Crickets may be considered annoying due to their noisy nature. Nonetheless, some individuals value these critters. Exotic pet owners to be precise. If your exotic pet needs to eat live insects, crickets are just the thing. They can be useful for providing food for your pet birds, mice, reptiles, and amphibians. Few animals would turn their nose at a feast of crickets.
If you are sick of constantly going to the pet store to buy additional crickets you should consider breeding your own. This will save you money, and provide the extra comfort of knowing that your pet’s food source is 100% safe.
Read on to learn more about:
- The benefits of breeding crickets
- How to create a proper escape-proof enclosure for the crickets
- The best substrate for a cricket enclosure
- How to create feeding stations, water stations and hiding spots in the enclosure
- The optimal humidity, temperature and light conditions for crickets
- How to clean your cricket enclosure
- How to monitor your crickets’ wellbeing
Why Breeding Crickets is a No Brainer
Did you know that during its ninety-day lifespan, a cricket may lay as many as 100 eggs? Crickets are relatively simple to breed, requiring little time and money. You will constantly have access to an endless supply of different size crickets you can use as feed.
It is crucial to give crickets some tender loving care, whether you are keeping them as food for your pet or simply as pets. If you are wondering why anyone would want such noisy pets, for people who have grown accustomed to their musical chirps falling asleep without them can be difficult. Whatever the case, we’ve prepared tips in this guide that you should bear in mind while setting up your cricket enclosure.
1) Create adequate space
The quantity of crickets you intend to house determines the size of your enclosure. The crickets should have plenty of room to roam around, spread their wings, and carry out their normal activities. If you cramp too many crickets in a tiny enclosure, the restricted movement will affect their health.
A 10-gallon container can typically hold about 100 crickets, but you should vary the size based on your requirements. Additionally, a bigger container will lessen crowding and any fighting among the crickets. It is advisable to buy the biggest container you can afford because you are aiming to replicate the great outdoors.
2) Provide proper ventilation
Accumulation of moisture might result in the growth of bacteria or mold. You can prevent this by maintaining air circulation and controlling temperature with proper ventilation. This keeps the enclosure’s surroundings clean and safe.
To allow for clean air to circulate and prevent the buildup of odors, you should make sure the enclosure has a mesh covering and includes tiny holes for ventilation. Ensure the holes in the mesh are not large enough to allow the crickets to escape at any life stage.
3) Maintain optimum Humidity and Temperature
For crickets to thrive, they need particular humidity and temperature ranges. The majority of cricket species like temperatures between 60°F – 85°F (24-29°C). To preserve the ideal temperature and a stable environment, you should use a thermometer to measure the temperature and think about employing a heating pad or heat lamp. This is because when temperatures are below 60°F, crickets get inactive and die when it’s over 100°F.
You might need to raise the humidity while the crickets are in their early life phases. Use a humidity gauge or sprinkle water into the cage to sustain relative humidity of about 85°F. To promote breeding and hasten maturation, you might want to think about raising the temperature to 82°F. Crickets can live longer at optimum temperatures (between 80°F and 90°F). Some domestic crickets have been recorded to survive for almost a year.
Have a Separate Enclosure for Hatchlings
All is fair in love, war and mother nature. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that some parents eat each other babies. Since crickets are omnivores, it’s essential to separate your hatching enclosures from the mature cricket enclosures.
We recommend that you keep at least two containers: one for your breeding colony and one for hatching and growing your nymphs and pinheads. Most crickets, after they reach adulthood, typically live for around six weeks, depending on their species and the habitat in which they are found.
To increase the lifespan of adult crickets, you should lower the humidity levels in their enclosure. Dehumidifiers are a worthy investment. Additionally, less moisture will result in less wetness and odors. You can use a hygrometer to check the conditions and make any necessary adjustments.
1) Lay down some substrate
You should place an adequate substrate at the enclosure’s base. The substrate has to stay moist but not soggy. It needs to be simple to maintain, retain moisture, provide hiding spots for the crickets, and have a cozy surface that is ideal for laying eggs and burrowing. Ensure you inspect the substrate you’re using to make sure it’s devoid of any pesticides or fertilizers. You can use a commercial cricket substrate or a combination of organic materials like peat moss, vermiculite, or coconut coir.
Vermiculite is a particularly effective substance to utilize for this purpose. You can add an inch or two of vermiculite to the floor as a layer. This substrate preserves the container’s dryness to stop the formation of mold and germs. It also has the important advantage of absorbing and reducing odors, so your container won’t smell as terrible. The laying bin can be buried or placed atop the vermiculite. Make sure the sides of the laying bin rise above the substrate in the container when you dig it in.
2) Provide adequate lighting
For crickets to regulate their activity and reproduction, there must be a day-night cycle. You should provide 12–14 hours of light that resembles natural daylight, followed by 10–12 hours of complete darkness for relaxation. This preserves their entire health and circadian cycle.
You can use fluorescent bulbs or LED lights to create the right lighting. A timer can also assist you to automate the lighting schedule.
3) Set up assessable watering and feeding stations
You should install feeding and watering stations in the enclosure. To make sure that the water supply is simple to reach, you can use shallow plates or bowls. Ensure you feed the crickets a nutritious meal that includes commercial cricket food, various sources of protein such as fish flakes or crumbled dog food, vegetables, and fruits. Their nutritional value varies greatly depending on what they consume. To keep the crickets healthy, you ought to check on and refill their water and food sources frequently.
4) Create hiding spaces
Crickets enjoy hiding places and protected areas. You can establish hiding places for them inside the enclosure using items like cardboard, tiny branches, egg cartons, or plant leaves. Since crickets are skilled climbers, these areas replicate their native surroundings and provide chances for exploring and exercise.
5) Conduct regular maintenance and cleaning
You must keep the cage clean regularly to avoid bacteria and trash accumulation. Be sure to replace filthy substrate, get rid of leftover food, and keep the water dish clean. To avoid infection, instantly remove any extra feces and dead crickets because other crickets will consume the dead, and they might spread bacteria that harm your colony
You need to establish a cleaning routine and follow it religiously because keeping the area clean is essential for the crickets’ health. A second container of a different size will be particularly useful for cleaning. Such that, while you’re cleaning one container, you can transfer the crickets to the other.
6) Keep Pesticides at bay
You should make sure the enclosure is free of pesticides and chemical residues. Due to their extreme sensitivity, crickets can suffer serious consequences or even die from chemical exposure. So, never use any type of chemical to clean the enclosure.
Maintain an escape-free enclosure
Ensure you check the enclosure frequently for any possible escape routes or vulnerabilities in the construction. You can keep crickets inside the enclosure and prevent them from fleeing while still maintaining adequate airflow, by using a fine-mesh screen or lid.
7) Observe and Monitor their habits
You might want to check the behavior, well-being, and general state of the crickets. Keep a close eye on their eating habits, mating habits, and symptoms of diseases. This will enable you to detect any problems early and administer the proper care. Remember to do your research on the particular needs of the species of cricket you intend to maintain, as they may differ slightly from one another.
Conclusion
Most of the time, keeping crickets is a fairly easy process. By taking the above steps into account while making a cricket enclosure, you’ll be ensuring that it’s adequate, comfy, and promotes the standard development of your crickets.
You’re now good to go, whether you intend to keep them as pets, or provide a healthy diet for your pets or yourself if you’re a cricketer (hey, we don’t judge). Crickets are rich in protein, fats, and omega-3, just make sure you’re not allergic!
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