How do I......

[ZEKESMOM]

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
Would appreciate any help

[JLC]

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

Crickets are feeders, too!

And that is about the end of my support for crickets! Ugh...nasty, smelly critters. You couldn't pay me to breed crix. 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.

[mlededee]

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.

[ZEKESMOM]

Thanks girls 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!

[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.

[JLC]

Thanks girls 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!

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?

[ZEKESMOM]

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

[ZEKESMOM]

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.

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

[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.

[ZEKESMOM]

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.

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.