breeding crickets

scottfro

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 17, 2003
Messages
32
does anyone here breed there own crickets to feed their T's? i've thought about doing this but don't know if i want to go through all the effort.
 

genious_gr

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Messages
954
I do breed my crix but not in big numbers. I only have about 100 at a time. If you have a lot of mouths to feed you''l need much more but if you do have that many people say they stink.

If you need few, like I do I believe its a good idea (I dont know about roaches though...) and its a piece o cake.

So, unless you need a few, I wont go into how to breed them...

BTW, this should be on the insects forum....
 

pelo

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2003
Messages
938
Crickets are a hassle to raise..they stink..enclosures get dirty quickly which could become easily infested with mites and are noisy.I now just buy them but have turned to culturing mealworms and roaches.Both are easily cultured,don't stink and are quiet.Much better alternatives to culturing crickets.For mealworms just I use dry..1/3 oatmeal..1/3 wheatgerm and 1/3 bran mixed together.Put down about 4-5" add mealworms.Slice some apple(for moisture needs) and lay it on top(replace as needed) and that's it.Roaches...4-5" of potting soil mixed with mulch and a few egg cartons for hides.Feeding is easy...ground up dry dog food and slices of fruit..they relish bananas..apple..mango..lettuce... a water dish for watering needs...peace
 

Wade

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
Messages
2,929
Cricket breeding isn't complicated, but most folks (myself included) find it to be more effort than it's worth, when they can be mail ordered for $15 (or a lot less) per 1000. I do hatch them out on a regular basis to feed to newly emerged slings.

The key is to provide adult females (recognizable because they have a long spike like structure, called and ovipositor, coming from their rear) with a place to lay eggs. I've had the most luck by placing an 8-oz deli cup full of moist vermiculite in with the crickets. After a few days, all the adult females will have laid eggs in the cup. Move it to annother container, and the eggs will hatch into tiny pinheads in 2-3 weeks if you don't let the vermiculite dry out.

Keeping the pins alive is the tricky part, they will drown in most water sources, so I offer sliced potatoes. I try to feed them something finely granulated, fish food flakes work well, especially if you crush them up.

Wade
 
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