Breeding crickets?

[GhostOoOoOo]

Hello everyone. I recently got a T. albopilosum sling and D. diadema baby (whipling?), and have run in to a bit of an issue. Nobody in my local area (West coast Canada) seems to sell 1/4" crickets, so I had to resort to ordering online and the shipping left a lot to be desired. I figure the only financially sustainable way to make sure I always have feeders available of smaller size would be to start my own colony of crickets. Does anybody have any recommendations or experience when it comes to breeding crickets? I've read the basic guidelines online and think I understand the basics of it, but would like to cover all of my bases before attempting it.

Thanks

 

[8 legged]

Breeding crickets for two slings is ...
nonsense. You will give plenty of feed, but no takers. Find a hobby colleague in your area and do business with him / her.

 

[ccTroi]

i tried breeding crickets but the smell is just so strong. i let the colony do its thing but i had to throw them away after two days. i recommend u not breed them. use mealworms and slice appropriate sizes for ur slings

 

[jay444]

I agree that mealworms are the go to at this stage for you. No noise, no smell and they literally wont die. Having a crickets colony is not worth it for 2 animals. However, if you decide to expand or you're really willing to start breeding crickets hit me up, I've been doing it for a while and I could give you some advises. They are fairly simple to maintain and with proper care the smell is not that bad!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

No, unless you really have a nice amount of T's (and I mean T's of all sizes, from slings to adults) isn't logical such a thing. Consider also that breeding crickets isn't nowhere near easy like breeding roaches like B. dubia is, and that providing a correct temperature is essential for the eggs: More or less 7/8 weeks at 34°C.

As said above by others, the smell of males pheromones is quite strong, to say the least (altough you can place an half lemon inside the breeding tank for lower that).

With that said, to you the decision.

 

[jay444]

No, unless you really have a nice amount of T's (and I mean T's of all sizes, from slings to adults) isn't logical such a thing. Consider also that breeding crickets isn't nowhere near easy like breeding roaches like B. dubia is, and that providing a correct temperature is essential for the eggs: More or less 7/8 weeks at 34°C.

As said above by others, the smell of males pheromones is quite strong, to say the least (altough you can place an half lemon inside the breeding tank for lower that).

With that said, to you the decision.

Roaches are simpler to maintain than crickets in fact, but here in Canada keeping any kind of roaches that is not indigenous is illegal (only zoos and some facilities can with a permit). We can keep some americana or germanica legally, but the risk of invasion is far too big IMO

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Roaches are simpler to maintain than crickets in fact, but here in Canada keeping any kind of roaches that is not indigenous is illegal (only zoos and some facilities can with a permit). We can keep some americana or germanica legally, but the risk of invasion is far too big IMO

Yes, I'm sorry for that. Sucks. Unfortunately there's restrictions, or worst, to deal with in this hobby. My point was a talking "in general" about the subject, without considering that

Breeding the likes of B. dubia is, very often, even a non issue (giving the right set up and parameters, chances are that they will breed in "auto mode"), while with crickets the whole breeding part is a bit more 'challenging'. That's all.

 

[viper69]

Hello everyone. I recently got a T. albopilosum sling and D. diadema baby (whipling?), and have run in to a bit of an issue. Nobody in my local area (West coast Canada) seems to sell 1/4" crickets, so I had to resort to ordering online and the shipping left a lot to be desired. I figure the only financially sustainable way to make sure I always have feeders available of smaller size would be to start my own colony of crickets. Does anybody have any recommendations or experience when it comes to breeding crickets? I've read the basic guidelines online and think I understand the basics of it, but would like to cover all of my bases before attempting it.

Thanks

Waste of time. I’ve done it.

Just have your T scavenge feed for now.

 

[GhostOoOoOo]

Thanks for the replies everybody. The sling has been scavenging crushed half crickets since I've had it, but the baby D. diadema has only accepted live prey so far, which is the main reason I would like to get a colony of something going. I've tried D. hydei flies but they are too small for it to be interested. I'm also quickly expanding my collection (Picking up a 2" LP this week from local dealer, and am also tempted to get a G. pulchra sling along with it). I've pretty much dove head first in to this hobby and have been learning more and more every day. If not crickets, are there really any other options for small crawling feeder insects that are legal in Canada? I cant seem to find much online. If anybody knows a place or person in the lower mainland of BC that offers 1/4" crickets I would be much obliged.

