Will this work?

[Bruce]

Haven't tried breaking them up, it may result in a powdery mess though. The 3 pack is the way to go with these! Economy size saves $$$

[ejh805]

That's exactly why I bought it
But, if it turns out to be too soggy, I may go out and get some of the loose stuff and mix it in so it doesn't sour quickly and have to be thrown away.

[Lija]

congrats on a new baby!

you got great advice already, just to add. I'm always using those expandable blocks, adding as much water as i can and then squeeze all extra water to get consistency I need. I would use eco earth and not plantation soil. plantation soil has a lot of plant matter and a lot of other stuff that can cause impaction if swallowed, eco earth is more fine substrate, but still you'll need to take all bigger pieces out. you don't need to break anything, take one of the bricks put it in rubbermaid container and dump a lot of DECLORINATED water and wait for it to expand, when that happens just stir it, take pieces that might cause impaction and and you are good to go.

Crickets I prefer using yellow fluckers water cubes with Ca and fluckers cricket food. not big fan of orange cubes. it will color frogs poop for one, and i noticed that probably crickets doesn't taste ( or smell) the same and frogs not like them so much, but taking, however my cresties won't even look at those crickets. and also orange cubes are more expensive.

200 crickets for a baby pixie, hm..... i bet at least half of them will die eventually. I would suggest getting smaller amounts, 50 max for a baby and increase as it grows and what is even better switch to nightcrawlers - more nutritious, zero smell, no escapees, can stay as long you need to in a fridge and use crickets once in a blue moon for your pixie to have fun catching.

29g tank for a crickets is fine, you need to put a lot of egg cartoons in there, put a clear tape along the top on a glass. but I would say you also would need a cricket keeper exoterra or zoomed, with tubes for easier catching them when feeding. a lot of headache, right? :lol: so I'd say instead of using your 29g tank get big exo terra cricket keeper ( with 4 tubes) and put 50 crickets in there, less space, less smell, less everything

[ejh805]

Thank you for that info, Lija. I have several spare rubbermaid totes lying around so I can do that. and I have strong metal screen I can press it against to drain out the water.

Unfortunately, I can't get any less than 200 at a time so I guess I'm just gonna have to let the ones that will die, die. I've got the 29 set up with a small shoebox inside, some egg crates, and some tp and paper towel tubes that I can use the same way as the tubes in the flukers cricket keeper things. Why would I need the clear tape? It's got a very fine metal mesh screen clasped on the top, with a small access door in the center. Wouldn't that work to prevent escapees?
I live in the deep south and my grandfather used to keep a huge cricket box for fishing, so I'm decently efficient at catching the things.

When I do get the pixie, I plan on eventually switching it over to nightcrawlers as a staple (plus a combination of other foods). They're easier to keep and live longer, healthier, etc.

[Lija]

i don't think you need metal screen to drain water, just use your hands, substrate has to be moist, but not mud like, if you drain too much water it will dry out pretty fast

clear tape for escapees - they can climb to the top on silicone, but can't do so on a glass or clear tape, even with mesh top i found it is easier to control it this way and even with tape and mesh they manage to escape and then my cats having fun catching it
as for dead crickets - try to take them out once in a while or smell will be awful

[daltar08]

I have a 29 gallon and there are some benefits, more room to design a drainage system, you can put smaller tank inside to make the swimming area, here is a picture of mine.

[ejh805]

Daltar,

I'd seen your tank around the forums before I decided to post.
It looks very attractive and was actually planning on using it as somewhat of a model for mine until I got my 40 gal breeder.
Are those things at the bottom hydroton balls? What do they do exactly? And are they necessary? I may pick some up for the land 2/3rds of my 40 if the benefits are high enough.

There's just SO much to learn!!

[daltar08]

Yup those are the Hydro-balls I used 2 bags of those, then gravel above, followed by soft polymer window screen mesh, followed by coco fiber, drain tube going to the very bottom. they aid in draining as spheres do not stack very well at all they allow a good empty space for draining, keeping the soil from going bad faster.