A well-prepared enclosure is half the battle. Here is a step-by-step guide – before buying, also check the care sheet of your chosen species, as the parameters differ.

1. Enclosure and ventilation

A plastic box with a lid is enough. Cut holes in the lid or the top of the walls and cover them with fine mesh (metal or curtain fabric) – first-instar nymphs are very small. Ventilation matters more than it seems: without it the box gets stuffy and wet, which opens the door to mould.

For species that climb smooth walls (e.g. Oxyhaloa, Aeluropoda) smear a thin layer of petroleum jelly on the top 5 cm of the walls and keep the lid tight.

2. Substrate

Burrowing species (Eublaberus, Archimandrita, Macropanesthia) – several to over ten centimetres of coco fibre or fertiliser-free soil, mixed with dry hardwood leaves.
Non-burrowing species – a thin layer of substrate or just a bare floor with egg crates.
Desert species (Polyphaga) – mostly dry substrate with one damp corner.

Collect oak, beech or hornbeam leaves dry, away from roads and fields, and ideally freeze or bake them before use.

3. Hides

Pieces of bark or cork and egg crates standing upright. Vertical hides matter for species that hang during the final moult – without them the wings may not expand properly.

4. Temperature

Most tropical species grow and breed best at 24–30 °C. The easiest way to heat is a heat mat under a third to a half of the floor – this creates a gradient and the animals choose their spot. The mat should have a thermostat. The exception is heat-sensitive species such as Macropanesthia rhinoceros (best at 21–25 °C).

5. Humidity

Instead of misting the whole box, keep a damp zone: part of the substrate slightly moist, the rest dry. Water the damp corner once or twice a week. Droplets on the walls all the time mean it is too wet or the ventilation is too weak.

6. Feeding

Dry food always available – oats, fish or dog food, special insect diets. This is the main source of protein.
Fresh vegetables and fruit every 2–3 days – carrot, squash, apple, courgette. Serve on a dish and remove leftovers before they go mouldy.
Dry leaves – for many forest species both food and substrate.
A water dish is not needed – nymphs can drown in it. Vegetables and damp substrate provide the water.

7. Cleaning

Remove food leftovers and dead animals. Replace the substrate partly when it becomes compacted and full of droppings – usually every few months. Sieve it when changing so you do not throw away small nymphs and oothecae.

Done

An enclosure prepared like this will serve for the first months. If mites or mould appear, read Mites, mould and flies.