Keeping crickets

Thanks!! I will try to make up some food. I might have a blender around somewhere...
I did not know that their life span was 2 weeks so I won't be too upset if they don't make it to 3 weeks then.

Crix are a lot more trouble than mealies or roaches but it seems to me that Ts really prefer them, mine do anyway. They just were not at all thrilled with mealies.

Originally Posted by lucille

Thanks!! I will try to make up some food. I might have a blender around somewhere...
I did not know that their life span was 2 weeks so I won't be too upset if they don't make it to 3 weeks then.

Crix are a lot more trouble than mealies or roaches but it seems to me that Ts really prefer them, mine do anyway. They just were not at all thrilled with mealies.

Clarification: Their life cycle is longer than 2 weeks. When they molt and get the wings they have approximately 2 weeks left before they die. This can vary with temps. The warmer it is the quicker they could died whereas cooler temps could prolong the time they have left.

Yes,the large ones die more quickly,and that's what I suspected,they reach the end of their life..thanks Dave.I also wanted to mention that the oatmeal in the bottom should only be used for the larger crickets..the small would disappear and be difficult to wrangle out of the bottom.I also use a flat piece of cardboard to scoop the dead crix,skin sheds+ droppings out.I put some of it in my flower boxes outside and have the best impatiens for miles around.

I got a 92 qt sterilite with nice tal sides. There are 2 kinds of lids, usually: the opaque plastic that is pretty easy to cut, and the hard clear plastic that tends to shatter and crack when you cut it. Unfortunately the lid that came with this was hard plastic. I threw it away after it started cracking as I was cutting and I used a glue gun to glue two overlapping pieces of wire (or as they say in Texas, war) screen onto the top. The crickets should arrive tomorrow so we will see....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CL93...eature=related

Thank you, that was an interesting link.

Originally Posted by j walker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CL93...eature=related

Good grief. Sorry but no, no, no. If you spray them like shown in the video you will have dead crickets. The reason they "booked" to the paper is they were just sprayed and they were trying to get out of the rain and there wasn't anywhere else for them to go. There was no where for them to hide in the tank except on and behind the wet paper. Put a piece of egg crate in an empty tank and what happens? Right, they will climb on it but the majority will be hiding under it. Lucille and others feel free to try the way in the video but be prepared to need more crickets.

They hydrate from eating veggies and greens. Like I've mentioned earlier we also use the gut load water bites.

Liz

The youtube above shows how to take care of them, but from someone who raises crickets. has anyone here actually raised any?

Why is it crickets are so stinky? Roaches and mealies aren't.

Originally Posted by DAND

Lucille and others feel free to try the way in the video but be prepared to need more crickets.

Yeah I think you are right. Cubes and veggies/carrots are good as water sources, but I don't think crickets like to be misted or sprayed.