Can you use Repti-Therms for Dubias in Plastic Containers?

[ButterflyGirl89]

I keep reading a lot of people recommend using heat pads for a dubia colony, but on the repti-therms it says "for use on glass tanks only/ do not use on plastic" etc. So is this just false or does everyone use a different kind of heater?

I know most people keep their dubias in rubbermaids and such, but do you think you could use a repti-therm on a critter keeper?

I'll include pics of both the heater and the critter keeper.

Thanks so much in advance for any replies!

 

[ButterflyGirl89]

**EDIT**: For the critter keeper I would, of course, be using the biggest one, which is almost 5 gallons, and only temporarily at that)

 

[ChiefsDaddy]

A cricket keeper would be way too small for a dubia colony. Get AT LEAST a 20 gallon rubbermaid/sterlite bin.

Also, Repti-therms and plastic do not mix. The instructions are right. A lot of people on here use a regular people heating pad.

 

[Pixall]

I use a repti therm. I know it is not the best option, but at the moment it is our only option. Well, that or microwaving a rice sock every hour. :roll: So far it has worked well. I have a smmaaaaallllll heat pad, a large rubbermaid, and the heat mat is about 75% under, 25% on the side of the tub(futzed around with placement to get temps right).

I do not recommend my setup. It is unsafe.

That being said, if you were to mimic me, put the mat on a flat surface that is NOT carpet. Put spacers of some sort between it and the keeper, and put the keeper only partially over it. My problem with the box you want to use is it would let too much light through, stressing the roaches. As a temporary thing though, it should work, if you are willing to take the fire risk.

 

[hammerhead]

I use heating pads but have one repti therm that I stuck to a sheet of glass and have a 1/4 inch void between the glass and the bin. Temps get near 130 degrees on the repti therm heater. I wouldn't stick it to plastic.

 

[ButterflyGirl89]

Wow, that's a lot warmer than I thought! so it seems most people use human heating pads, huh? Do you just lay the bin right on top of these or put them in the tub with the dubias?

I'm starting to think a big bin with a light/CHE might be simpler, after all. :roll:

Thing is, I wanted just a small thing at first in which I could view the roachies because I'm just buying 100 smalls and wanna try myself out on them. Currently the adults gross me out, but I actually haven't even come into physical contact with them before.
So I wanted to put the small number of small roachies in a small enough bin to where I could actually look at them and get myself use to them...

 

[Carnivorouszoo]

I use a 65 quart clear container and heat them by having them on top of Mojo's cage over her heat lamp lol. They seem happier this way since I'm seeing babies now :lol: Before I had a red bulb on them but they did nothing for almost 3 months.

 

[AtlasStrike]

Do what I do (and many people do) with my snakes. Attach a lamp dimmer to the UTH as a rheostat or run it on a cheap (beanfarm) thermostat. Human heating pads are not meant to be on 24/7 and can be a fire hazard. I have my ball python in a 41 qt sterilite tub with his hot side heat pad steady around 90F, his cool side and my corn snake's warm side are at 85F. My dubia's heat pad when I start up will be attached to the same thermostat as my ball python so everything stays toasty warm.

 

[ButterflyGirl89]

Hmm. Really? I wound up with an 18 gallon rubbermaid tub. I have the red bulb... should I switch to a CHE or something, then? I thought they couldn't see red light? =/
There's no way for me to put them on top of Danny's heat light. :-?

 

[MrWhite]

18g rubbermaid will work just fine, I have an 18g and a 20g. I use a CHE inside my bins, I don't know if dubia see red lights or not.

if you're just getting 100 small dubia, they will fit in a really small container. 18g will look huge with only 100 small in there :wink:

you can even keep them at normal room temperature if you're not planning on breeding them. It takes about 4 months to raise baby dubia to an adult.

 

[ButterflyGirl89]

I do wanna breed them, though! Crickets have become way too expensive. x_x
I actually have gotten dubia from 3 different people now, haha.

I'm getting 100 smalls from CritterFeeder, I'm getting 150 of the 7/8 size from dubideli, and today I picked up 10 adult females and 5 adult males from a local via craigslist.
The 7/8 are expected to arrive Friday and although I can't verify it yet, I think the smalls will probably arrive on the same day or just a day sooner.

Question: The 18g is about 15 inches tall, and I'm currently using a 100 wat red bulb on top of it off to the side. I have a digital thermometer about 4.5 inches from the bottom reading at about 84. Is this warm enough for them to breed?


When I was just getting the smalls I was going to keep them in a 5 gallon bin or smaller... haha.

 

[MrWhite]

Question: The 18g is about 15 inches tall, and I'm currently using a 100 wat red bulb on top of it off to the side. I have a digital thermometer about 4.5 inches from the bottom reading at about 84. Is this warm enough for them to breed?

I like to keep the inside of my bins around 85. it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be warm :wink: I know people that like to bump it up to 95 but I think that's too hot in my opinion and you definitely don't want to go over 100, that will kill them.

Roaches are smart, they will migrate to the area that they feel most comfortable with the temperature. if you notice that the roaches are gathering far away from the heat source, it probably means it's too hot. If they are gathering closer to the heat source, it probably means it's too cold elsewhere in the bin.

I know roaches seem creepy at first(especially the adults), but once you get used to them, they are pretty cool. The males are faster than the females, the females can be held and they will pretty much just sit in your hand. I pick them up all the time.