How do I......

start breeding my own crickets? Wasn't sure where to put this...sorry if it does not belong here.

I want to keep my own crickets for my cresties and my tarantula and I am not sure how to go about getting set up. Do I just go and buy a bunch of adult crickets and put them in a container with gut load and water and egg crate? Do they lay eggs?? Do I have to take the little crickets out away from the large? Told you I did not have a clue:oops:
Would appreciate any help:D

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Originally Posted by ZEKESMOM

start breeding my own crickets? Wasn't sure where to put this...sorry if it does not belong here.

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Crickets are feeders, too! :D

And that is about the end of my support for crickets! :P Ugh...nasty, smelly critters. You couldn't pay me to breed crix. :doh: Sorry...I know I'm no help at all with your question....just wanted to let you know you had it in the right place. ;)

check it out: http://www.anapsid.org/crickets.html.

it's fairly easy really--the worst part is the maintenance/keeping the smell down. i once hatched out a bazillion baby crickets unintentionally when a female layed eggs in my leo laybox before she got eaten. now that was some excitement. :rolleyes:

Thanks girls:D I had planned on keeping the crickets in my closet but after browsing the care sheet that will not be happening:eek: I have to rethink this!

I tried breeding crickets once.. IMO waay too much work for me. You may consider breeding one of the feeder roach species instead.. MUCH easier. I bred lobster roaches.. amazing how those things reproduced. LOL

Mealworms are super easy as well.

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Originally Posted by ZEKESMOM

Thanks girls:D I had planned on keeping the crickets in my closet but after browsing the care sheet that will not be happening:eek: I have to rethink this!

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This is just for two critters, right? When I had to feed our beardie crix every day (when he was a baby) I would buy a week's worth at the pet store and keep them in a "cricket-keeper" container at home. That way I only had to go to the pet store once a week. Still a bit inconvenient...and mighty stinky...but better than trying to breed them, I think. Not to mention what would you do with all the extras?

I don't think I realized how prolific they were:eek: I was just wanting crics for the 2 cresties and the tarantula so seems like breeding is not the way to go! Even once I had lil cresties looks like I would have major cricket storing problems LOL

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Originally Posted by Shelby

I tried breeding crickets once.. IMO waay too much work for me. You may consider breeding one of the feeder roach species instead.. MUCH easier. I bred lobster roaches.. amazing how those things reproduced. LOL

Mealworms are super easy as well.

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I've never given Chomper meal worms...maybe I will get some and see if she takes to them...thanks

yeah, i have to say, breeding crickets for just 2 animals might be going a little overboard. :) you're gonna have a LOT of crickets. and it IS a pain. i order 1500 crickets every 2 weeks or so and keep them in a bin in the herp room and even that gets stinky. but i'm willing to spend the money to avoid the pain of breeding them myself. i dunno--i might have a go with it this summer when i can keep them in the garage...maybe. i was going to do it last summer and kinda never got around to it.

roaches are way easier. i bred blaptica dubia roaches (http://blaberus.com/FORMgallery1.htm) for a while and they were amazing. NO smell at ALL. i couldn't believe it. they are very nutritous and can't climb, so they are easily contained.

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Originally Posted by mlededee

yeah, i have to say, breeding crickets for just 2 animals might be going a little overboard. :) you're gonna have a LOT of crickets. and it IS a pain. i order 1500 crickets every 2 weeks or so and keep them in a bin in the herp room and even that gets stinky. but i'm willing to spend the money to avoid the pain of breeding them myself. i dunno--i might have a go with it this summer when i can keep them in the garage...maybe. i was going to do it last summer and kinda never got around to it.

roaches are way easier. i bred blaptica dubia roaches (http://blaberus.com/FORMgallery1.htm) for a while and they were amazing. NO smell at ALL. i couldn't believe it. they are very nutritous and can't climb, so they are easily contained.

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Thanks...I just hated running to the store every couple days for crickets...maybe I will just buy a couple dozen and keep them in my critter keeper to feed off.