Breeding projects.....

[alhickabee]

So right now I'm trying to get crickets and superworms reproducing. The supers seem to be going a lot more smoothly than the crix. I've had ~50.150 chripping crickets for two-three weeks now and no pins yet.

I started trying organic soil, then backyard dirt mixed 50/50 with sand no avail yet...

and now straight sand (took this one out of the breeder box last night)

These hatching bins are sitting on top of the heat pad (on medium) that is on top of the breeder crix bin. They are lined with paper towel and are lightly misted every day. I am down to 50 feeders so I'm gonna have to re-up on crix early this week. Luckily I found a guy local that sells crix he started breeding for his beardies. Any pointers or tips you can think of to get these eggs laid and hatching I'm all ears!!!


The superworms are going great...

feeder supers, been buying from a local pet store seems good quality feeders

Pupating cambers

Pupae

BEETLES!!! have been hatching out of pupae over the last 3 days

Now only like 2-3 month till I'll have supers to feed off...haha Once I get the crickets producing, I'm gonna try breeding house flies and zebra silkies.


Thanks for looking and in advance for any pointers!!

 

[Chameleonboy]

when breeding superworms and putting them in the pupating chambers you are not supposed to have any food in there. Putting them in the divided box is to stop feeding and to force them to pupate rather than eat.

 

[kenya]

Great job with the supers!

If it makes you feel better, I have NEVER been good with crickets- the only time I got them to reproduce was on accident (not for lack of trying). I put some into my savannah monitors tank and one female escaped him and laid eggs. They hatched out and were really cute as pinheads.

I just buy crickets and have given up trying to produce my own. Roaches are so much easier.

Keep trying, though, you will get it eventually!!

 

[kenya]

when breeding superworms and putting them in the pupating chambers you are not supposed to have any food in there. Putting them in the divided box is to stop feeding and to force them to pupate rather than eat.

This is true, but you can do what works for you and you seem to be doing fine.

It also helps if you put them somewhere dark.

 

[Chameleonboy]

I guess your right kenya I was just going by what I have learned

 

[alhickabee]

Ya I keep my chambers in the back of my closet underneath a blanket. There are a few guides out there that say to put no food in the chambers and others that say the opposite. The guide I used said to put the food in there. I've only had one worm die in the chambers and I'm thinking that no food would yield pupae faster but have more casualties. I can't back this up though since I've only tried it with food.

 

[Chameleonboy]

Well you seem to be doing a good job so im guessing it doesn't really matter if there is food or not. The next time I pupate supers again i am going to try half and half and see if there is a difference in the process.

 

[RachelRiot]

I am also interested in any info on the crix breeding. We have started our own little crix operation in our office this weekend so we will see how it goes.

I got 40 large crix and there are at least two females that have already mated and are ready to lay. Hopefully they will soon and I will let you know how it goes.

 

[boothy]

put a top on your cricket laying bins and cut a hole in the side or drill one big enough for adult crickets to crawl into and have the dirt moist like you do and then use a heat bulb a 50 watt will do fine but if its cool where you have them then a 75 watt will be needed , I to always seem to breed crickets on accident in my enclosures so i mimiced the same . heat light with good humidity and i had crap loads of pinheads i just wished i had some babies at the time to feed them off cause i ended up kicking about a million of the suckers on my floor one day lol it was like sand moving across the floor it was that many of them but try using a heat bulb on them it should give you those ambient temps to prodice babies

 

[BocaJan]

I raise supers also. The way I do it is take plump supers and put one in a dipping cup, like the kind you get for salsa. I punch a hole in the cover for air and tuck it away in a drawer. NO FOOD. Within 3-4 days I have a pupae. I just leave the pupae in the cup for a couple weeks and the darkling beetle emerges. At that time I put it in a plastic box with some oatmeal and a chunk of raw potato. I usually do 12 at a time to get a nice breeding colony. I have a box of supers from my first attempt and working on my second. I think the die off is due to the super not being big enough and not ready to pupate.

My 2 cents for what it's worth.

