Trouble breeding crickets...

[MsCham]

Okay I have to be the only person on this earth that has had trouble breeding these damn things! I've read about breeding crickets and tried a bunch of different "set ups" and still no pinheads!! I'm sick of running to the store every few days! None of them are dying on me... but why aren't they breeding??

They are spoiled as hell! They get organic rolled oats, marine micro pellets (aka the smallest particles of fish food available), and various slices of veggies (in the picture its Kohlrabi). The dirt is kept moist and is only about an inch deep... I'm at a loss for why this isn't working... >.<

I didn't want an overflow of pinheads... so I have a starting adult population of 50 crickets. Everywhere I've read says they start with 500-1000... but is that really necessary? Help?

 

[Gavinsons]

One time I put a few crickets in for my gargoyle gecko to eat and in a few days the cage was over run with pinheads. Had to completly empty the cage and wash it out.

 

[Blink]

From my experience, crickets are very willing to breed if you provide them with these basic things:

1. Space. Plenty of space. A large, inexpensive Tupperware worked well for me. Also provide hiding spaces and dark "caves" of egg cartons or cardboard tubes.

2. Heat. Crickets need a heat source to breed. I used a heating pad underneath the Tupperware. If the crickets are chirping so loud that you want to rip your hair out, then it's probably working...

3. Soil. Your going to want a a large enough dish full of soil for laying eggs. There should be at least 2 inches of soil. I like the dish to be about 1/4 to 1/3 of the habitat.

4. A large population. The more crickets there are, the better your chances of breeding are. My first time breeding, I used 1000. That resulted in A LOT of pinheads. I suggest maybe 100- 500.

5. Moistness. Make sure that the soil stays moist. Try to spray the laying bin every day. This keeps the eggs from drying out and the adults hydrated.

6. Food. It doesn't really matter what you give them. It doesn't seem to effect their breeding, but fresh veggies and fruits are preferable.

Hope this helps! Keep on trying!

 

[Jonr78]

The only other thing I could add is I make sure the heat pad is under the part of the cage where the soil is and i like the bottom of the soil container to be at lest 90 degs and the top 80 or so. It takes almost two weeks tell you start seeing pinheads

 

[chamsarecool]

Here's what I use. A soda bottle cut down to size, saran wrap with a couple of small holes, a rubber band to hold the wrap on, and eco earth. I put a bunch of female crickets in it with a couple of males. Soon eggs will be visible around the sides so than I take the crickets out and set the container on heat tape set to around 90F.

 

[junglefries]

Use mesh screen over the laying bin. It will keep the males from eating the eggs. After about 5 days with the adults, remove the bin to another cage. Remember, the babies need LOTS of veggies for hydration and some heat.

 

[MsCham]

Thanks all! Hopefully I'll have better luck soon~