Anyone in *cold* climates successfully keep feeders in the garage?

[jamest0o0]

Sorry Florida people, 40 degrees three times a year isn’t cold and yes I’m jealous.

I’m hopefully about a month or two away from possibly getting a chameleon (still not sure what I want to get lol).

One hurdle I have is finding a spot for feeders. Some small containers can go in a mini fridge and under the enclosure, but ideally I’d like to have some reproducing roach, super worm, flower beetle, snail, and any other colonies that could add to variety. Most of these wouldn’t fit in our house anywhere and/or my wife wouldn’t be too chill about it.

I used to keep my large plants overwintered in the garage with greenhouse plastic wrapped around some shelving+a space heater. That was kind of a PITA though and upped the electric bill. I use an ultratherm heat pad on the back of my crab’s tank now and it keeps things warm, was considering maybe two of them on thermostats could hold up, but Idk how safe that would be on plastic bins.

Would love to hear any ideas.

 

[jamest0o0]

No one huh

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I have kept tropical plants in our garage during the winter when my family and I were moving the greenhouse off the ranch. I (and family) made that work out okay. However I have not kept tropical insects in our garage during the winter. Actually the only tropical insects I would consider with out a heat source are roaches. They are resiliant. Other insects not so much.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[GrannyK]

I don’t have a garage can’t help, mine stay in the spare (former kids) bedroom. Wonder why no one wants to stay over anymore?

 

[jamest0o0]

They would have a heat source, just trying to figure out which route to go and if it would hold up. The roaches would not last one night during winter without a heat source

 

[GrannyK]

I wouldn’t think they could hold up to the bitter winters if you get as cold as Ny even with a heat pad. When it gets down to 0 and below it’s sometimes goes on days like that.

 

[insectovore]

Garage will get too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Do you have a basement? If you just have one lizard you can buy as needed at petco and a tiny container will suffice to hold them and gutload them. If the family is really anti-bug maybe consider something like a uro or a chuckwalla or tortoise

 

[DocZ]

I think the ultratherm heaters are great
I have a 65 gallon crab tank that has been the Bahamas in climate for years
I definitely agree with a thermostat. All heat sources need a thermostat
It’s never as cold in my garage as it is outside, but i don’t know how cold the bugs can handle
Ultratherm with styrofoam behind it to insulate works great

I’m a little concerned about a space heater in a garage greenhouse starting a fire
Be careful man

And I think you start a Furcifer antimena breeding project and sell me babies

 

[jamest0o0]

Garage will get too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Do you have a basement? If you just have one lizard you can buy as needed at petco and a tiny container will suffice to hold them and gutload them. If the family is really anti-bug maybe consider something like a uro or a chuckwalla or tortoise

Doesn’t get too hot in the summer luckily. I was able to keep a greenhouse consistently around 60-70 ambient in there with greenhouse plastic, some shelving, and a space heater. I was just hoping there’d be an easier and more efficient way than that.

 

[jamest0o0]

I think the ultratherm heaters are great
I have a 65 gallon crab tank that has been the Bahamas in climate for years
I definitely agree with a thermostat. All heat sources need a thermostat
It’s never as cold in my garage as it is outside, but i don’t know how cold the bugs can handle
Ultratherm with styrofoam behind it to insulate works great

I’m a little concerned about a space heater in a garage greenhouse starting a fire
Be careful man

And I think you start a Furcifer antimena breeding project and sell me babies

Crab tank? Like hermits?

Our lowest temps can go below 0 for short periods of time. Not that low in the garage, but still freezing.

The space heater was run on low and a newer unit. The greenhouse plastic really kept the heat in and it didn’t have to work very hard other than on some of those very cold January/February days. Also, the garage is all cement so if there was a fire it wouldn’t make it very far lol. Still I stopped doing that a couple years back, now our house is just a jungle on the inside.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

They would have a heat source, just trying to figure out which route to go and if it would hold up. The roaches would not last one night during winter without a heat source

With a heat source roaches could work out in a garage. That is as long as the roaches do not go below freezing in the garage. 40 degree's Fahrenheit would be the minimum temperature I would go with roaches in the garage.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[JacksJill]

Not that this is close to your temperatures but I keep mine in the garage with intermittent heat down to 40 F. I don't get any breeding over the winter.

