Is this an appropriate size for a small blatta lateralis colony?

[jojolobro]

I only have 4 mantids and 2 ts, so I don't require very many. Sub is about an inch deep. If the colony gets too big for me I plan to control their breeding by sticking them someplace slightly cooler until I'm comfortable with their numbers again. I ordered about 50. New at this so this is probably completely wrong.

 

[Psytallus]

Yes, if you keep your colony small this should be sufficient space. Like most roaches they're very communal and like to huddle together, and the toilet paper rolls should provide enough hiding spots. Maybe put some sort of cotton or sponge in that water dish so the small ones can't drown in it. What are you planning to feed them?

 

[jojolobro]

Yes, if you keep your colony small this should be sufficient space. Like most roaches they're very communal and like to huddle together, and the toilet paper rolls should provide enough hiding spots. Maybe put some sort of cotton or sponge in that water dish so the small ones can't drown in it. What are you planning to feed them?

I ended up picking up some water crystals. I plan on feeding them dog food for protein with oranges or apples. Leftover fruit really. How long would it take for them to start producing?

 

[Psytallus]

The females lay ooths every couple of weeks and the eggs should hatch after another few weeks. In the beginning you might have to wait a while before the first offspring appears, but after that you should get a steady flow of new roaches. Reproduction has never been an issue for me with these guys. I tend to only use the females as feeders both to keep the reproduction down and because there tend to only be a few males in every colony.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Given the species I would personally prefer to have a bit more room/clearance between the top of the walls and their living space. I also find it well worth going with a slightly bigger container to have some room to move when doing maintenance stuff. If price is a concern you can get cheap sterlite containers and just cut out a piece in the lid and glue some screening to it for airflow.

I also suggest getting some cork bark and replacing the tubes. Cork bark is very mold resistant, won't get soggy with moisture, and will hold less odor.  You might also want to consider getting some springtails as they will eat mold and decrease your odds of mite issues.

 

[jojolobro]

Given the species I would personally prefer to have a bit more room/clearance between the top of the walls and their living space. I also find it well worth going with a slightly bigger container to have some room to move when doing maintenance stuff. If price is a concern you can get cheap sterlite containers and just cut out a piece in the lid and glue some screening to it for airflow.

I also suggest getting some cork bark and replacing the tubes. Cork bark is very mold resistant, won't get soggy with moisture, and will hold less odor.  You might also want to consider getting some springtails as they will eat mold and decrease your odds of mite issues.

The reason for the smaller container is so they only populate to a certain point. I only have a few inverts so having a giant colony would be a huge waste. I was planning on replacing the tubes whenever they get gross but I'll give the cork bark some thought. The fiberglass screening insures only the smallest of nymphs could escape, let alone a gravid female or male. I do indeed plan on getting a cleanup crew for all my enclosures at some point - probably the next expo I go to. Thanks for the reply and suggestions, I'll definitely give them some thought. If only the guy could actually ship them out -.-