Cricket housing question

[cjbage]

So I was reading the cheap terrarium thread and was wondering if something like that was done to house crickets / roaches, only instead of hot gluing down the screen to the top if heavy duty hook and loop tape was used to create a flap to reach in and feed or take out without having to remove the entire lid ? Do you think something like that would work ? If it was already mentioned elsewhere sorry, I didn't see it in that particular thread.

[PandaLove21]

I use a terrarium for my hatchlings but use a huge tupperware bin for the adults. I just cut out part of the lid and hot glued a piece of screen in it. Just make sure it closes tightly ("locking" handles work well).

[JeffreH]

I'm not very familiar with the tape you speak of, but roaches (and crickets) are incredible escape artists. My gut instinct says that if you can reach your hand in, they can find access to that entry point and use it as route for escape.

Can you provide some additional detail on the tape or how you would plan on making this work? Is it sort of like velcro that you can unclasp and re-seal? It might be worth exploring, I'm just unsure of how this product works. If sealed completely closed unless you open it, it might be okay. Just understand that even the slightest imperfection will be discovered if they have access to it. I've even had roaches wedge there-selves under the rim of my screen, under several layers of packaging and duct tape (much of the issue is I had my egg flats stacked too high where they had easy access to the screen).

[cjbage]

yes hook n loop is velcro lol, the heavy duty stuff is usually about 1-2 inches in width, and strong enough to hold items attached to walls. You can also find it listed as Industrial strength velcro. Was thinking of using it around the opening on the top of the lid and attaching the other half to the screen. Possibly gluing fabric to seal around the sharp edges of the screen first then attaching the velcro to the screen.

The tape would be sealed shut until you go to open it and reach in to feed or grab a tube of the insect then shut up again when you pull your hand out.

I made one of the ones that just glued the screen to the top but thought maybe using a flap style would help with the escapee problem a bit since you wouldn't have to remove the entire lid which gives them much greater access to freedom then just a smaller area.