 

[DocZ]

Crab tank? Like hermits?

Our lowest temps can go below 0 for short periods of time. Not that low in the garage, but still freezing.

The space heater was run on low and a newer unit. The greenhouse plastic really kept the heat in and it didn’t have to work very hard other than on some of those very cold January/February days. Also, the garage is all cement so if there was a fire it wouldn’t make it very far lol. Still I stopped doing that a couple years back, now our house is just a jungle on the inside.

Yeah. My wife got hermits for my kids during Covid and a little plastic container to keep them in

Of course I ended up on hermit crab association’s forum that day and we ended up with 65 gallon tank with a foot of sand with proper heat and light etc

I did the same thing when she got them a hamster. Turns out there’s a website for making sure just about everything gets a good life

 

[jamest0o0]

Not that this is close to your temperatures but I keep mine in the garage with intermittent heat down to 40 F. I don't get any breeding over the winter.

What heat source do you use?

 

[jamest0o0]

Yeah. My wife got hermits for my kids during Covid and a little plastic container to keep them in

Of course I ended up on hermit crab association’s forum that day and we ended up with 65 gallon tank with a foot of sand with proper heat and light etc

I did the same thing when she got them a hamster. Turns out there’s a website for making sure just about everything gets a good life

Sounds like something I would do/have done. I ended up on HCA because it turns out, not many people are keeping giant land crabs (shocking, I know) and I had to model my care off hermit crabs a bit. Got a 75g tank, all the works…. Going to 150G I’m thinking soon.

 

[MissSkittles]

Sounds like something I would do/have done. I ended up on HCA because it turns out, not many people are keeping giant land crabs (shocking, I know) and I had to model my care off hermit crabs a bit. Got a 75g tank, all the works…. Going to 150G I’m thinking soon.

Howie’s mom got a new crab…she said it’s a zombie crab. Its name is Winnie. Where’s the pics of your crabby?
Edit: I found pics of your crab. Yay! Btw, where did you used to keep all of your bugs?

 

[DocZ]

Sounds like something I would do/have done. I ended up on HCA because it turns out, not many people are keeping giant land crabs (shocking, I know) and I had to model my care off hermit crabs a bit. Got a 75g tank, all the works…. Going to 150G I’m thinking soon.

By the way. Your crab is amazing

 

[jamest0o0]

Howie’s mom got a new crab…she said it’s a zombie crab. Its name is Winnie. Where’s the pics of your crabby?
Edit: I found pics of your crab. Yay! Btw, where did you used to keep all of your bugs?

I almost got one of them, but basically opted for the purple and larger size(didn’t realize how large that meant lol) cardisoma guanhumi aka blue/purple land crab. They’re also found in Florida near river banks and such.

My guy is definitely not as people chill as Howie the crab was, idk if it’s a species thing or individual or if it just takes a long time… my guy comes out a lot and hangs around his burrows, but often creeps back away if you get too close. Sometimes raises his claws, but would rather just run off.

 

[jamest0o0]

By the way. Your crab is amazing

Finally, someone that appreciates a good crab . I feel like they’re some of the coolest inverts. I mean how many animals utilize both salt and freshwater.

 

[jamest0o0]

Howie’s mom got a new crab…she said it’s a zombie crab. Its name is Winnie. Where’s the pics of your crabby?
Edit: I found pics of your crab. Yay! Btw, where did you used to keep all of your bugs?

Oh and crab stuff aside, regarding my old bugs… I lived at a different house that had an old cement basement attachment cellar thing. I insulated the walls a little bit and ran a heater in there.