Best way to keep 1000 count Crickets alive???

[Johnny84]

Hello Everyone,

I ordered 1000 crickets from Mulberry Farms and Im wondering what ways you guys/gals keep these guys alive? I normally use a large bin with egg cartons and egg flats with food and water crystals, also a light above them to keep them warm. (Its been about high 30s to mid 40s at night here!)

So please show me your setups or post your suggestions!!

Thanks

 

[jdog1027]

You seem to have it right. IF you keep a light suspended in the bin, be sure and provide plenty of ventilation. Bins can get suffocating real fast with a light bulb stuck inside it. As long as they don't drop into the 60sF they should be alright. 70F is tolerable, but 80-85F is optimal. Everything else looks good.

 

[camimom]

i dont keep a light on my crickets at all.
I use a 10 gallon tank, but im upgrading to a xmas tub.

 

[Johnny84]

Well I have hatched out a bunch of my own crickets and I am growing them now! But it seems to much of a hassle to do, I'd rather breed my Dubia Colony instead! But I still do feed my reptiles crickets so I want these I just bought to survive! So what is the best way to keep air ventilated? I have a computer fan, does anyone know how to wire one of those up to a normal plug to plug into the wall?

Thanks!

 

[kinyonga]

I live in Ontario and I don't put a light on my crickets. I keep them in the basement (around 74F) in huge pet pals with ventilated lids and with the egg cartons standing on end (ripped into large pieces). I feed them greens and veggies.

 

[sdheli420]

you can leave out the top bin and breeding part..but its my way to do it, seems to work pretty good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZCqBL3MMU0

 

[Meow Kitty]

Well I have hatched out a bunch of my own crickets and I am growing them now! But it seems to much of a hassle to do, I'd rather breed my Dubia Colony instead! But I still do feed my reptiles crickets so I want these I just bought to survive! So what is the best way to keep air ventilated? I have a computer fan, does anyone know how to wire one of those up to a normal plug to plug into the wall?

Thanks!

find an old cord you could tear apart get the instructions for the computer fan match the wires accordingly twist together or if you feel like getting fancy you could sodder it together. use electrical tape to keep open wires from touching i did this for a light fixture instead of buying a $10+ fixture from a pet store or internet

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I keep 1000 crickets in this setup all the time without any trouble and very, very few deaths: https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/ferretinmyshoes/511-keeping-crickets.html

 

[chameleonoobie]

Some of those computer fans run on 12 volt or nine volt, etc. You need to get the right wall wart to run those. It’s very easy to cut off the three pin cpu socket and get the right socket at radio shack and be able to use a cheap power supply. Connecting household 110 volt current to one that is 9 volt dc or whatever and not 110 will be dangerous and probably catch fire. The fans are a very good idea for ventilation, don’t give up on the idea, just be safe when doing anything electrical yourself.

 

[kongchi]

WATER, WATER, WATER. I use a folded paper towel, replaced daily. If you can, use cricket crack too for their food (though with cricket crack, 1k crickets might go through 1/4 one pound bag, a day)

 

[Johnny84]

Awesome thanks everyone!! I will look into my cpu fan and I also use water crystals for water, fresh greens and fruit with gutload made from my local pet store! Again thanks for the tips!

 

[wontbme]

for your bin what you should do is cut the bottom and replace it with very thin screen mesh. and the part you cut off leave at the bottom. this way the cricket feces will drip down and they wont ingest it. it'll help sanitation by quite a bit.

 

[Johnny84]

Thats a really good idea! Will normal window screen work? Thats all I have at the moment.

 

[Garrett]

Keeping the bin DRY, warm, and clean is the key. Any kind of humidity or moisture in the bin will breed bacteria. Remove any uneaten vegetables after a day or 2 and replace. Clean often. Also lots of surface area for the crickets to spread out so they're not crawling on each other with egg cartons or cardboard strips. An even better idea would be ditching the crickets and starting a roach colony. I haven't kept crickets in years

 

[Johnny84]

Keeping the bin DRY, warm, and clean is the key. Any kind of humidity or moisture in the bin will breed bacteria. Remove any uneaten vegetables after a day or 2 and replace. Clean often. Also lots of surface area for the crickets to spread out so they're not crawling on each other with egg cartons or cardboard strips. An even better idea would be ditching the crickets and starting a roach colony. I haven't kept crickets in years

I do all of those! Just didnt want this first time purchasing 1000 crickets to die off quick! Also I have a small colony of roaches going...I have about 30 females and 5 males going and a bunch of babies! Just waiting for it to take off..
Thanks!