Cricket colony.

[KamaKamaChameleon!]

I'm setting up a cricket colony what substrate do i use for the eggs and how do i tell genders of crickets? Just general info about how go about this! Thanks.

 

[KamaKamaChameleon!]

 

[KamaKamaChameleon!]

Is eco earth good?

 

[KamaKamaChameleon!]

@Brodybreaux25 @Andee woudl you know about this?

 

[Lennoncham]

I have used eco earth before it works well. Holds the moisture.

 

[Lennoncham]

To tell genders the female have an egg laying spike and the males don’t. On there butts the males have 2 small prongs one either side and the females have a third in the middle. The egg laying spike.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

@Brodybreaux25 @Andee woudl you know about this?

Can’t say I do but thought I’d post a pic of my crickets so you can see what @Lennoncham was talking about... male in the middle, other two are female.

 

[KamaKamaChameleon!]

Ah okay!

 

[insectovore]

Eco earth is the substrate I use when breeding crickets, it works very well. You want it damp but not waterlogged and you don't want it to dry out either. Put a container of it in with the adults for a few days and let them lay eggs in it. You need to keep the eggs warm or they will take forever to hatch and you'll just get frustrated. Incubate the cricket eggs in the upper 80s and they will hatch reasonably fast.

 

[KamaKamaChameleon!]

How do you incubate?

 

[insectovore]

Put them in a plastic container with a couple of very small holes in it for gas exchange and put them somewhere warm. You can make an incubator out of a styrofoam box, heat tape, and a thermostat for probably 50-60$ and it will last a very long time.

 

[salty dog]

What do the eggs look like? If substrate dries out will the eggs die?

 

[Stone Marshall]

I tried to breed crickets with no success. I switched to dubia roaches and now have a colony of about 300! Much easier to keep and less mess....

 

[salty dog]

How long does it take for the eggs to hatch at 80°?

 

[insectovore]

80 will take a while.You will be much happier if you can get them to 88F. This is the primary problem with people trying to breed crickets is the eggs and very young need to be warm or the whole process takes forever and starts to become less successful. Once they have gotten past the smaller stages 80F is enough that they will grow OK around that point excess moisture also can be a big problem. If the crickets are in damp conditions, they will very likely develop disease and die. If you can remember this, eggs+very young = warm, 2 week+ = dry conditions with a water source, then you will find breeding crickets is actually very easy.

 

[salty dog]

Thanks!!

 

[CJ's Exotics]

Also, I haven't tried this, but putting a bit of mesh over the egg laying container helps prevent other crickets from eating the eggs.