 

[sk063]

I've not done it personally, but I understand Confused Rice Flour Beetle's are fairly easy to maintain and don't stink like crickets. you can feed the larvae off

 

[Matts inverts]

Honestly you can just prekill crickets and they will eat what they want or you can get meal worms and breed them and shake the tank and find the baby mealworms. It’s bad enough to keep feeders but breeding them is just torture for you. Most people only breed them for a large collection or to sell them. If you only have 2, it’s not worth it.

 

[schmiggle]

To those suggesting mealworms--it can be pretty tough to convince a whipspider to eat a mealworm. You can get it to work, but it's tricky and not really a sure thing. I'd bet Rice Flour Beetle larvae are similar. Adult beetles are protected from whipspiders by their tough shells. It's a little easier to get a whipspider to atack a pupa than a larva, but that's probably too big for a whipling. @GhostOoOoOo with both dead crickets and live and dead mealworms, rubbing the animal along a surface repeatedly to produce a scent trail often helps a lot to convince a whip spider to attack a feeder they're reluctant towards IME. I'm guessing that having a scent trail convinces them the animal died recently.

German roaches might be a good way to go. Wax moths (not worms) could also be worth a shot if they're legal. I haven't tried either. Things I tried that did not work include ants and earwigs.

 

[GhostOoOoOo]

To those suggesting mealworms--it can be pretty tough to convince a whipspider to eat a mealworm. You can get it to work, but it's tricky and not really a sure thing. I'd bet Rice Flour Beetle larvae are similar. Adult beetles are protected from whipspiders by their tough shells. It's a little easier to get a whipspider to atack a pupa than a larva, but that's probably too big for a whipling. @GhostOoOoOo with both dead crickets and live and dead mealworms, rubbing the animal along a surface repeatedly to produce a scent trail often helps a lot to convince a whip spider to attack a feeder they're reluctant towards IME. I'm guessing that having a scent trail convinces them the animal died recently.

German roaches might be a good way to go. Wax moths (not worms) could also be worth a shot if they're legal. I haven't tried either. Things I tried that did not work include ants and earwigs.

Thanks for the advice! Would you have any idea where to get German roaches in Canada? Can't seem to find anything online. I'm hoping these 100 1/4" crickets will last me long enough until it molts and I can perhaps try it on the smallest cricket I have locally available (after crushing its face, of course). If not, I'll attempt again to feed it pre-killed halves (the little guy showed absolutely no interest the last few times I tried, but took a 1/4" live cricket within 5 minutes of dropping it in), but this time rub a stronger scent path.

Much appreciated!

 

[Matts inverts]

I would not buy German roaches. They are not sold because they are so invasive

 

[schmiggle]

Thanks for the advice! Would you have any idea where to get German roaches in Canada? Can't seem to find anything online. I'm hoping these 100 1/4" crickets will last me long enough until it molts and I can perhaps try it on the smallest cricket I have locally available (after crushing its face, of course). If not, I'll attempt again to feed it pre-killed halves (the little guy showed absolutely no interest the last few times I tried, but took a 1/4" live cricket within 5 minutes of dropping it in), but this time rub a stronger scent path.

Much appreciated!

I would not buy German roaches. They are not sold because they are so invasive

Don't know where to buy, I meant to collect. I know nothing about Canadian bug availability.

Whipspiders will take surprisingly large prey, so you don't necessarily have to worry too much about what you have. 100 crickets will be more than enough, but they will molt to larger sizes (not necessarily a bad thing, depending on the relative growth rates). Are the pre-killed halves freeze dried? That'll be a tough sell indeed if so, and I'd probably try to use mealworms instead. Honestly, once you're crushing the heads anyway you might be able to just use the larger size, since the main danger of larger prey is it hurting your pet while it fights back.

 

[GhostOoOoOo]

Don't know where to buy, I meant to collect. I know nothing about Canadian bug availability.

Whipspiders will take surprisingly large prey, so you don't necessarily have to worry too much about what you have. 100 crickets will be more than enough, but they will molt to larger sizes (not necessarily a bad thing, depending on the relative growth rates). Are the pre-killed halves freeze dried? That'll be a tough sell indeed if so, and I'd probably try to use mealworms instead. Honestly, once you're crushing the heads anyway you might be able to just use the larger size, since the main danger of larger prey is it hurting your pet while it fights back.

Sorry, I meant that I pre-kill the cricket myself and cut it in half.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Thanks for the advice! Would you have any idea where to get German roaches in Canada? Can't seem to find anything online.............

I’m sure anyone living in The Bronx would be happy to send them your way.

 

[schmiggle]

Sorry, I meant that I pre-kill the cricket myself and cut it in half.

You could try just crushing the head and offering directly, I feel like that worked for me but I don't remember very clearly.