# How big? How deep ? And how to cut ?



## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

Hi all

I want to extend the variety of insects I can feed, especially now I'm going to be getting a Leo, at the moment I have

Crickets - happily living in a large faunarium, pesky little things, they did have a cricket keeper but escaped in their masses lol

Dubai roaches - currently living in a small faunarium with the sides blacked out 

Ok so far so good

My new baby eats locusts and mealies, so I have a few questions

I only have the 2 lizards so live food tends to last a while, so I have to look after it

My plan is to get a mini Dubai colony to breed my own Dubais. How large a box will I need for this ?

What sort of size/type box will I need to keep the mealies in ?

What sort of size box will I need to keep the locusts in, and assuming they hop, how tall to stop them escaping? I had quite enough of that with the crickets !

And the final question, how on earth, if I get RUB's with lids do I put ventilation in without breaking the box, in the past whenever I have tried drilling such boxes the entire lid cracks :censor:

Oh any thoughts as to where I can obtain such boxes cheaply, I have seen these 
Braplast Boxes but not sure if they are suitable

Heather


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## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

with buying dubia the more you buy the better and the quicker you will be able feed them away

but make sure you go with a female/male ratio 5-1

people say every 100 adult dubia = 40 leter rubs
but i go for 150-200 to each 40letre

the mealies can go in any type of tub aslong they have holes to breathe you will be ok

rubs for mealies can be got from the poundshop

rubs for dubia can be got from many places = wilkonsons/bnm/ikea/dunhelm mill/home bargains/bnq/home base etc

to put air vents in the rubs i use a mini hacksaw it does the job then i use a hot glue gun and glue in mesh

the mesh i use is this

Halfords | David's ISOPON Aluminium Mesh

hope this helps


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## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

Thanks for your reply

Ok so I need a rub, a hack saw, & a glue gun oh and some mesh, the shopping list gets longer lolol

When you say you use a hack saw, how do you get started? I'm assuming you saw a square hole in the lid ? But how do you start the hole ?

Any thoughts on what to keep locusts in ?


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

I keep my locusts in a Rub with mesh covering the lid as above but i also stretch a pair of tights over the top before i put the lid on as they can climb and escape when you take the lid off lol

Ohh and if you look in home bargains they have hot glue guns for £3 and glue sticks for about £1.29


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## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

Home bargains, right, I wonder where there is one of those. I have an added snag unfortunately in that I'm disabled, walk with a crutch and can't get to far or carry much, so I have to try and think where I can get stuff that's easily accessible :blush:. 

Ikeas out, that place just kills me, you have to walk round the WHOLE darn place :lol2:. I do most of my shopping (including groceries) online but some things just aren't easy to get online  like big RUB's :bash:


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## popitgoes (Oct 24, 2010)

heatherjhenshaw said:


> Thanks for your reply
> 
> Ok so I need a rub, a hack saw, & a glue gun oh and some mesh, the shopping list gets longer lolol
> 
> ...


the shape depends on how much mesh you use and the shape of that with the mini hack saw its just a lil saw with a handle so all you do is get a peice of metal bout inch wide and burn it on the hob then place it through the plastic to get you started then you saw through it

if you dont want to do any of this there is a online store that sells you a roach hotel with it all done for you already

i hope this helps


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

I think wilknisons deliver and they do both storage and glue gun  ive just been on there website and they have got an 80ltr rub for £7  not sure on delivery prices though sorry. Hope this helps?


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## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

Bab1084 said:


> I think wilknisons deliver and they do both storage and glue gun  ive just been on there website and they have got an 80ltr rub for £7  not sure on delivery prices though sorry. Hope this helps?


that helps a lot :2thumb: thanks, I never knew they delivered, and they sell pretty much everything except the wire mesh so could get it all in one delivery : victory:


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## Kuja (Dec 14, 2011)

what everyone else said  only thing i might add is you could heat a metalic item up skewer or simular and then push it through the top, sides or what not of rub, it shouldn't split it as it melts it enough to be pushed through without strain on the rest of it. And i got my "cheapo" rubs(aka not rubs just boxes) from ikea and asda for the latest one for my locusts.

Goodluck lol


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## Paul112 (Apr 6, 2007)

I use big 80L wilkos tubs too. Top tip for ventilation: buy a soldering iron. You can melt holes in the plastic very easily with one, and it won't crack!

Best,
Paul


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

GLUE GUN ELECTRIC HOT MELT PLUS 50 GLUE STICKS FITTED 13A PLUG AND FREE STAND | eBay


British Made Budget Clear Plastic Storage Box Boxes With Black Lids SIZE CHOICE | eBay


Isopon Aluminium Mesh 10inx8in Reinforcing Repair Mesh | eBay

ebay


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