what soil?

[bkgone]

what soil (i want to use soil) should i use for the substrate for my crickets?thanks

 

[spilota_1]

Dont use any substrate.
It will be easier to clean the tub then.
Crickets will lay eggs in the soil, so it is better to use a smaller container filled with soil that way you can control the production of offspring.

 

[Tommo]

wow, never thought of that. thats why i could never get all the crickets out when i needed to

 

[Greebo]

I've been told to use florist foam. The crickets tunnel into it an lay their eggs. Then you simply take the foam out so that the young ones are not eat when they are born.

 

[kevyn]

Use a mix of cricket food and oatmeal. No kidding. Provide some hides and a bowl of sphagnum for humidity and they should do fine.

 

[Greebo]

I didn't mean to use foam as a substrate btw. I meant the blocks of foam.

 

[kevyn]

I didn't mean to use foam as a substrate btw. I meant the blocks of foam.

I agree, blocks of foam work very well. So do empty egg cartons.

 

[bkgone]

well i bought this huge container from bunnings for $50 bucks and ive drilled holes in the bottom and put a layer of rocks on top and then ill put soil and grass in their so they feel right at home.If i put grass in their i dont think the eggs will get eaten.

 

[spilota_1]

This is how I have my breeders set-up.
I use 60litre tubs with no substrate as it is alot easier to clean.
I cut a square out of the lids and melted wire flyscreen on the inside using a soldering iron to cover the hole I cut. Inside this tub I have stacked egg cartons at the far end to give more floor area & hiding places for the crickets. Food I place in a round plastic container at the other end. Carrot slices etc are used to supply water, and these are placed in an aluminium cup cake tin at the same end as the food. For breeding I place a square plastic container in there that is filled with moist soil next to the egg cartons. This container has flyscreen over the top (same as the 60litre tub) to allow the females to lay eggs in the soil without digging it out and making a mess.

 

[bkgone]

what type of soil do u use spilota 1

 

[spilota_1]

I just use garden top soil and bake it for awhile to kill any unfriendlies off before adding it to the cricket tubs.

 

[rodentrancher]

We are using 60ltr tubs, cut holes in top and used metal flywire stuck in there with a craft glue gun. We sit a tub full of damp potting soil(for egg laying) in each tub on top of egg cartons for seven days, then put egg tubs in tupperware boxes on top of our freezer(with lids with airholes) then into new 60ltr tubs for the hatching time. We now have thousands of little crickets hatching. Don't give them water, just spray wettex sponges and sit in some sort of lids, as the little pinhead crickets will drown if you put in a water dish. Lots of info on Melissa Kaplans site. She's good. Cheers Cheryl

 

[Guest]

rodent rancher do you breed super mice im getting 50 supers nect weekend and tonnes of lab containers

 

[rodentrancher]

Oh, forgot to say, we are using no substrate at all. When the little ones hatch out we use a substrate of chicken crumbles(yeah they eat it) For our breeders we are giving them carrot, apple and have a little water bowl with an upside down drink bottle. The actual dish has pebbles, so the crickets don't drown .

 

[rodentrancher]

brendan_spencer, Hi Brendan, no we don't breed super mice just the ordinary ones. We are trying to get hold of some super rats though. They give birth to big litters apparently.

 

[Guest]

where would ya get super rats from woldnt mind some of them

 

[bkgone]

ok i got this stuff called "hortico all purpose potting mix"would this be ok?

 

[Adam]

Brendan I have super mice but I need containers. Do you have any you could sell or swap?

 

[bkgone]

is this soil ok?

 

[spilota_1]

The soil should be fine. Just bake it in the oven for 30 mins to kill any nasties.