Cricket breeding
- Thread starter #chammy
- Start date
oneillchameleons
Established Member
I've tried many different methods but the one I've had the most success with is as follows:
Separate about fifty females and ten males (depending on how many crickets you want) and put them in a five gallon bucket with about two inches of moist substrate. (I use a mix of peat and sand) this method insures the females will always have access to a laying medium, and reduces the number of eggs eaten by males. Put some egg carton and food in with them. I leave them for about five to seven days, then remove them crickets and put them back in my main bin. I then transfer the medium to a large Rubbermaid bowl, slightly moisten the substrate again, and put two pin holes in the lid. I incubate at 80 degrees and thousand upon thousands of crickets start to hatch in about ten to fourteen days.
I tried methods with a container of substrate in the main bin, and countless other experiments, but I've always had great success this way. Good luck!
Separate about fifty females and ten males (depending on how many crickets you want) and put them in a five gallon bucket with about two inches of moist substrate. (I use a mix of peat and sand) this method insures the females will always have access to a laying medium, and reduces the number of eggs eaten by males. Put some egg carton and food in with them. I leave them for about five to seven days, then remove them crickets and put them back in my main bin. I then transfer the medium to a large Rubbermaid bowl, slightly moisten the substrate again, and put two pin holes in the lid. I incubate at 80 degrees and thousand upon thousands of crickets start to hatch in about ten to fourteen days.
I tried methods with a container of substrate in the main bin, and countless other experiments, but I've always had great success this way. Good luck!
Thank you very much i will give it try!
MoyaChan
Member
Here's what I do, it works for me, I already have tons of babies.
I take a shallow plastic box, no deeper than 1,5-2 cm filled with moist dirt and simply put it in the ADULT critkets' box. I leave it there for a couple hours, or overnight and then remove it. I don't leave it in there for much longer bc the males start eating the eggs I think, and also as they're laying, they make quite a bit of a mess by moving a lot of dirt out of the little box. It's important that you provide them food while the dirt is in there, in order to try to keep them from eating the eggs.
Then I spray a bit more water on the dirt and close the box. (there need to be a couple holes on the lid, otherwise it starts to molt and there will be no little crickets... ). Later on I check from time to time, if it seems too dry, I spray a bit more.
I don't actually incubate them, I just leave the little boxes at room temps. The higher the temperature the faster they hatch, but it takes usually 2 weeks for them to hatch. Sometimes I put them somewhere the sun gets to them directly and so it's warmer.
When they're close to the hatching date, you need to put the boxes into a bigger one bc they'll get out on the little holes. Also I remove the lids at this time, bc it there are water droplets on the inside of the lid from the heat, the babies get stuck in them and drown.
I usually wait for a week to let all the babies hatch and then reuse the dirt.
If you don't like cleaning up in the crickets' container after the mess they made, you should probably thy what the former commenter said about not using little boxes, but personally I find it easier to get the babies out of the irt this way.
hope I could help, good luck
I take a shallow plastic box, no deeper than 1,5-2 cm filled with moist dirt and simply put it in the ADULT critkets' box. I leave it there for a couple hours, or overnight and then remove it. I don't leave it in there for much longer bc the males start eating the eggs I think, and also as they're laying, they make quite a bit of a mess by moving a lot of dirt out of the little box. It's important that you provide them food while the dirt is in there, in order to try to keep them from eating the eggs.
Then I spray a bit more water on the dirt and close the box. (there need to be a couple holes on the lid, otherwise it starts to molt and there will be no little crickets... ). Later on I check from time to time, if it seems too dry, I spray a bit more.
I don't actually incubate them, I just leave the little boxes at room temps. The higher the temperature the faster they hatch, but it takes usually 2 weeks for them to hatch. Sometimes I put them somewhere the sun gets to them directly and so it's warmer.
When they're close to the hatching date, you need to put the boxes into a bigger one bc they'll get out on the little holes. Also I remove the lids at this time, bc it there are water droplets on the inside of the lid from the heat, the babies get stuck in them and drown.
I usually wait for a week to let all the babies hatch and then reuse the dirt.
If you don't like cleaning up in the crickets' container after the mess they made, you should probably thy what the former commenter said about not using little boxes, but personally I find it easier to get the babies out of the irt this way.
hope I could help, good luck
KapitalJ
Avid Member
Not an option for everyone.
nightanole
Chameleon Enthusiast
Here is my full proof solution.
You ether need a tarantula habitat with coconut bark etc, a potted plant in the cham cage, or a moist nesting box.
Now just let loose about 1-2 dozen crickets. Some how they will find food, lay eggs everywhere, and soon a sea of pinheads will rise up to annoy your extended family members.
For me you either cup feed, or risk and army of pinheads rising up.
Dont complicate it:
1) moist dirt, id go coconut fiber since it cuts down on mold
2) cricket food
3) egg cartons
4) adult crickets
5) huge container with 3 outa 6 sides made of fine screen. They will fart themselves to death without it.
If you want to filter by size just scoop some out and shake them through a screened bucket with holes of appropriate size.
You ether need a tarantula habitat with coconut bark etc, a potted plant in the cham cage, or a moist nesting box.
Now just let loose about 1-2 dozen crickets. Some how they will find food, lay eggs everywhere, and soon a sea of pinheads will rise up to annoy your extended family members.
For me you either cup feed, or risk and army of pinheads rising up.
Dont complicate it:
1) moist dirt, id go coconut fiber since it cuts down on mold
2) cricket food
3) egg cartons
4) adult crickets
5) huge container with 3 outa 6 sides made of fine screen. They will fart themselves to death without it.
If you want to filter by size just scoop some out and shake them through a screened bucket with holes of appropriate size.
