prowler996":8dc71 said:
I use undertank heating mats and then have an all glass enclosure that is masked off.
Using plastic tubs or glass is irrelevant. The lighting sources are not right. Use undertank heating with glass. If your using some plastic tubs... you will need a heat (not light) emitting bulb. But this is not optimal... use the heat pads with a glass tank.
I could go into more detail but let me say that my colony is about as healthy and ravenous as they come.
Undertank heat, glass enclosure with mesh lid, mist maybe once a week. Feed lots of fruits and veggies and dont use that gel water crap. Its worthless.
Water Gel is a must. It doesn't harbor mold, and allows the roaches to walk on it w/o drowning (especially the babies) Fruits and Vegetables are an excellent source for
hydration as well, you are correct. And no you shouldn't mist a colony at all as it can and will eventually cause mold in the cracks of your egg crates. If you have to mist a colony to keep humidity at the correct parameters than you are doing something wrong.
A Sterilite tub is 10 x's better than a glass aquarium. ESPECIALLY if you live in more arid parts of the country. The humdity and temps in Florida are totally different than most other places around the country. A plastic Sterilite bin holds humidity and temperatures a lot better than glass aquariums.
If someone is using a glass aquarium than yes, I would do exactly as you have. Mask it off, paint it flat black on the outside, and use a heat mat. And most people on here use human heat pads on their Sterilite Tubs already. I'm still not seeing where anyone said anything about using a light. I think we cleared up in the first page of comments that roaches dig the dark and don't need any lighting whatsoever. A CHE is a heat emitting bulb and an Infared Light doesn't put out visible light to roaches. Both are used as non light emitting heat elements in various facets of the reptile hobby.
I'm not second guessing that you've got a great colony of roaches going, however you have more options being that Florida is more temperate and humid than most parts of the country.
-Ian
http://www.theroachranch.com