# Stupid Exo Terra's



## Ryan.M (Jun 18, 2011)

So I was surprised to see random house flies and crickets hanging out on the walls of my room the last couple days. I was flabbergasted (sp?) trying to figure out how they were getting out of a mini-tall exo terra terrarium I have set up for my ghosts.

There's a small space between the glass where the door folds open, but I was sure a cricket or a fly couldn't squeeze their way through there. Finally today, I saw a cricket hanging out on the top of the enclosure. After thoughts of killing the poor bug in rage went through my mind, I calmed down and hand fed him to a hungry ghost :lol: . Then I saw how the buggers were getting out.

On the plastic and wire-mesh lid there's ~ 1cm vent holes which can be opened or closed. When I was setting up thier cage a few weeks ago, I closed them so nothing could get out, however, closing the vents opens up a half centimeter passage which crickets, flies, and whatever can fit can travel up. Why even have the option to close/open the vents if there's almost centimeter wide exits on the top regardless? You'd think the people at Exo Terra would be smart enough to see that. It's especially stupid because they have a rock-shaped stryrofoam wall leading up to the top for decoration, which basically allows all types of terrestrial feeder insects to travel up and exit to freedom.

If I didn't already have the ghosts set up and happy in there, I'da returned the damn thing for something else. Does anyone else have problems with these poorly designed cages? How about your thoughts on zoo med's cages?

Anyways, I solved the problem by plugging up the hole with a glue gun, I'm absolutely certain the damn bugs can't escape now, but I've been wrong before. Now the hunt is on to find all the escapees behind my dresser.

Cheers!


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## alicenwnderlnd (Jun 18, 2011)

leave them open and stuff them with a bit of sponge! still lets some air through and will stop all those great escapes!


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## psyconiko (Jun 18, 2011)

Mesh screen between doors..


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 18, 2011)

Humm at lest u found out where they were coming from, sometimes u never can.


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## kamakiri (Jun 19, 2011)

That's better than fining out it was user error...like leaving the lid off a box of 1000 crix! :lol: Ya know, like I've never done THAT!


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## Ryan.M (Jun 19, 2011)

kamakiri said:


> That's better than fining out it was user error...like leaving the lid off a box of 1000 crix! :lol: Ya know, like I've never done THAT!


LOL, oh man, I can't even imagine looking around for that many crickets!


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## angelofdeathzz (Jun 19, 2011)

Can you say shop-vac ! :lol:


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 19, 2011)

haha, good one! shop vvac, never thought of that, though did u it once when lid fell out of fly bottle! :lol:


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## snowflake (Jun 19, 2011)

i have a nano and i made it bug pruf i put tape on frunt vents put tape on doors to fill in gaps and put glass on lid but put a hole in it for fogger


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## animalexplorer (Jun 20, 2011)

I just used a glue gun and filled it in, and if you want you can always take it out down the road.


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## kamakiri (Jun 21, 2011)

Ryan.M said:


> LOL, oh man, I can't even imagine looking around for that many crickets!


...under penalty of divorce too! j/k my wife wasn't that mad...but I think she said, "I'm *not* amused" :angry: ...and that was after finding them over several days.

Shop vac would have been a good idea...I used to have a really small one that would have been perfect!


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