Lucky the L2 Idolomantis diabolica nymph photos

Lou · Apr 23, 2014

I don't use any substrate at all,it's just not necessary.Just some cardboard eggcrate on top of the clean glass bottom. If I'm breeding them I add a small cup of damp coco fiber for egg deposition only.There is pretty much zero value with lettuce.Squash has nutritional value and works great as a hydrator as well as lasting longer than lettuce.There is no need to mist them either.I never ever do.I think between the misting and the substrate and whatever vegetable matter and feces melting into it,that could be a bacteria haven and probably your problem in my opinion.I also disinfect the tank between batches of crickets.I assume the cricket calcium is like flukers cricket diet? That would be fine as a dry staple.Similar to what I use as a high calcium diet,but 20+ times more expensive.

MantidBro · Apr 23, 2014

Lou said:
I don't use any substrate at all,it's just not necessary.Just some cardboard eggcrate on top of the clean glass bottom. If I'm breeding them I add a small cup of damp coco fiber for egg deposition only.There is pretty much zero value with lettuce.Squash has nutritional value and works great as a hydrator as well as lasting longer than lettuce.There is no need to mist them either.I never ever do.I think between the misting and the substrate and whatever vegetable matter and feces melting into it,that could be a bacteria haven and probably your problem in my opinion.I also disinfect the tank between batches of crickets.I assume the cricket calcium is like flukers cricket diet? That would be fine as a dry staple.Similar to what I use as a high calcium diet,but 20+ times more expensive.

ive been trying to breed them, a few times, but with no success. maybe because those times i used soil instead of coconut fiber? the soil kept drying up. and the crickets didnt live that long. so what do you mean by a cup of coco fiber, a cup off to the side in the container, or do you mean a cups size worth along the bottom of the entire container? what if we dont regularly buy squash and are on a tight budget, is there anything else i could use? i know locusts like danelions, would crickets? would that be of any nutritional value? if not, what other vegetables could i use? and what about fruits? such as apples? and theres no need to mist, okay. yeah fluckers, exactly. i use that and lettuce, or carrots when i have carrots. but only for my tarantula, bearded dragons arent supposed to have carrots, so i cant feed crickets that im feeding to him carrots. so is fluckers cricket diet okay to use or not? i have quite a few containers of it, so i think it would last a while. then maybe i can move onto squash if you say its cheaper? it would especially be worth it if i were able to breed the crickets and didnt need to buy them anymore. thatd be one less expense on top of the food being cheaper. why, how much is squash? im not a shopper, lol. could you help teach me how to breed crickets?

Lou · Apr 23, 2014

Sure,I'll help you

Any soil that they can oviposit into is probably fine.They do it in the wild.I use coco fiber because it's cheap,clean,free of parasites, holds moisture well,and has worked fine for me.For the cup of cocofiber I use the smallest delicup which is the 8 oz cup I believe(it's only about 2'' high).The key is to keep the "dirt" damp but not wringing wet.You can watch the females stuff their ovipositor into the dirt like a sewing machine and they will lay the eggs in the cup constantly.You will be able to see the eggs jammed against the side of the cup between the substrate and the cup.Change the cup every 10 days or so with fresh dirt or they may eat each others eggs.If it dries out, the eggs will die.If it's too wet,they will die,but if kept damp,they will thrive.Most leafy veggies will wilt and mush pretty quick.They love apples but it will rot quick too.I like to use the squash because it lasts longer,and really isn't expensive.It's really easy to grow too if you're into that which will make it that much cheaper and will keep for quite a while in the fridge.The flukers is fine.I raise chickens and get a 50 lb. bag of high calcium layer pellets for about 13 bucks.I have to buy it anyway. I just run it through a coffee grinder (yard sale pickup for 2 bucks)to make it a powder.I use the powder diet (or in your case flukers which is fine) and the squash in conjunction.The powder diet gives them the calcium rich dry food they need and the squash/zucchini for added nutrition,but more importantly for the hydration factor(very important too).The added nutritional value is an added bonus,but beneficial.Squash depending on the time of year can cost $1 per pound or 3-4 for $1 in season.I get mine from the local flea market which is fresh off the farms and even cheaper.If you know anyone that plants a garden,often they grow so fast that sometimes they grow larger than people like to eat and throw them away.I try to grab those too.They are just fine for crickets and roaches for that matter.After you have success with it,it's pretty easy.True pinheads (you usually can't buy)are super tiny.Smaller than melo ffs,but they do grow pretty quick.Sorry if this is too wordy.

MantidBro · Apr 23, 2014

Lou said:
Sure,I'll help you Any soil that they can oviposit into is probably fine.They do it in the wild.I use coco fiber because it's cheap,clean,free of parasites, holds moisture well,and has worked fine for me.For the cup of cocofiber I use the smallest delicup which is the 8 oz cup I believe(it's only about 2'' high).The key is to keep the "dirt" damp but not wringing wet.You can watch the females stuff their ovipositor into the dirt like a sewing machine and they will lay the eggs in the cup constantly.You will be able to see the eggs jammed against the side of the cup between the substrate and the cup.Change the cup every 10 days or so with fresh dirt or they may eat each others eggs.If it dries out, the eggs will die.If it's too wet,they will die,but if kept damp,they will thrive.Most leafy veggies will wilt and mush pretty quick.They love apples but it will rot quick too.I like to use the squash because it lasts longer,and really isn't expensive.It's really easy to grow too if you're into that which will make it that much cheaper and will keep for quite a while in the fridge.The flukers is fine.I raise chickens and get a 50 lb. bag of high calcium layer pellets for about 13 bucks.I have to buy it anyway. I just run it through a coffee grinder (yard sale pickup for 2 bucks)to make it a powder.I use the powder diet (or in your case flukers which is fine) and the squash in conjunction.The powder diet gives them the calcium rich dry food they need and the squash/zucchini for added nutrition,but more importantly for the hydration factor(very important too).The added nutritional value is an added bonus,but beneficial.Squash depending on the time of year can cost $1 per pound or 3-4 for $1 in season.I get mine from the local flea market which is fresh off the farms and even cheaper.If you know anyone that plants a garden,often they grow so fast that sometimes they grow larger than people like to eat and throw them away.I try to grab those too.They are just fine for crickets and roaches for that matter.After you have success with it,it's pretty easy.True pinheads (you usually can't buy)are super tiny.Smaller than melo ffs,but they do grow pretty quick.Sorry if this is too wordy.

so they jump into the 2" cup to deposit the eggs?

okay ill be sure not to keep it too wet or too dry to ensure the eggs thrive.

oh the other crickets will eat ones eggs? i never knew that

do you need heat to get the males chirping and calling the females?

wow that is cheap squash! ill see what i can do about that.

thanks for all the info! ill let you know how it goes!

haha wordy is good, the more detailed the better!

Lou · Apr 23, 2014

They climb right up the sides with no problem.

Yup,they will definitely eat the eggs,especially if they build up.

When they are adults,they will chirp anyway.I've always kept them at room temperature,but if you had some heat they would probably be more prolific,but you need to be careful they don't dry out because of the heat.

I am in the Garden state,so I guess because all the farms and such in the area.I don't know how much it costs elsewhere.I like going to the flea market because it's fresh local grown veggies picked daily from the farms,and they last a long time compared to store bought,which is fine too,but I always prefer the freshest I can get.That's why I raise chickens.The fresh eggs I get are a million times better than the up to 6 month old pasturized eggs from chickens fed poison(no joke).I may grow some squash again this year,but it almost doesn't make sense to at that price though.