Dubias escaping

[pdomensis]

So I've got a colony of dubias in a large rubbermaid tote and the little buggers are starting to climb the sides and get out. It looks like there's some mildew growing along the walls that they are climbing. Has anyone got any experience with this? Will a regular rubdown of the walls keep it clean enough for them to not crawl up? Or is there maybe a more secure way to keep them from getting under the lid? Thanks!

[infernalis]

I have never had that problem...

Why not just spend another $7 and get a new tote? Sterilite totes work great.

My dubia have been in the same one for years.

[Starbuck]

I know they smear a few inches of vaseline around the rim for other climbing bugs, maybe you could try that?

[formica]

Originally Posted by pdomensis

So I've got a colony of dubias in a large rubbermaid tote and the little buggers are starting to climb the sides and get out. It looks like there's some mildew growing along the walls that they are climbing. Has anyone got any experience with this? Will a regular rubdown of the walls keep it clean enough for them to not crawl up? Or is there maybe a more secure way to keep them from getting under the lid? Thanks!

you need a new tub, most plastics break down during their life time, which means tiny tiny pores and cracks open up in the surface, which is just enough for them to get a grib - the mildew just compounds the problem, it gives more grip, and speeds up the process of degredation in the plastic


if you have mildew/mold growing, then the humidity is too high, you need to give them lots of ventilation - fruit, and/or water crystals are all the humidity they need to shed, the rest of the enclosure should be bone dry


and yep vasaline as suggested, or brown packing tape, around the top, 2inches of it will do the trick

[Terranaut]

Originally Posted by infernalis

I have never had that problem...

Why not just spend another $7 and get a new tote? Sterilite totes work great.

My dubia have been in the same one for years.

Mine have also been in the same tub for a long time. Never had this issue.

[pdomensis]

Thanks all.

[smy_749]

Mildew shouldn't be growing. I hope its not just mold and you lose your whole colony. Nymphs will climb the plastic if the tote is ever so slightly at a slant. Even on brand new totes. The taller steeper walled totes are what your looking for. Vaseline is messy, some roaches crawl over it, and a bunch will get stuck in it and it looks disgusting. My advise is to get the widest roll of packaging tape you can find and put it around the edges near the top. When they reach it they will slip back down every time. Humidity doesn't need to be through the roof. Either your spraying it alot or not changing out the old food items. Anyways, good luck, and I wouldn't worry about and infestation in Idaho so your OK :P