How to Raise Crickets: Quick & Easy Setup Guide

(www.gtcountryliving.com)

What You’ll Need:

To start your cricket colony, you’ll need:

1. Crickets: Easily purchased at pet stores or online. Begin with a box of 50 if you're experimenting.

2. Plastic Totes (20-gallon): Each tote can support around 1,000 crickets. You’ll need at least 2 totes (not included in the kit)—one for adults and one for babies.

3. Materials Provided in Your Kit:

   • Shallow plastic container (for egg-laying)

   • Peat moss (for substrate)

   • Topsoil (for egg-laying)

   • Water gel crystals (for hydration)

   • Cardboard egg flats (for habitat)

   • 2 lids (for food and water)

   • Misting bottle (to maintain moisture)

4. Other Items You’ll Need (not included):

   • A heat source (e.g., heat lamp or heat pad)

   • Window screen (to cover vents and egg-laying container)

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Prepare the Tote

• Cut two 6-inch holes in the lid of each tote for ventilation.

• Securely glue a piece of window screen over each hole to prevent escapes.

2. Add Substrate

• Spread peat moss evenly across the bottom of the tote. This acts as a sanitary base for the crickets.

3. Create an Egg-Laying Area

• Fill the shallow plastic container with the topsoil provided in your kit.

• Place this container at one end of the tote.

• Use the misting bottle to keep the soil moist (not soggy).

• Cover the topsoil with a piece of cut-to-fit window screen to prevent crickets from burrowing and eating the eggs.

4. Set Up Food & Hydration

• Nestle the two provided lids into the peat moss:

  • One filled with water gel crystals for hydration.

  • One filled with cricket feed (or similar).

5. Add Habitat

• Fill the remaining space in the tote with the cardboard egg flats, stacking them loosely up to 8 inches from the top. This creates plenty of vertical living space for the crickets.

6. Apply Heat

• Use a heat lamp or pad to maintain a temperature between 80-90°F.

• Monitor the temperature carefully to avoid overheating or melting the container.

Incubating Baby Crickets

Once you hear male crickets chirping, they’ve started mating! After 7-10 days, the topsoil in the egg-laying container should be full of tiny white eggs (they’ll look like grains of rice).

Here’s how to hatch your baby crickets:

1. Remove the egg-laying container and place it (without the screen) into a second tote.

2. Keep the container warm and humid using the same misting and heating setup.

3. Within a week, baby crickets (nymphs) will hatch.

Raising Baby Crickets

Baby crickets need the same setup as adults:

• Peat moss substrate.

• Food and water lids.

• Egg flats for habitat.
  Keep up with the same care routine: daily misting, monitoring the temperature, and regular feeding.

The Cricket Farming Cycle

Once your baby crickets grow large enough to chirp, place a new egg-laying container in their tote to restart the breeding cycle.

Why Our Kit Stands Out

• Beginner-Friendly: Everything you need to start (except totes and heat).

• Efficient Setup: Step-by-step guide ensures success.

• Quality Materials: From topsoil to hydration crystals, we’ve got you covered.

Pro Tips for Success

• Prevent Mold: Always remove uneaten food and replace water gel crystals regularly.

• Optimize Conditions: Maintain high humidity and warm temperatures to keep your colony thriving.

• Inspect Regularly: Check for mold or mites and clean totes as needed.

For More Details and Support

Visit www.gtcountryliving.com for more tips, FAQs, and troubleshooting.

 

Important Information About Grain Infestations

At GT Country Living, we care about providing you with high-quality materials to ensure the success of your feeder insect colony. We want to address two of the biggest problems that can occur with feed grains: corn weevils and mites. These pests are common in grain stored for long periods, but we’ve taken steps to eliminate these issues and help you prevent them in the future.

What Are Corn Weevils and Mites?

• Corn Weevils: Small beetles that infest grains, laying eggs that hatch into larvae. These larvae feed on the grain from the inside out, reducing its quality.

• Mites: Microscopic arachnids that thrive in damp, decaying environments. They don’t eat the grain itself but can cause spoilage and spread quickly if unchecked.

Why Does This Happen?

Infestations can occur because:

1. Storage Conditions: Warm, humid environments make grain the perfect breeding ground for pests.

2. Natural Presence: Grain from feed mills may sometimes contain tiny insect eggs or larvae, even if it looks clean.

What We Do to Prevent Infestations

To ensure you receive pest-free materials, we’ve implemented the following precautions:

1. Freezing Process: For over six months, we’ve been freezing all grains in your kit for 72 hours before shipping. This process kills corn weevils, mites, and their eggs at every life stage.

2. Careful Handling: We inspect and store grains in clean, dry environments to minimize contamination risks.

How You Can Prevent Infestations

To keep your materials clean and pest-free, follow these simple steps:

1. Store Grain Properly: Use airtight, sealed containers or bags to block pests and moisture.

2. Refrigerate for Best Results: Place feed in a large bag and keep it refrigerated when not in use. After opening, always reseal the bag or transfer the feed to an airtight container.

3. Keep It Cool and Dry: If refrigeration isn’t an option, store the feed in a cool area with low humidity (below 50%).

4. Inspect Regularly: Check for signs of infestation, such as tiny moving specks or fine dust.

5. Freeze Grain If Needed: When in doubt, freeze grain for 72 hours to ensure it’s pest-free.

Rest Assured with Our Kits

We’ve taken every precaution to address these common problems and provide you with reliable, high-quality materials. If you ever have questions or concerns, visit www.gtcountryliving.com for support.