Keeping Clean, Cricket Question

[d17oug18]

So i read about cricket care, and most say to have no subtrait. I find regular dirt, to mask the smell pretty well! Heres the thing, im sure there... STUFF, is building up and its going to start getting smelly and all. I was wondering if there was another bug or insect that could maybe eat it, or recycle it. I dont know much about that but 2000-4000 L8's are sure to smell bad soon in a 2'x1' container. I figured once they became adults i would get them all in cups and just throw the dirt back into the garden or something, but if there is an easier way, i would love to know.

Thanks in advanced,

Douglas

 

[lancaster1313]

Dermestid beetles like to eat the garbage, and are usually found in the cricket bins at pet stores. I think the larvae are cute when they scoot around so fast! I am not sure if they will cut down on the stink. I use oatmeal as a substrate most of the time and it works well to keep the smell at bay, but I only keep crickets for a short time before feeding them off. I don't breed them.

When I bring the crickets home from the store, they all go nuts over the oatmeal and start eating it immediately.

 

[RevWillie]

Back when I used to keep large numbers of crickets, I made a special cricket box based on something I read:

Take a large, deep, clear Rubbermaid-type bin, maybe 15"W x 24"L x 18"D, and cut off the whole bottom about 2" up. Hot glue wire screen to the bottom of the top part and then set it back on the bottom. Put crickets, egg crates, food dishes, etc. in the top part and periodically dump out the spilled food and frass from the bottom part.

 

[jrh3]

put a Dermestid beetle colony in with them, they will eat dead crickets and the larvae will clean the rest. this is what the major cricket companies use.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I always keep my beetles that come with them or the little worms, they could never eat all the poo though, I don't use any substrate anymore, just the container and the egg crate and a cricket catcher, the crickets I buy are now from www.rainbowmealworms.com and they do not die and do not stink, trust me, they are great! ps tell em I sent you if you buy from them. U won't be sorry, best crickets I ever had, even moved the container to the Bugatorium due to no smell anymore.

 

[Rick]

I use a large rubbermaid tub for crickets. In the bottom I put a layer of regular dry oatmeal about an inch or inch and a half deep. Add the egg crates for them to hide and always pick out any uneaten food. If you see the dermestids leave em be. If you do it right they won't smell.

 

[d17oug18]

Rick, do they eat the oatmeal? should i blend the meal to a powder? I like to use paper towel rolls because i have a lot of those and use egg crate to mail the crickets.