Cricket Breeding......it begins

[Twiggz]

Well today was the day. I finally put together another cricket breeding setup.....hopefully it works.
Spent a bit but to do it but hopefully it will mean i wont have to purchase in future.

Setup details:
1 x 220L Storage bin (Bunnings)
1 x Microclimate B1 Thermostat (Herp Asylum)
1 x Microclimate 30W Heat Mat (Herp Asylum)
Many x Egg cartons
And finally thousands of pinhead crickets (bred myself from last Pisces order).

Well here are the pics:

Look forward to any comments, suggestions etc.

I do have one query though for those who have/do this successfully already.......will the lid i have offer enough ventilation do you think?

I want the lid mainly because it will be housed out in the backyard and so i dont want to attract birds to it nor risk some drunken fool doing something stupid around it.

 

[hugsta]

That kooks like a palacial cricket home. LOL. Keep us posted as to how it goes. There is certainly enough room in there for a few million crickets....LOL

 

[Tatelina]

That looks like a cricket mansion to me!
However they won't get crowded when they grow bigger? Prob not.. Nice work!

 

[Twiggz]

Yeah i tried it once before in a 50L tub- it had a raised base and i found to much heat was escaping so this time i went for a completely flat base. Wasn't expecting to get a 220L but the only other one i came across that was high enough and with a flat base was the same price as the 220L- so financially it was the better option.

 

[Timotei]

Thatd work brilliantly as far as breeding the crickets goes... but how about getting them out of there to feed them 2 the beardies..?

 

[sparticus]

Very nice,seems like alot of thought went into it, impressive.

 

[Adam]

They need some moist dirt in a chinese dish to lay the eggs in, when they get big enough. Maybe take a few layers of egg cartons out so when they are bigger, heaps don't jump out when you take the lid off. Looks like enough ventilation. Make sure it stays out of the sunn all day though. Looks great!!!! Keep up the good work.

 

[Twiggz]

Timotei:
Yeah obviously once they sort of come up to adult size i would begin to throw the adults into a separate tub with the sole purpose of using it for feed. Keeping in mind that i would be feeding more males to my collection and obviously still withholding enough to regenerate stock levels.

Thats the plan.

 

[Twiggz]

Adam:
Yeah ya spot on there. I'll most definately have to take a layer out as they grow to reduce escapees when taking off the lid.
And like you said a few containers of peat will be needed once adult size.

 

[Twiggz]

Cost was bout $240 if anyone was interested.

 

[CodeRed]

Holy crap, $240 buys a lot of crickets.

My setup cost about $25-$50 (depeneding on how many tubs I am using at any one time) and I breed about 5000 crickets per week. You really need more, smaller tubs.

 

[Wild~Touch]

If the cricket bin is kept outdoors make sure flies can't get in and maggotize your set up, which they will and also ants love to destroy cricket habitats
Keep it very very clean and dry otherwise it will stink quite quickly and attract flies
Shredded paper makes good hidy places for crickets and its easy to pick up a bunch of shredded paper and put it in a bucket when feeding the crickets off
I have well fitting metal flywire lids on all of my cricket bins, crix chew thru anything else
Hope this helps, the above is from my experiences only
Sandee

 

[bylo]

well done ,just keep an eye on the condensation from the vegies ,expressly when the heat mat is working a fair bit.
I had to put more vents in mine to stop the mould

 

[Twiggz]

Ok well i've found a problem.
Lid MUST be flush.
I had it slightly raised to allow for the thermostat probe to sit in (trying to avoid drilling a whole in the tub). Anyways i went out tonight to replenish the feed and i find one of those enormous black roaches inside the tub......he didn't last long once i got him.......got a good view of the underside of me pluggers.

so yeah needless to say he had probably had a feed of some pinheads.

So from now on lid is flush.

For now the temp variance is bout 32deg right on the base of the tub, dropping to bout 28deg onto of the highest egg carton.

Fingers crossed i can make something of it.

 

[Tatelina]

Ok well i've found a problem.
Lid MUST be flush.
I had it slightly raised to allow for the thermostat probe to sit in (trying to avoid drilling a whole in the tub). Anyways i went out tonight to replenish the feed and i find one of those enormous black roaches inside the tub......he didn't last long once i got him.......got a good view of the underside of me pluggers.

so yeah needless to say he had probably had a feed of some pinheads.

So from now on lid is flush.

For now the temp variance is bout 32deg right on the base of the tub, dropping to bout 28deg onto of the highest egg carton.

Fingers crossed i can make something of it.

Die cockroach die!

 

[ben1200]

great setup hopefully it will all work out fine, i recently had the bad experience of ants smashing all my pinheads so now i have to start again lucky i have another 2 egg containers incubating

 

[Twiggz]

Ok well i did i full check this afternoon. Unfortunately i think firstly that the giant roach i had inside may have eaten more than i thought and secondly, i believe i dont have the humidity up high enough.

The only moisture i've been having inside is from the fresh food i've offered each day.

So to rectify this i have since gone for a sponge in a chinese containers and gave it a good soak. Placed it directly below the open top and on the heat mat. Hopefully this will enable easier sheds for the pinheads and things will pick up.

I have since added the remainding pinheads i had incubating.

Any additional thoughts or comments greatly appreciated.

 

[CodeRed]

Ok well i did i full check this afternoon. Unfortunately i think firstly that the giant roach i had inside may have eaten more than i thought and secondly, i believe i dont have the humidity up high enough.

The only moisture i've been having inside is from the fresh food i've offered each day.

So to rectify this i have since gone for a sponge in a chinese containers and gave it a good soak. Placed it directly below the open top and on the heat mat. Hopefully this will enable easier sheds for the pinheads and things will pick up.

I have since added the remainding pinheads i had incubating.

Any additional thoughts or comments greatly appreciated.

Crickets dont like high humidity. Dont know where you picked up that bit of mis-information. The carrot pieces will be fine.

 

[Twiggz]

Nearly everything i have read has stated that for pinhead size- humidity/plenty of moisture is crucial, especially for their first few sheds.

Alot of what i have come across has stated that when incubating the eggs- you should leave the pinheads in incubation until they are about 1/4 of their full size. Not having the room to follow this method i was forced to move them to the larger tub.

Also on a vast amount of past threads i have read- many people have said that the moisture from the food (fruit and veg) is not always enough.....thus the need for a the sponge idea.

If anyone has any better ideas.....i'm all ears.

 

[CodeRed]

When incubating the eggs should be kept moist, thats about it.

I breed about 5000 per week and I keep them dry. Carrot is their only source of moisture until they get older and can drink from a wet rag.