Posted by:
Sonya
at Sat Jun 28 12:27:32 2003 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Sonya ]
>>I was wondering what you would need to start getting things set up for the cheapest way to start up cricket breeding . Including :
>>
>>Housing?
>>Feeding?
>>Watering?
>>Hints on making it work and work well?
I house mine in the 16X 24 X 12 (guessing, don't have one to measure to check this sec) or more inch deep tubs that you get with the flap shut lids on hinges. I like them 'cause then I can shut one flap to keep the humidity up a bit and to stack the tubs a bit. (I believe in using vertical space)
To breed 'em I use half an inch of soilless potting soil. It is the vermiculite/perlite/peat moss mix. Or you can use Eco Earth or Bedda Beast (shredded cocoanuts) I line the bottom of the tub, then I put in a couple of 8-10" plant saucers, each with half an inch of soilless mix and stacked off center at one end of the tub. This way the adult crix can get into each one and burrow and lay. Then I mist all this down damp, not soaked and it will dry out by next day. This is fine. I mist once a day when I feed and water. I put in about 50-100 adult crix. I put in a food dish with baby cereal mix, I put in a water dish which consists of a gallon jar lid with a scrunge (not soaped one) pad cut to fit inside it and misted full of water. And I toss in all the greens they will eat in a day....which is usually half or so of a big romaine leaf.
I keep them in the medium temp part of my herp room...so about 80 give or take five degrees.
In about three or four weeks (for a new set up it seems to take forever) you will see pinheads. I just leave them in that tub and set up another to stagger them. Did I mention this takes space? The babies sort of take forever to grow. For anyone that says crix don't live long wasn't waiting on them to get to a size. Luckily I want small ones for my son's salamanders so that is what I raise them for.
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Sonya
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RE: Q: Setting up cricket breeding on limited buget - Sonya, Sat Jun 28 12:27:32 2003