Wish me luck!

[ZooKeeperKarin]

After doing quite a bit of research, I've decided to breed crickets. (Sorry, I just can't handle beetles or roaches!). It seems easy enough and I have the space in the basement.
I think I may have come up with a cleaner way to house them also. Why not cut out the entire bottom of a large Rubbermaid tote and replace it with metal screen? Keep the whole tote off the floor a few inches and keep newspaper underneath that. The crickets can still walk on the screen and the egg crates, food, etc would be on it, but most of the cricket poo should fall through the screen.
At least that's what I'm hoping!
Any thoughts?

 

[STUTFL]

:laugh4: I'd take beetles over crickets as far as the "creepy" factor goes, but to each her own. :sweatdrop: :tongue3:

Aside from the obvious observation that the screen would have to be small enough (and checked very often for holes or tears) to make sure the little 'uns didn't slip out ... I know as little about crickets as possible, so I guess I shan't say anything.

*tries not to think of the sound of many, many crickets crawling on metal screen*

 

[gixxer3420]

Have you thought about breeding meal worms?

 

[gothra]

That sounds like a good idea (mesh bottom for cricket poops to fall through); but if you ask me, roaches are so much easier to breed, and much much much less creepy than crickets.

 

[STUTFL]

Have you thought about breeding meal worms?

I think those fall under the "beetles" category.

 

[ZooKeeperKarin]

I have thought of the mealworms, but again, the beetle thing... I don't know. I just have this *thing* about beetles, but crickets don't bother me (okay, that is, until they jump on me!). Also, I kill the mealies in the fridge.
Roaches are def out of the question. My husband looked at me like I was whacked at the mention of raising roaches.
I'm leaning to the crickets because of the ease of breeding, they are easy to gut load (tropical fish food and misc. leftover fruits, veggies), and they are easy to dust with vitamins. And all 3 of my geckos LOVE crickets.

My husband says we'll go into business... the cricket cafe'!

Talking to another mom at Girl Scouts today and I already have a customer! :main_laugh:

The chirping in the basement keeps me company while I do laundry!

 

[Friedbread]

I don't know anything about breeding crickets, but don't they need a solid floor so the eggs don't fall through? And baby pinhead crickets are REALLY tiny and they could probably fit through most mesh.

 

[ZooKeeperKarin]

The screen would be just for the older crickets. The eggs are laid in a tupperware container with soil and the pinheads are in a separate container. Once they are bigger they can go in the adult enclosure.