Raise Or Buy? The Cricket Issue

[Arachno-Geek]

Hey there Folks, I will assume many of you have wandered down the same path i have: Hey this one tarantula I have is awesome! Maybe i will get another, and another...and the freefall down the rabbit hole begins. I have 30 tarantulas now...and of course will only get more as finances and time proceed. So the question: at what point have you multi-T owners switched from buying crickets, to raising them? I dont power feed my T's, but still, they eat pretty healthily. Since i have not raised any crickets, i dont know how much of a hassle it is, or how much work etc, i just would like some insight to the benefits of raising vs the ease of buying. Thanks for the advice!

Devon

 

[juggalo69]

Crickets suck, to use and to breed. My suggestion switch to roaches. No smell, no noise, no hassle keeping them alive and breeding. And IMO better nutrition for your T's.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Absolutely (see above). But start now, raising something like B. dubia will take a few months. If you opt to go for S. tartara it can happen pretty quickly but those arn't as common in the trade I think and are a bit harder to get going than dubias.

 

[psionix]

some quick and easy is lobster roaches Nauphoeta cinerea

 

[Arachno-Geek]

Crickets suck, to use and to breed. My suggestion switch to roaches. No smell, no noise, no hassle keeping them alive and breeding. And IMO better nutrition for your T's.

Are little roaches small enough to feed to slings too? Have not thought about roaches....i just tend to have "Hannibal the Cannibal" flashbacks....

 

[Czalz]

Are little roaches small enough to feed to slings too? Have not thought about roaches....i just tend to have "Hannibal the Cannibal" flashbacks....

In most cases, yes. If you do happen to have some really teency weency slings, then you may want to feed pinheads, fruit flies, etc. I used to raise crickets, and they do, in fact, suck. I definitely second the idea of switching to roaches. I have 3 roach colonies going now, and I wouldn't even consider going back to crickets.

 

[Ewok]

I've read before that crickets only live 8 weeks, how long do various roach species live?

 

[Czalz]

I've read before that crickets only live 8 weeks, how long do various roach species live?

Some of them live for a few years, but even the more prolific (faster breeding, and growing) species like the lobster roaches live for like 6- 10 mos. (going from memory, someone correct me if I'm wrong)
Roaches have crickets beat in every aspect of feeding IMO.

<edit>
I did a search, and they supposedly live up to a year. I wouldn't know for sure, since none of my adult lobsters make it that long.

 

[Bloodletting]

I raise b. dubia. They are much better than crickets but I still raise pin head crickets for my slings.

I keep about 10-20 females in a plastic container and I start getting pins in 30 days, give or take a couple. If you have tiny slings, it is tough to get small roaches to feed them. If you don't have a lot of small slings, roaches are the way to go.

I started with 200 b. dubia. I have tons now. I still buy crickets every now and again for variety. I also use meal worms. They are also extremely easy to raise and breed. Not a lot of meat on the small ones but you can use them for pretty small slings.

Scott

 

[Arachno-Geek]

Thanks everyone! Well, i am certainly considering roaches...just read a bunch on the board to about raising them....any leads on roach suppliers...?

BTW, I am new here, so HELLO EVERYONE!

 

[Czalz]

Thanks everyone! Well, i am certainly considering roaches...just read a bunch on the board to about raising them....any leads on roach suppliers...?

BTW, I am new here, so HELLO EVERYONE!

Welcome!
There are several roach suppliers online, but you can also browse the "for sale/trade" thread, and you may find a little better deal here.
If you are going to get roaches, keep in mind that you'll have to establish a colony, and it may take you a few months to get your colony to where you can feed from it regularly (depending on how many t's you have) without devastating it.
Good luck!..you won't regret it.

 

[Joe1968]

Hi and welcome, I agree with everyone, try roaches there far too many advantages in breeding roach than crickets.

 

[Garbonzo13]

:? I noticed all you roach lovers are from states that have snow in the winter, right? What about us Floridians? I am very nervous about roaches as they won't have the cold to kill them off if they escape. The only foolproof way to keep roaches out is to not bring them in. I have lost several crickets, but they are no problem to find, but roaches...I don't know. Can someone enlighten me. Does the vasaline work that good around the tops of the containers. I may have to switch if I can be convinced.

 

[Czalz]

:? I noticed all you roach lovers are from states that have snow in the winter, right? What about us Floridians? I am very nervous about roaches as they won't have the cold to kill them off if they escape. The only foolproof way to keep roaches out is to not bring them in. I have lost several crickets, but they are no problem to find, but roaches...I don't know. Can someone enlighten me. Does the vasaline work that good around the tops of the containers. I may have to switch if I can be convinced.

The roach species we're referring to are NOT pest species. In other words, if you let a hundred of them out in your house, they wouldn't be hard at all to get rid of. You almost have to intentionally try to breed most of these species to get very many babies out of them. Again, these are NOT house cockroaches we're talking about. And yes, for the climbers vaseline at the top usually holds them back, but I still use a lid just to make sure I don't lose too many (not really worried about it if some escape though).

 

[Beardo]

Crickets suck. Roaches rule. 'Nuff said.

 

[Nerri1029]

I raise discoids... they DO NOT CLIMB smooth surfaces.. like rubbermaid tubs and aquariums .. the nymphs are 1/4 inch long.. and if you are super worried about your slings just prekill it..

The discoids are as prolific reproducers.. but then I don't have loads of T's either.
they do However get bigger than a lobster roach (approaching 2 inches)..
they DO NOT SMELL at all.. actually it's almost a sweet smell

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Neither dubias or tartaras climb. S. tartara is a pest species (at least in regard to how fast they breed) and are rather small. Their babies are so tiny that I have great trouble picking them up with pincers because wherever I grip them I'm basically half squeezing them to death! They absolutely work for slings.

Dubia females will live for more than a year, males for about 8 months I think. I'm not sure about S. tartara but I have the feeling they live quite long too. But all also depends on what temp you're keeping them in.

Winter to kill them off? What? Do you think the flats and houses are kept at outside temp?

 

[chemosh6969]

I've read before that crickets only live 8 weeks, how long do various roach species live?

My crickets live a lot longer than that. I have ones from before October that are still alive.

Nothing beats feeding crickets to a T just to watch the little bastards die.

 

[Varden]

My only problem with roaches is trying to pick the buggers up long enough to feed them to my Ts.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

Use tongs/pincers.