Cricket Breeding......it begins

[Oxyuranus microlepid]

nice!

 

[Mystery]

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

That is something I have always wondered - how the heck do they get them out of there and into the containers that you would get them in from Pisces - not a job I would like.

BTW excellent set up.

 

[Twiggz]

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.

Thats awesome. In previous attempts i've always been able to hatch but the growth stage always caught me out. Could never get a sufficient amount of pinheads to grow to continue the cycle, i always lost heaps of pinhead sized.

I can't believe you keep it completely dry Code Red, i offer fresh food every day so far and while many are growing, i have lost my fair share of pinheads.

Temp is still varying from bout 32 deg at base to 26-28 deg at top level.

I must still be doing something wrong.....more tweaking required.

 

[CodeRed]

Maybe its too hot. Ive killed whole batches overnight just by putting them too close to the heat source (in an empty snake cage).

Also I feed the babies crushed fish flake, them seem to like that together with lots of carrot. They just seem to sit on the carrot pieces all day long nibbling away at them slowly. Carrot is replaced every day or so.

 

[Twiggz]

Ok well for now i might adjust the temp a touch and see what happens.
I do know there is a bit of a hot spot directly above the heat mat so maybe i might lift it up a tad or place some foam between.

 

[Twiggz]

Adjustments have been made and am now waiting on time to tell.

Also i offered fish flakes for the first time this afternoon..........they love the stuff!!!

 

[cans]

i think to hot mine go from a chinese container on a heat mat at 26-28 deg with wet pet moss
24 hrs after hatchin i put the whole container in to a 28lt tub with no heat at all just indoor room temp then from there into a 60 when they are big enough
in the coming months i will be using some heat not till bout may
cheers

 

[Twiggz]

Not a bad idea cans. alot of double handling though it would seem.....moving from tub to tub that is. But hey if it works

 

[millzy555]

just a question, why do people prefer crickets over woodies?. Woodies are so much easier to breed, just carrots and leave them for a month and you should have easily doubled your batch. No need for soil as the females lay egg cases.

someone care to enlighten me

 

[cans]

lol i dont really prefer one or the other in my case iam doin both and got mealies going to i just got approx 200 woodies of mitchdiamond (who btw is a very friendly ezy to deal with young man ) and they have already dumped some babies very impressed..
hopefully i will be able to bypass the petshops now
cheers

 

[RevDaniel]

Twiggz does this mean i can come buy crickets from you?

 

[Twiggz]

First off, i have woodies breeding, BUT to allow for variety in diets i am now going to setup crickets ALSO. Its not a matter of preference, merely for diet and variation.
I tried once and was unsuccessful.....now for a second attempt.

RevDaniel:

lol yeah why not......if it turns out to be that good sure i'd be happy to.
Crucial point though first is that i need to get them up and running/growing first.

 

[snakeboy5000]

god that is much crickets thats like bluey heaven

 

[IsK67]

just a question, why do people prefer crickets over woodies?. Woodies are so much easier to breed, just carrots and leave them for a month and you should have easily doubled your batch. No need for soil as the females lay egg cases.

someone care to enlighten me

Personally I think they both taste pretty much the same.

If I am home in the mornings and I have Crickets at hand I will give them to my Beardies. That way they can hunt them and have a bit of fun.

Otherwise it's just woodies.

Crickets appear more susceptible to the cold as well. If I happen to leave either a bit long in the fridge the woodies seem to come back but the crickets are gone.

IsK

 

[Reptile_Boy]

how do you know if crickets laid there eggs and how do you incubate them?

 

[Twiggz]

I place peat moss in a chinese container and place in the adults tub for bout a week (give or take). At this time you can clearly see thousands of eggs through the sides of the container sitting just beneath the surface.

They will be bout 3-4mm in length and be roughly clear in appearance.

Incubation- i do them at bout mid to high twenties and it takes bout 12-14days for all to hatch out.

 

[clarkey]

I reckon you might be running them too hot. At the moment I've got mine in the herp room with no extra heat. On hot days over 30 I actually have to bring them in as I have lost a whole batch when the temp reached 33 degrees and the humidity increased in the box. Make sure you have good ventilation, mine are kept in 50 litre tubs with most of the lid cut out and metal fly wire melted into it. If you have a couple of thousend in one of these tubs as soon as it starts to get humid with bad ventilation you will lose the lot in an hour or so.

 

[Twiggz]

ok clarkey i will definately take it into thought
Thanks.

At present its down to bout 28deg at top end.

 

[CodeRed]

I reckon you might be running them too hot. At the moment I've got mine in the herp room with no extra heat. On hot days over 30 I actually have to bring them in as I have lost a whole batch when the temp reached 33 degrees and the humidity increased in the box. Make sure you have good ventilation, mine are kept in 50 litre tubs with most of the lid cut out and metal fly wire melted into it. If you have a couple of thousend in one of these tubs as soon as it starts to get humid with bad ventilation you will lose the lot in an hour or so.

Ive noticed that too. Lots of babies in one tub tend to make it very humid inside. Need good ventilation. Most of my pin head tubs dont have a lid for that reason.

 

[Twiggz]

Ok well with all the suggestions regarding the heat, i have since turn it down.
Am yet to check but roughly i think it should be around 30deg on the bottom dropping to bout 26-28 at the top level of cartons.

Any other thoughts and ideas people??

I should make note also that the sponge idea does seem to be having some effect- i'm noticing more activity at night and definately more shed husks laying around. I think so long as i dont get it to humid then things should be sweet.