Need to set up a cricket box (HELP)

[Whitechapel]

Since I got my tarantula, I've been going to the pet store once a week just to buy 4 crickets. Now I want to set up a cricket box. I've had a bad history of keeping crickets, they always die before I can feed. So I was looking for some help on how to keep crickets alive and healthy so that I can feed her. I need as much help as I can. I will need to buy or make a box.

I also plan on getting a bearded dragon soon, so I need as much information that I can get on maximizing cricket health and life.

 

[MarkmD]

Hi.

a medium kk is a good size, add egg carton boxes, water dish, food dish, they will feed on various itams ie carrot,lettuce,orange,apple,dogfood etc. then they will last a while longer maybe an extra 2 weeks+, you probably get a fue dead but not as much.

someone will advise better but that is how I do mine.

 

[pa3k_87]

Are feeder roaches (Dubias or Discoids, etc..) legal in your area? You're probably better off with those instead of crickets. I've kept crickets before an it's always a pain! I've moved over to breeding Mealworms and Superworms right now. If roaches were legal here in Canada, I'd probably just stick with them.

 

[Aviara]

I agree completely with what was said about roaches. They are a much better feeder insect than crickets in terms of survival, ease of care, lack of escapees, and ease of breeding. With optimal care, adult crickets usually last up to 3 weeks, and even still you will have a lot die off. If you don't remove the corpses quickly, you can lose your entire batch of crickets. I'm not sure why this is so, but I've observed it throughout the year or more it took me to switch from crickets to roaches. I breed Blaptica dubia and Blaberus discoidalis, both easily cared for feeder roaches. If you're interested I can go more in detail about their care, but basically they don't climb glass or plastic, they don't need any fancy heating or humidity (although supplemental heat will help them to breed faster), and they are cheap to house and feed.

But since you asked, here's how I keep crickets with moderately good luck. First, I buy a "gut load" product as a cricket food, although I know there are recipes for making your own cricket foods elsewhere online. These gut loads are usually available at most pet stores, and I use them since many of my crickets go to my tokay gecko instead of my tarantulas. I use either water gels or sliced carrots for a water source. I've found the carrots are more mold-resistant, don't get as dirty, are cheaper and last longer than water gels. The choice is up to you. Then I get a big plastic bin, the size depending upon how many crickets I want, drill appropriate air holes, and put in pieces of egg crate. After the egg crate and food is added (you don't need to put it in bowls, just scattered on the floor), you can add the crickets, shut the lid and hope they don't all die. Personally I've given up and while I wait for my roach colonies to be productive enough to feed off of (probably in the next generation of B. discoidalis), I just buy crickets weekly for feeding day and only keep them long enough to gut load them.

EDIT: I almost forgot to add this. If you are going to be buying a bearded dragon, you will want to MASTER cricket care first. You may also consider ordering crickets online, as most pet store prices get expensive when you're feeding that many to your reptile. Beardies make great pets, but they have big appetites and it can get to be expensive if you're not careful.
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