Buying Crickets for breeding;

[PeterF]

I am looking to place a large cricket order. The mid range mantid nymphs have kept my cricket breeding program "in the red" as we say (that is, they are eating more crickets than the breeding is producing).

This order will serve to both feed the mantids (as they are reaching sub adult and able to take adult crickets) and provide excessive breeding stock.

The question is whether I should buy adults or sub adults?

Sub adults obviously are not "ready to go". But I am worried that the adults might have been adults for too long. Have they already been used for breeding? Are they close to the end of their life? Or are they fairly recent molts to adults? So I thought the sub adults might solve these hypothetical problems. I will have the sub adults for their entire adult life once they molt. And the sub adults are large enough to start feeding to the mantids right away (leaving the standard adult population for the tarantulas etc).

I'm probably over thinking this. But I guess the base questions are, can I expect the adults to live a decent length of time and breed well enough?

 

[packer43064]

What are the temps that your keeping your adults at?

Normal room temps and the adults could last a month depending on when they actually molted to the "adult" stage. If your keeping them in the upper 80's range (F) then they will die alot faster. Enough time to breed.....easily, but not much else.

I would get the sub-adults personally. I am going to do this for my business. Won't be able to compete with big crix breeding companies, but having them is better than not. I will be getting sub-adults and a few adults to get things going.

Jeff

 

[warpdrive]

What are the temps that your keeping your adults at?

Normal room temps and the adults could last a month depending on when they actually molted to the "adult" stage. If your keeping them in the upper 80's range (F) then they will die alot faster. Enough time to breed.....easily, but not much else.

I would get the sub-adults personally. I am going to do this for my business. Won't be able to compete with big crix breeding companies, but having them is better than not. I will be getting sub-adults and a few adults to get things going.

Jeff

sound advice, and I see that you finaly changed your mind on the subject. it is better to be able to sell at least a few. this way when someone orders some fruitflys, they can also get 100 crickets at the same time...saves on shipping.

now hurry up on the springtails and whatever for my new terrariums. I wana try you out.

Harry

 

[hibiscusmile]

Subs my choice too, and cause I thought the same u did!