How to Breed Crickets for Reptiles

Crickets are not difficult to raise, but they do need to be kept clean and dry. Otherwise, the colony will produce a terrible odor. There are other considerations to take into account when raising crickets. Crickets are noisy, since the males chirp constantly. Make sure you have a place to store your colony where this will not be a problem. They also are prone to escaping. No matter how careful you are, some will get out. In spite of these drawbacks, crickets are one of the best foods for insect-eating reptiles. They are soft bodied and easy to gut-load with vitamins.

Things You'll Need

  • Cardboard egg flats
  • Large bin
  • Knife
  • Orange
  • Dry cat food
  • Sandwich container
  • Coco bedding
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain six to eight cardboard egg flats. Order them online from websites that sell poultry supplies or get them for free from local restaurants.

    • 2

      Obtain a plastic bin tall enough to prevent the crickets from escaping.

    • 3

      Place the egg flats in the bin. Stack the flats loosely against each other, but not nested so tightly that the crickets can't get between them.

    • 4

      Add a handful of dry cat food to the bottom of the container. Replenish the cat food when it is gone.

    • 5

      Cut an orange or other citrus fruit in half and place one section in the bottom of the bin with the pulp side up. Replace the orange when the pulp is gone or it starts to mold.

    • 6

      Keep the crickets at room temperature, between 75 and 90 degrees.

    • 7

      Clean out the droppings with a small whisk broom or damp rag.

    • 8

      Create a laying box by soaking some coco bedding in water, then packing it into a small plastic sandwich box. Purchase coco bedding at pet stores and nurseries. Choose coco bedding that is damp but doesn't shed water when you squeeze it. Allow the top to dry out a little, then place the bedding in the bottom of the bin.

    • 9

      Check the nesting box every day to make sure it has not dried out. Sprinkle the box with water when necessary.

    • 10

      Remove the nesting box after four days to a week and place it in another container. The baby crickets will hatch out in about one week to 10 days and can be reared in a habitat similar to the adult crickets.