknight
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Apr 26, 2004
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I'm keeping them almost exactly like code monkey. I have egg crates instead of a roach motel. Just frass as substrate. Just worried that by it being moist I'm causing them harm. Really can't afford killing them and having to start over.
 

danread

Arachnoprince
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Dec 5, 2002
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Hi Israel2004,

The solution is really simple... just increase the amount of ventilation that your roaches are geting, either by drilling more holes into the container, or cutting out a section and replacing it with gauze. I never clean out my roach tubs, there is a cm or so of frass, but as it is dry it hardly smells and isnt a problem. I'm not sure you need to incluse the water crystals, roaches should be able to get all their moisture from the fruit and vegetables that you feed them, so removing that might help as well.

Cheers,
 

Israel2004

Arachnoknight
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Apr 26, 2004
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178
Dan,

I use the water crystal because I'm on a tight budget and can bearly afford fruit and vegatable for myself. With two pound of water crystal it'll take me forever to run out.

The bin are well vented nearly the entire top is screen. I'll try heating the closet they're in. The temps. do need to come up alittle so maybe that will help dry it out.

Just need to figure out how to hang a fixture in there without burning down the house.
 

FryLock

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May 17, 2004
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Also the young of some species eat there parents frass as there first meals bit in there will not hurt.
 

genious_gr

Arachnoangel
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Jan 23, 2003
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FryLock said:
Also the young of some species eat there parents frass as there first meals bit in there will not hurt.
Fry, you just broke my heart....didn't you bother to check the link I posted???
 

FryLock

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genious_gr said:
Fry, you just broke my heart....didn't you bother to check the link I posted???
Gah that will teach me for skimming a thread :8o.
 
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