Raising feeder crickets..

[LuvMyHerps]

I would like to raise my own feeder crickets.....Looking for advise on supplies needed to get started, and imput if it is really worth the effort. Thanx

 

[beardsmith]

Roaches - just look at the :study: numerous posts in the feeders thread - and you will see why roaches are far superior to crickets. :wink:

 

[clear]

+1 on the roaches. If you must go with crickets there is a nice tutorial on my site. http://www.feedersinc.com/archives/category/feeders/crickets-achetus-domesticus/

 

[LuvMyHerps]

I am doing some reading on raising roaches..... EWWWWWWWWW I may become a roach rancher after all :mrgreen: I like the fact they don't smell!

 

[clear]

They smell like roses compared to crickets. One roach people over look are discoids, they are just like dubia except they get bigger! My beardie prefers the discoids over dubia now!

 

[ILoveRoaches]

Crickets smell like pee, marijuana and a gym shirt after 2 months of not washing it.

If you're raising crickets you'll need a heat source, some dirt to lay eggs in, egg crates and that's basically it. Also a 2nd container to keep the babies in once they hatch. Make sure you clean the container daily to remove dead crickets, wastes, etc. Too much work IMO.

Roaches will save you money in that it'll take less to fill up your dragon, easier care, little to no smell and they don't climb. Roaches also make no noise except for their occassional scurrying in the egg crates. Crickets also attrack flies!

P.S.: I'm just hypothesizing as to what marijuana smells like.

P.P.S: As well as what a 2 month old dirty gym shirt smells like.... :mrgreen:

 

[EmmyandVael]

I've Just started raising my own crickets i'm using this site as a guide

http://skylab.org/~chugga/cricket/index.html

As for the roaches i never knew about them b4 (don't think my store has them) are their shells hard? my dragons are only 10weeks and 13 weeks. can they eat them?

 

[LuvMyHerps]

I've Just started raising my own crickets i'm using this site as a guide

http://skylab.org/~chugga/cricket/index.html

As for the roaches i never knew about them b4 (don't think my store has them) are their shells hard? my dragons are only 10weeks and 13 weeks. can they eat them?

Roaches from what I understand have softer shells and more protien than crickets. They are an all around excellent choice in feeder insects. I shopped around and found a place to get a kit w/50 roaches for under $40. I will try my hand at raising them and see what happens. The added bonus to raising roaches is that they do not smell.

 

[EmmyandVael]

What kind of roaches are easy to raise?

 

[duckyLBT]

i breed crickets, just started we are using out spare room to do it. i have 5 tubs going. In the breeder tank i buy the lazona metal throw out things ( they come in a pack of 3 and they are made so you can just throw them out after) but i reuse them. Then i buy the dirt from the pet store that is compressed and you put it in water, you wont need to use it all it will make around 3 batches. I usually buy 1000 4 week old crickets then pick out the ones with the wings because those are the ones that are ready to lay eggs, and then throw them all in a 20g tank then and fill the pan with the dirt, then i buy screen and cut it to size and put it over the dirt or else they will dig up all the eggs and make sure there is no ways they can get under it. Then i just spray the dirt 1-2 times a day and i put a 100W red heat lamp on top. I leave them in there with the light on 24/7 for 2 weeks then i take the dirt out and put it in another tank with a 100w house bulb and about a week later they hatch. then i just do it all over again

 

[clear]

All roaches are easy to breed IMO. Dubia and discoids being by far the easiest.

Caresheets -> http://www.feedersinc.com