Introduction: Cricket Breeding Pt. 1
Tired of buying crickets for your exotic pet, then don't, i will show you how to breed them. Pt.1 of 3 this one I will show you how to make a general population
Step 1: Gathering Supplies
First you need to gather supplies
what is needed is:
-10 gallon fish tank (im using a plastic container instead)
- 20 oz bottle of water
- Styrofoam cup
- plastic lid
- crickets
- apples,oranges,carrots,dog or cat food (to feed crickets)
- almost forgot cotton balls
Step 2: Catch Your Crickets
This whole thing is not to pay for crickets, so catch some. Usually are under rocks, wood and various other things near walls and fences. (that container is a smaller container and i caught like 15 more after that picture)
Step 3: Assembling the Water Container: Cup
First get a Styrofoam cup and draw the lines in the first picture. Next Cut it on those lines and shorten the bridge and bend it (it snapped off on mine, just tape it) The small plastic thing is the lid for there food.
Step 4: Assembling the Water Container: Bottle and Finished Product.
Next you are going to need to cut the bottle and the bottle lid. After that the water can flow out but not overflow the cup. Put the bottle in the cup and surround the bottle top with cotton to soak up the water. The crickets will suck out the water from the cotton and not drown.
Step 5: Next
Assemble it all and position were you would like things to be placed, in this container they cannot breed because the crickets cannot lay there eggs (next instructable).
HINTS Add some grass (NOT DIRT) or weeds to give the crickets traction, This container is a 62 Liter tub and they can't climb up the walls. It would be helpful to have a lid on the container to keep out the natural enemies of the crickets. There is a certain fly that is a parasite to the cricket and hides on the underside. The dirt in the final image is used for the crickets to lay there eggs (second instructable).
Step 6: End
Now you have a living quarters for your crickets, if you apply a container of dirt they will lay there eggs into the dirt.
OTHER INFO: Female crickets have a long spike sticking out of there butts, this is for burying there eggs, it is about a inch long.
Male crickets don't have the long spike
Changing the cotton ball every other day is crucial, otherwise it would be a breeding ground for bacteria which is not good for your cricket eating exotic pet.
15 Comments
10 years ago
I don't understand step 4 can u explain it please
15 years ago on Introduction
Just an FYI, the cotton balls will harbor bacteria, they should be replaced every other day. Otherwise, good instructable. You also might want to add a heat source, as they lay more eggs and more eggs hatch around 80' F.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
I forgot to mention changing cotton balls every other day or so but ill add it. Also I thought that a heat source is good for eggs and premature crickets for better growth rate and full grown is unnecessary.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
You can use water beads. They are much easier to handle and retains water for long time. They are also really cheap if you buy the dry ones online.
12 years ago on Step 2
well i need to feed my lizard ninja so thanks for the aadvice lets see if this works...if it dosent my lizard eats u! lol :D
12 years ago on Introduction
I tried to raise some crickets a couple years ago. I made the mistake of not giving them anything with protein. After a couple generations, they started getting malformed and cannibalizing and eventually they all died. Don't make the same mistake as me.
14 years ago on Step 1
There are also a few other things that crickets like to eat. I experimented, and they go crazy for the flakes of raisin bran, and tear apart bits of sliced roast beef. You actually do not need to give them a water dish, because they get all the moisture they need from sliced apples, oranges, or grapes. They also enjoy grass.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
I forgot to add that if you are worried about the crickets not getting enough moisture from the fruit, you can just put in a paper towel and wet it every day.
14 years ago on Step 2
thanks this rocks
14 years ago on Introduction
I would have said this design was a bit over elaborate and fussy. I bred crickets for several years simply by using an aquarium tank (48"), with a well-fitting lid. I cut out a small rectangle from the lid and glued a fine metal gauze over it to allow air flow. Then put several inches of wood fibre in the bottom and a big piece of bog oak in the tank. One with plenty of holes and crevices. I then put a dozen crickets in there. I fed them nothing but Weetabix and the occasional cabbage or lettuce leaf. No water was necessary (condensation formed on the side of the tank anyway, which they drank). The breeding was prolific. In fact I used to give loads of them away to friends and even had to release many of them into the wild. The noise was also deafening once the colony had got established. My initial stock came from a pet stores.
15 years ago on Introduction
I cannot continue to make the second part of the instructable because... well my dogs ate my crickets lol.
15 years ago on Introduction
you probably shouldnt catch wild crickets because of pesticides and parasites that could be passed on to you pet. great instructable though
15 years ago on Introduction
I raised my own (chirpets) for years for my mountain horned dragon. i think you have done well.
15 years ago on Introduction
not bad added to my group.
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
thanks going to have the second part soon