Mold in cricket egg tub

[Celeste89]

I found mold spots in the bin where the crickets lay their eggs. Is there anything I can do to make it go away? I'm using topsoil. I spray once a day and it has ventilation.

 

[nick barta]

Pick out the mold spots, spray every few days.

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[Celeste89]

Is there a type of substrate that would be better for the egg bin?

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Is there a type of substrate that would be better for the egg bin?

I use play sand.

 

[fluxlizard]

I use vermiculite. I use rubbermaid food storage containers (the rectangular ones). I use 100 grams of vermiculite, and 400 grams water, set it into the crickets for laying for 24 hours, and then remove without adding more water, seal the lid on it, and cook it in my incubator at 84 for about 10-12 days.

Sometimes crickets like to die in the nestbox, or loose a leg, etc. That is usually the source of mold when I do have mold (which is rare- I carefully look for and remove any cricket bits before I seal the containers).

 

[mhfan305]

Ive used sphagnum moss. That doesnt mold...right?

 

[LetmegrowSTL]

It's not the substrate molding, but the contaminates. Ex, cricket parts. Everyone gave good advice about watering a little less and pulling the decomposable parts out. You can cultivate or turn the substrate over periodically to try and keep mold spores from advancing to the fruiting stage.

You could also keep a back up dry mix handy for swapping them out when needed. A little mold won't hurt anything regardless.

 

[Celeste89]

Thanks for all the advice.I pick out dead crickets and parts daily from the cage but I must have missed some legs or something. I think I will try vermiculite soon and see how that does. fluxlizard: Do you add water at all during the 10-12 days the eggs are incubating?

 

[fluxlizard]

No, the food storage containers have the lids on and are sealed air-tight. No moisture evaporates and none needs to be replaced. The lids and sides are clear so you can see when the pinheads hatch without opening.

Also I've found it useful to rough up the in-sides and top "lip" with course sandpaper so the pinheads can easily climb out and hop off once the lid is removed. Probably easier for the adults to climb in and out also. It doesn't seem to effect the air-tightness of the container- In addition to the domestic crickets I breed our local big black crickets and they incubate sealed like this for a couple of months before hatching and I don't have to open to add moisture for those either.

Vermiculite is very cheap at nursery style garden centers- you can get a huge bag for $15 or $20- enough to last me a year maybe filling 2 containers for crickets a day.

 

[Celeste89]

OK, thanks for the advice!