 

[RachelRiot]

I have a 75 watt bulb on the breeders right now. I have an ambient temp in their bin of about 80 - 82 degrees. I raised the heat because I didnt want it to get too hot. I just started 2 days ago so we will see what kind of results I get.

 

[Jayce]

http://www.bluebeastreptile.com/feeders.htm

They use peat moss, and a screen to prevent the males from eating the eggs. I haven't tried it though.

Good luck!

 

[RachelRiot]

I use a screen also. I have been trying to upload a pic of my set up but my computer is having a moment.

Basically what I did was buy some cheap plastic containers at walmart. I cut a square in the top and attached screen there so the males cannot eat the eggs but the females can still lat through the screen. I then filled the container with organic soil and I am leaving it for a week to see.

 

[ttshibby]

Ive been trying to breed crickets for 6 mths now. The dirt had to be misted and kept moist. Potting soil mixed with sand works well. I havent worried about covering the containers because the males should leave them alone if they have enough food.

I leave the container in the cricket pen for about 2 weeks, remove it and place it in a seperate pen on top of a heat pad. I found it takes about 2 weeks more for the crickets to hatch at a temp around 85. I have also tried at temperatures of 70-75 and they didnt hatch at all.

The problem im having is keeping them alove for more than 3 weeks once they hatch, they die off so rapidly!! I think it may be that i have to keep the heating pad on even after they hatch.

Other than that i breed roaches and supers as well, those are super easy.
Next ill be trying silkies, I think thatll take some time to master as well. lol

Good Luck

 

[alhickabee]

put a top on your cricket laying bins and cut a hole in the side or drill one big enough for adult crickets to crawl into and have the dirt moist like you do and then use a heat bulb a 50 watt will do fine but if its cool where you have them then a 75 watt will be needed , I to always seem to breed crickets on accident in my enclosures so i mimiced the same . heat light with good humidity and i had crap loads of pinheads i just wished i had some babies at the time to feed them off cause i ended up kicking about a million of the suckers on my floor one day lol it was like sand moving across the floor it was that many of them but try using a heat bulb on them it should give you those ambient temps to prodice babies

I put a thermometer next to the laying container in the breeder bin at its 85*F, so I think the heating pad is getting it warm enough. The bins the laying containers are in have a temp of 87*F, screened lids and packaging tape lining the walls. Do you mean putting a lid on the actual laying container during laying or incubation or both? What's the benefit of have the crickets dig in from the sides versus from the top? Would I need to poke holes in the lid for air and battling condensation, which I've read too much of can drown a whole batch.

I use a screen also. I have been trying to upload a pic of my set up but my computer is having a moment.

Basically what I did was buy some cheap plastic containers at walmart. I cut a square in the top and attached screen there so the males cannot eat the eggs but the females can still lat through the screen. I then filled the container with organic soil and I am leaving it for a week to see.

I tired the screen trick with the first laying container. They females didn't seems to lay as many eggs, I took the screaned top off and 24 hrs the first container (biggest round one with dirt) was full of eggs that haven't hatched and I think now are no good.

 

[alhickabee]

Ive been trying to breed crickets for 6 mths now. The dirt had to be misted and kept moist. Potting soil mixed with sand works well. I havent worried about covering the containers because the males should leave them alone if they have enough food.

I leave the container in the cricket pen for about 2 weeks, remove it and place it in a seperate pen on top of a heat pad. I found it takes about 2 weeks more for the crickets to hatch at a temp around 85. I have also tried at temperatures of 70-75 and they didnt hatch at all.

The problem im having is keeping them alove for more than 3 weeks once they hatch, they die off so rapidly!! I think it may be that i have to keep the heating pad on even after they hatch.

Other than that i breed roaches and supers as well, those are super easy.
Next ill be trying silkies, I think thatll take some time to master as well. lol

Good Luck

I'l try leaving this container in there for a week atleast and see if that has better results.

Thanks for the tips everyone!

 

[alhickabee]

Success!! The first laying dishes started hatching this morning so I moved them into there own container. I'm glad I didn't give up a few more dishes should be hatching over the the next week. Fingers crossed!!

And Dante running from the carmera

 

[gregdabender]

Everytime I clean the rocks on my plants I see pinheads >.<