cricket breeding - soil question please help quick

[duckyLBT]

hi,
i just set up my breeding tank for crickets i put 40 in there so hopefully if goes well....but i have a question i put the soil in little cups with screen over them and im not sure if maybe i pushed the soil down to hard....i packed it down- not super hard but a little hard- and on of my females has already started laying eggs but she seems to be having a hard time in some spots to get her (thing that lays the eggs) into the soil. then she moves and finds a diffrent spot and then lays some there and so on...is this beacuse i packed the soil to hard ...and if i did will it make it hard for the babys to get out when they hatch??????

and if it is to hard should i try moving it around with like a tooth pick to loosen it up?? or just leave it???
thanks

 

[patrickb]

It's fine the way that it is now. I don't pack it myself, just tamp it down to make an even surface on the top. The behavior you are seeing from the females is normal. Seems like they either need the right angle, or are just very picky about how the dirt feels to them when they insert thier ovipositor. The babies will hatch out just fine, just keep it moist.

 

[duckyLBT]

ok thanks...how long do u ushally leave the dirt in the cage with them? I put it in on sat morning and it is monday todays so i have to take it out cause im leaving town and my dad is just gonna spray it to keep it moist but is 2 1/2 days long enough?

 

[patrickb]

You will be fine to take it out today if you wish. I have done as little as 2 days and as much as a week. I usually used clear containers for the dirt so I could see when the eggs were loaded up in there. If you can, get another container and put in there while you are out of town. When ya get back, it should be loaded up.