Okay so those of you who have read my other comments will know that I am a huge lover of the 'Really Useful Boxes'
And this is how I got my crickets/locusts breeding.
I bought a 5L Really Useful Box from Stationary Box for about a fiver. It was a dark blue one, Giving the crickets more privacy than the clear ones, hoping to get them feeling more secure so they can thrive.
I drilled some rather large holes in the top, then over it I stuck a white vent that builders put in buildings. This gives more protection from escaping crickets than just holes. (trust me.. you dont want escaped crickets in your room.. Its a nightmare)
NOTE: The glue I use is called Araldite, It is a tradesman glue and sets Rock hard.. when I say that I mean you have more chance of breaking what ever it is stuck to than breaking the seal this thing has.
The substrate I used was a fairly deep layer of black Calci Sand.
Then, all I added to it was a small shallow pot of water, with a slanted side, so they can crawl out if they fall in.
Also, I put stacked egg boxes in there for them to hide in, and also for you to take them out and tap them into the viv housing your reptiles.
Note: Due to crickets excreting alot.. these will get moist and soggy, so every couple of weeks need changing.
In another corner I have food, such as cabbage and lettuce.
Note: Remember not too feed them anything that is toxic to the reptile you are feeding..
The crickets food is their food.
Also don't feed them.. I think its tomatoes.. as this gives them severe cases of dioreha (sorry can't spell) and can make them all very Ill.
(If I have the fruit wrong please correct me)
Finished! now buy a couple of boxes of crickets from your local herp store, and empty them into your box. After a month or so they will be breeding well.. but do remember to give the baby crickets time to grow.
A couple of reminders:
-> Your water bowl is a key place for your crickets to excrete. This will need cleaning out regularly.. I recommend daily.
-> Don't have the box in a place you go most.. without frequent througha cleaning out (which.. with a box full of crickets is near impossible)
THEY WILL SMELL.
This is very easy to do and should save you alot of money in the long run.
It probably wont help anyone.. but I hope it does =]]
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