Breeding Crickets for the First Time

[MeTree]

Hey guys! It's me, MeTree.

Yesterday my family caught a wild Med Gecko (they are quite common in this humid part of Texas). Because we got a gecko (I am in charge of caring for it), we went to the LFS and got crickets. I want to have a small colony before my pacman comes.

Right now I have about, um, maybe 10 crickets. They are in a small plastic bin (Sterlife). They have sliced carrots and cut raw potatos in there now. No water source yet. I want to give them a sponge to drink off of. Is that Ok? For future food choices, I will probably grind up some dog-food real fine if that will work. The food has been in there for over 12 hours, as well as the crickets. They all seem to be alive.

They have egg cartons in there. They aren't those grey ones with the strange texture, they are thin, plastic, and green (or blue, I can't remember). I am wondering if the material matters, or if it is mainly the shape? They still seem to be hiding in it.

I want the crickets to multiply just enough to have a stable colony. I am not worried about having too much (Ok, maybe I am a little bit), but I am mainly worried that all my crickets will die off before I have a chance to grow more. I have read many guides to a cricket colony, most of them conflicting slightly or completely, but they almost always have ups and downs from other systems. I don't need a perfect system, I just want one that will funtion somewhat.

I am wondering if I should put some eco-earth coco-fiber in some of the slots in the egg carton (see egg carton description above). I could also put it in a very small plastic bin with eco-earth. I just have a question; this is my first experience with crickets, and I am wondering if there is a risk to opening a bag of eco-earth, and not using most of it, and leaving it open. Is there a way to partially "seal" the bag closed, or is this even nesecary? I guess my main question is will the substrate ruin if I open it. I don't want to lose any of my (somewhat expensive) eco-earth.

If anyone here has any pointers on anything, please feel welcome to share it. I realize there are probably many cricket breeders on this site. Please help if you can.

Thanks!

MeTree

[UncleChester]

Hi, first off I hope you've read Paul's article here on FrogForum http://www.frogforum.net/care-articl...e-cricket.html Crickets aren't super fussy which is probably why you will find many different methods for breeding them.

A sponge is fine for water, but will get gunky over time so do change it. I like the cricket watering gel stuff, but I use the much cheaper "SoilMoist" (that's the brand name) stuff sold in dehydrated form for the plant industry. Carrots and other raw veggies serve as a water source as well, just add more and remove the old shriveled up stuff as needed. I use ground up cat food as I have cats, but I don't see why dog food wouldn't work (protein % is a little lower I believe).

If they can cling to the surface of the egg carton, that's probably fine. Its purpose is for hiding spots and increasing the usable surface area for your crickets. Its other purpose is for harvesting them- I keep a few smaller cut up pieces of egg carton in with the crickets and when I want to get crickets out I take a small piece and shake it over another container.

For the eco-earth, I'd put it in a separate dish for them to lay eggs in. I've never had a partly used brick spoil on me, I do keep it in a tupperware container though

[Leefrogs]

If u don't heat the eggs, incubate, it will take 2 weeks to hatch. U can use about 2 males and 2 females to end up with over 100 crix. I use a to go container, like the kind from kfc, for them to lay eggs in, fill with dirt and keep moist, wait 10 days after crix sing. And then cover, put small holes so dirt doesn't mold, and they can hatch in 2 days if u put them on heating pad(human variety) on low. I have 4 containers, 1 fir large feeders and breeding , 1 hatching and pin heads, 3 week olds, and and 6 week olds. I got large storage food containers for the Lil ones, a big crix keeper for breeders, and a tub 7" high 24" long fir 5 week olds. Put large holes for ventalation, and go!!! Originally I used 10 of each sex, and have quite a swarm, at 3 weeks old I feed them to frogs by putting a baby food jar full of them in cage, they can't get out and ravage viv, and frogs can get them easy. Good luck, and too many is ok, with bowl feeding!