mazurowsk1
New Member
We hatched a lot of pinheads and kept food and water in the container for them but it seems that they are dying? Any suggestions on keeping them alive?
How do you keep pinheads alive?
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Chameleons Northwest
Avid Member
Temperature is a big factor. 78-80F is a good temp for them. The simplest way to achieve that is to set the cricket bin on a heating pad set on low to medium. Many of today's heating pads have auto shut-off. To overcome that you use an inexpensive timer that plugs into the wall and can be set to turn off and on each hour. Off one hour, on one hour. It is the type of timer with little clicky "switches" set all around the "clock", 24 hours worth of switches.
Then, you want to provide water, but keep their area dry. I have found the easiest, cheapest, and safest way to provide water for pinheads is to take a plastic deli cup (or similar container), place a very moist paper towel inside it, and place the cup in the cricket container ON ITS SIDE, with the open end next to the cricket bin wall. This way the little critters can hop in and out of the cup, the towel will stay moist longer, the humidity is contained, and there is less chance of it wetting the food or other surfaces. Replace the paper towel every day or 2.
I feed my pinheads a finely ground home-made gut load. It has to be in a container they can easily find and access, but it must be kept dry.
If you have a large number of pinheads in a container, they may need side ventilation. For that you cut holes on opposite sides of the bin, and cover the holes by hot glueing very find screen material, or 2 layers of screen material set in such a way that the screen holes overlap eachother making them smaller. However, I don't keep my pinheads in ventilated bins. I use large tubs or buckets with loose fitting lids. But older crickets definitely need ventilation.
Another factor to consider is that your crickets will be molting. If you are finding a lot of "dead bodies" on the floor of the bin, remember that these may just be molted exoskeletons (or whatever those crazy things are called
). They look just like very pale dry dead crickets. Really dead crickets don't have that very pale very dry look.
Then, you want to provide water, but keep their area dry. I have found the easiest, cheapest, and safest way to provide water for pinheads is to take a plastic deli cup (or similar container), place a very moist paper towel inside it, and place the cup in the cricket container ON ITS SIDE, with the open end next to the cricket bin wall. This way the little critters can hop in and out of the cup, the towel will stay moist longer, the humidity is contained, and there is less chance of it wetting the food or other surfaces. Replace the paper towel every day or 2.
I feed my pinheads a finely ground home-made gut load. It has to be in a container they can easily find and access, but it must be kept dry.
If you have a large number of pinheads in a container, they may need side ventilation. For that you cut holes on opposite sides of the bin, and cover the holes by hot glueing very find screen material, or 2 layers of screen material set in such a way that the screen holes overlap eachother making them smaller. However, I don't keep my pinheads in ventilated bins. I use large tubs or buckets with loose fitting lids. But older crickets definitely need ventilation.
Another factor to consider is that your crickets will be molting. If you are finding a lot of "dead bodies" on the floor of the bin, remember that these may just be molted exoskeletons (or whatever those crazy things are called
). They look just like very pale dry dead crickets. Really dead crickets don't have that very pale very dry look.
Last edited:
mazurowsk1
New Member
Thanks for all the info I have the temp right and water source the same (wet paper towel in a cup) and the top of the container is set on loose but maybe they arent getting enough air.
Chameleons Northwest
Avid Member
What are you feeding them?
