# any one know how to make water crystals for feeder insects???



## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

any one know how to make them or know of a link on how to make them. i am tired of paying for water. i know someone has to know how to make it.


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## Jorsher (Mar 5, 2008)

water crystals?  what are those?  sorry


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

they are little water gel crystals that you feed crickets and other feder animals so you dont have to provide a water dish.


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## bio teacher (Mar 5, 2008)

You want to provide a water dish because that is how you keep the humidity levels up in your enclosure.


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

i am not talking about the spiders. i am talking about the water crystals you feed to crickets. i order 3000 crickets at a time when i order them as i have a ton of geckos and lizzards that eat them. and there is a water gel that you can keep inthe cage with them so you dont have to have a dish that most will drown in


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## purebloodaddict (Mar 5, 2008)

Alot of people get  them from http://www.watersorb.com/index.html .The only thing is you have to buy something like 2 lbs but it will last you forever.


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## ScorpDemon (Mar 5, 2008)

This is one of the products I have used with no problems. put a couple of tablespoons of dry product per gallon of water and give it a couple hours and there you go.



http://search.ebay.com/soil-moist_W...QQfnuZ1QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQkeywordZsoilQ20moist



Chris


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## TheDon04 (Mar 5, 2008)

I think it might be a little difficult to do 



> Water Crystals are super absorbent polymers in the form of white granules. They sometimes are referred to as hydro gels, polymer crystals, or water gels.


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## Rochelle (Mar 5, 2008)

Most well stocked florists have this available. 
Also, the larger hobby stores usually carry it.
Florists use it in potted plants to help keep the soil moist, but not soggy.. 

I think it will cost more to make, than it will to buy, though.


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## Rochelle (Mar 5, 2008)

ScorpDemon said:


> This is one of the products I have used with no problems. put a couple of tablespoons of dry product per gallon of water and give it a couple hours and there you go.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent link! Thanks!!


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## Arachnomore (Mar 5, 2008)

I just buy the cricket quincher off flukers farms site... works good with my roaches.


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

what kind of spider is that on your shoulder?? in your  avitar


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## Arachnomore (Mar 5, 2008)

L para I think.


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

thanks for the links all


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

it looks like a cool spider. looks relly huge.


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## Rochelle (Mar 5, 2008)

Matt Fisher said:


> what kind of spider is that on your shoulder?? in your  avitar


That's "Elvira"...our G.pulchra girlie. 
She's a real sweetheart. We love her....lol 
Thanks!


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

are they for the most part nice and docile.


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## Rochelle (Mar 5, 2008)

Yes, I believe they are.  
If you poll other G.pulchra owners, I think you'll find it's true.
I feel bad for hijacking this poor fella's thread, tho.


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

dont worry i started the thread. LOL


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## Rochelle (Mar 5, 2008)

ROFLOL....    

Oh.

Well, then yes!  Grammostola's are way nicer than Brachys IMO. 
Temperament wise, I mean.  
They get bigger generally and have sweeter dispositions.
We have many Brachy's and don't handle a single one of them.  
ALL of our Grammies are handleable.


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

how many inches do hey get to


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## keqwow (Mar 5, 2008)

I've got three of these guys.....so far they seem the least skittish and they grow pretty fast unlike Brachys.  They are cheap and they just pounce on the crickets which is cool to watch.  My biggest is currently only about 3" legspan, but will grab up 4-5 crickets at a time and just hold onto them all at once and munch away.  Its cool   This info is from Botarby8s

Chaco Golden Knee (Grammostola aureostriata)
This is a quite large and docile species reaching nearly 8" as adults. It is similar in appearance to E. campestratus with a more golden colored striping on the legs. Photo by Randy May of SavageDigital.com.?  1"  $10.00


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## ScorpDemon (Mar 5, 2008)

Rochelle said:


> Excellent link! Thanks!!


No problem.
On a side note, I am also a G. pulchra owner and I gotta say, they are eight legged black velvet teddybears. I don't handle her at all right now because she is very gravid and I'm looking forward to her being a first time mommy, and hoping she will make her sac in the coming weeks. But she is the most gentle spider I have ever owned, G. aureostriata comes in a close second in the docility department.

Chris


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## Rochelle (Mar 5, 2008)

Congrats on the sac!!  :clap: 
Maybe you can hook up Matt?   

Grammies grow really fast up until about 3"..then they s..l..o....w...d.....o.....w.........n........ 
They live practically forever, too.


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## Matt Fisher (Mar 5, 2008)

thanks for all the help you guys are awesome.


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## pinkfoot (Mar 6, 2008)

Rochelle said:


> Most well stocked florists have this available.
> Also, the larger hobby stores usually carry it.
> Florists use it in potted plants to help keep the soil moist, but not soggy..
> 
> I think it will cost more to make, than it will to buy, though.


Nope ~

The gel I make up from polyacrylamide powder obtained from my local garden 
centre costs less than 10% of the purchased gel.  

I use around a gallon of the stuff each week...


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## Nerri1029 (Mar 6, 2008)

http://www.carolina.com/product/pol...do?keyword=poly+acrylamide&sortby=bestMatches

and half that price:

http://www.biconet.com/soil/hydrogel.html

I would stay away from the powder and look for the granules


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## cacoseraph (Mar 6, 2008)

oh man... i am glad i peeked in on this thread. i am about to start trying to breed stupid crickets again and was going to use a waterdish with pebbles.  the funny thing is i have a couple 1oz bags of the crystals laying around. heh.


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## Rochelle (Mar 6, 2008)

Nerri1029 said:


> http://www.carolina.com/product/pol...do?keyword=poly+acrylamide&sortby=bestMatches
> 
> and half that price:
> 
> ...


Hehehehe  .....I tried using the powder for the B.dubia when I first started keeping them....and they ATE it.
Now I do THIS.......

	
	
		
		
	


	




It works great for every sp. I keep.


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## Greenmanbacchus (Mar 6, 2008)

Matt Fisher said:


> any one know how to make them or know of a link on how to make them. i am tired of paying for water. i know someone has to know how to make it.


  Hey Matt  I get my cricket crystals from www.wormman.com. It sounds to me like this is a good place for you to check out, 'cause he's got every feeder imaginable too....your herps'll love you for it LOL Here's a direct link to the crystals:  http://www.wormman.com/search1.cfm

GMB


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## Moosaka (Mar 13, 2008)

I used the Total Bites.  It is food and water in one and not messy or expensive at all!


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## Nikos (Mar 13, 2008)

agar-agar is another option.
I used it and it was OK 
Use the search function here to learn more


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## gwrace (May 6, 2008)

*Watersorb.com*

I get my shipped from watersorb.com. Total price shipped is 17.95 for two pounds. Works great and lasts forever.


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