Best Insect Enclosures

[haleybobl]

Just wondering what everyone else uses to keep their insects? I am only feeding about 2 chams, so I don't need a zillion of anything. Wondering what the best set up for size (don't want a huge set up), variety, keeping them alive, and catching them would be. I like having a system down to feed my critters, and currently I don't have a "smooth" system. Seems like I have a little bit of everything everywhere. I keep the cham in the family room, but I don't particularly want a bunch of insects in there, so I am trying to think of something I can easily transport to feed too. Any ideas would be great.

 

[naich]

tubbaware,tubaware, tubaware! any size any time. all insect friendly

 

[Debmonster]

You must have been reading my mind.

I was thinking the same thing as I dumped my 1000 crickets into the plastic storage bin I have for them. I cut out a big hole in the lid and hot glued screen on it. The only downside is the bottom is not even, there's a "gutter" around the edge that makes cleaning a little difficult.

I've had it lying around for a while but I didn't need it as I was only buying a few crickets at a time. Now that I've added my little ambilobe who can eat, I'm buying in bulk again.

I was going to ask for people to post what they use too

 

[RachelRiot]

I agree that the "gutter" makes cleaning the bins difficult. I tried cutting the bottom out of one bin and hot gluing plastic screen to it so the feces can fall through to a bin below from a member here's recommendation. I am still curious to see if anyone has anything that works better than the bins.

I would like to know how those of you who really buy in bulk house them? Pictures would be awesome.

When I get back from getting my next 100 crix I will post pics of the set up. I am out the door right now.

 

[BigR]

I use a Kricket Keeper, but I only go through about 200 a week. At least I dont have to touch them.

 

[sandrachameleon]

I went to a cafeteria at the local college and got their empty big big white food safe plastic buckets with lids (buckets that massive amounts of mayo, marg, muffin mix and such came in). I also use old fish tanks with screen lids. And a few plastic totes on wheels. And a couple critter carriers.

I like the big white buckets and the totes on wheels the best.

 

[Lizardlover]

I used to use old fish tanks/terrariums, but i find plastic tubeware work WAY better

 

[Argentra]

Back when I used to breed crickets and keep many worms, I used glass tanks and plastic critter keepers for the crix and plastic organizer drawers for the worms - the set of three 8x11 ones. You just add a layer of the food/bedding mix of choice and worms and you're good to go.

Now, since we're getting an animal that eats insects once more, I have another drawer set for worms and an XL Critter Keeper box for gut loading crix. My BF refuses to allow large amounts of crickets into the house, and barely agrees to allow 5-7 in the keeper for 24hrs for gut loading. But worms are fine as long as he doesn't have to see them.

There are a few brands of storage tubs that do not have those grooves. They're mostly sold for snake racks, but are sold individually. Cost is more, but the ease of cleaning, I'm told, makes up for it.

 

[BIGGUN]

Argentra,

Get a breeding colony of Dubias..........I'm sure your BF would be cool with that.

Kevin

 

[absolutbill]

When I only had a panther I used a tupperware container with a hole cut in the side, replaced by screen, for ventilation. The top was also cut out and replaced with screen for more ventilation. It did have the bottom ridge, but I found that that helped with cleaning by "collecting" the dead crickets and feces. I kept that on my printer, not an ideal spot, but it was in the panther's room, which made it handy.

Now that we've added 3 beardies to the collection we've upped it to a 10 gal aquarium holding 2000 crickets at a time. I work at a hotel, so we have a constant supply of the egg cartons to use, helping cleanup as well. The aquarium is on a shelf under the beardies' cage, so it's pretty well hidden, or at least isn't conspicuous. As for not touching them, my husband bought me a little hand vaccuum, which is the best addition ever!

All I do is to suck up the right number of crickets and then shake them out into the cricket keepers. We have 2 of them - one for the panther, and one for the beardies to avoid cross-contamination. Also we sanitize the vaccuum between uses (the plastic parts and the screen) to keep everyone healthy. The hand-vac is also perfect for the beardies' cage when we need to suck up rogue crickets.

 

[Debmonster]

I'm banned from Dubias...a few got out and my husband was p-ssed. (He doesn't know i have discoids right now though

Problem is nobody likes them

 

[BIGGUN]

WHAT!!!???

Nobody likes husbands???

No wonder my wife acts like she does.

Kevin

 

[Debmonster]

Noooooo not "nobody like husbands"....

None of my chameleons likes the discoids.... I don't know what to do with them

Funny man!

I'm lovin the smilies.

 

[BIGGUN]

Have they ever tried them?

I mean the chams tried the discoids. Not the husband tried the discoids....or the chams tried the husband.

If they haven't even tried them you could cut back on the feeding for a day or two then offer them. My panther, Rhocasygoth, wouldn't try any dubia until he went without anything for 2 days. Once he tried them he was hooked. Now as soon as he sees one he fires up and starts hunting him down.

Kevin

 

[Debmonster]

I'll try that...Thanks

 

[RachelRiot]

I cant do roaches. I hate hate hate them. Plus my husband would freak. It is bad enough I have to care for crix. lol I wont touch them either. I make my 4 year old come pick up the escapees!

 

[BIGGUN]

I love the roaches......not that way.....eewwww!

No escapees, no stink, no mess, no noise!

I told my wife they were papaya beetles. That got them in the door. The fact that they're nothing like crickets kept them here.

Kevin

 

[Argentra]

Roaches... well...

He's from Mexico, that's all I have to say. Heck, I was trapped in ElPaso for the longest time and don't much like roaches either. When you find 4" long ones in the bathroom...that kinda sets you up for not liking them. The only roaches I like are Hissers, and that's because they act Nothing like other roaches.

 

[chunkiem]

I just use a 10 gl aquarium with a screen lid for my cricket. Easy to clean, and easily holds 1000 cricket at a time.

 

[dodolah]

ahh roaches dilemma..
I used to have Blattaphobia due to traumatic experience when i was a kid (something involving tropical country, a really old rickety house, a dumb kid with a pesticide spray, and about 30,000 roaches of different sizes and colors).

I got a chameleon, got tired of crickets, with the help of 1 member here, I got a free starter colony of Dubia.
My face turned white when he calmly gave me couple female adult roaches and kept adding the male..

Do you know when you are about to feed them to your cham, the adult often protect the hatchlings by covering them under their bodies?
I never knew that roaches can do such a thing...

After a while they kinda looked cute,
Now, i understand why people can have roaches as pets.
After all that fiasco, off course my veiled never develop any likings to dubia. So, I have to give my colony to someone else.