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S stuff-o-rama Tiki Socialite Central Coast of California Joined: Nov 20, 2003 Posts: 757	S stuff-o-rama Posted posted on Fri, Apr 1, 2005 1:49 PM From the Cricket Forum CRICKETS Crickets have been kept in captivity for thousands of years as the singing of the adult males is considered pleasant by many people. HOUSING An aquarium with a tight fitting wooden lid makes a good cage, the lid is to prevent the crickets from jumping out, it needs to have ventilation holes a fine wire mesh is ideal. Though they can be kept at room temperature (200C, in colder climes they will be more active and sing better if given some warmth, an electric light or a heat pad are useful sources around 30 degrees is successful for most species. Most species of cricket seem happy with a regime of 16 hours of daylight to 8 hours of night including the primarily nocturnal Acheta domesticus. Most species need some sort of cover to hide in, egg cartons, the cardboard inners from toilet rolls and inverted polystyrene cups all make suitable hideaways. WATER Water should be made available in a shallow bowl filled with cotton wool which should be changed as it gets dirty, alternately water can be supplied in mini inverted drinkers similar to those used for poultry. FEEDING All crickets are omniverous and in the wild some species are carnivorous by choice, if crickets are not kept well fed they will prey on one another. Most things can be used as food, I have found that a combination of rolled oats with fresh fruit and vegetables will surfice to keep them happy. BREEDING The females will lay their eggs in the damp cotton wool which should be changed twice a week. The old cotton wool should be placed in a well ventilated plastic box in a warm airing cupboard. the eggs should hatch in a week or two, depending on the temperature. The young and the adults can be kept together providing they have plenty of food. SUGGESTED SPECIES House Cricket Acheta domesticus Field Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus [ Edited by: stuff-o-rama on 2005-04-01 13:56 ]

From the Cricket Forum

CRICKETS

Crickets have been kept in captivity for thousands of years as the singing of the adult males is considered pleasant by many people.

HOUSING

An aquarium with a tight fitting wooden lid makes a good cage, the lid is to prevent the crickets from jumping out, it needs to have ventilation holes a fine wire mesh is ideal. Though they can be kept at room temperature (200C, in colder climes they will be more active and sing better if given some warmth, an electric light or a heat pad are useful sources around 30 degrees is successful for most species. Most species of cricket seem happy with a regime of 16 hours of daylight to 8 hours of night including the primarily nocturnal Acheta domesticus. Most species need some sort of cover to hide in, egg cartons, the cardboard inners from toilet rolls and inverted polystyrene cups all make suitable hideaways.

WATER

Water should be made available in a shallow bowl filled with cotton wool which should be changed as it gets dirty, alternately water can be supplied in mini inverted drinkers similar to those used for poultry.

FEEDING

All crickets are omniverous and in the wild some species are carnivorous by choice, if crickets are not kept well fed they will prey on one another. Most things can be used as food, I have found that a combination of rolled oats with fresh fruit and vegetables will surfice to keep them happy.

BREEDING

The females will lay their eggs in the damp cotton wool which should be changed twice a week. The old cotton wool should be placed in a well ventilated plastic box in a warm airing cupboard. the eggs should hatch in a week or two, depending on the temperature. The young and the adults can be kept together providing they have plenty of food.

SUGGESTED SPECIES

House Cricket Acheta domesticus
Field Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

[ Edited by: stuff-o-rama on 2005-04-01 13:56 ]

Post #150685 by stuff-o-rama on Fri, Apr 1, 2005 1:49 PM