Cricket Breeding Instruction
🦗 Cricket Breeding Setup & Quick-Fix Guide
By Greg @ GT Country Living, Chillicothe, Ohio
What You Need (Included in Kit)
Your kit comes with 5 egg flats (hides), 1 packet of water gel crystals, 1 bag of dirt for the egg-laying container, 1 egg-laying container, peat moss for the tub floor, 2 small lid bowls (one for feed and one for water gel), and 1 small misting bottle.
You’ll also need to supply two 20-gallon totes with lids, a heat source (lamp or pad), window screen, hot glue, scissors or a knife, a thermometer/hygrometer, and cricket feed.
Step-by-Step Setup (Tub #1: Breeders)
1. Vent & Safety
Cut two 6-inch holes in the lid. Hot-glue window screen underneath. Keep any heat lamp far enough away to avoid melting plastic.
2. Floor & Hides
Spread peat moss in a thin, even layer across the bottom. Stand the egg flats vertically in loose rows with gaps for airflow.
3. Feed & Hydration
Set two bowls in opposite corners. One bowl gets water gel (never free water). The other bowl gets cricket feed or gut-load.
4. Egg-Laying Container
Fill the container with the provided dirt. Mist lightly so it’s damp but not soggy. Place the container along the side wall between the two bowls.
5. Add Breeders
Aim for about 15 males and 25 females. Keep the temperature between 80 and 90°F. Chirping means they’re mating.
Rotation Timeline
Day 7 – Tub #2
Move the egg-laying container into a new tote. Add food and water gel for hatchlings. Replace Tub #1 with a fresh egg-laying container.
Week 4 – Tub #3
Move the new egg container into a third tote.
Week 8 – Tub #4
Eggs from Tub #2 have grown into adults. Move their egg container into a fourth tote. Retire Tub #1.
After Week 8, recycle Tub #1 back to the start. You’ll never need more than four totes at once to keep a continuous supply.
Quick Daily Checks
Check that water gel is fresh, food is topped up, the egg container is lightly misted, temperature stays between 80 and 90°F, and remove old or moldy feed.
Quick Weekly Checks
Move the egg container on schedule (Day 7, Week 4, Week 8). Replace dirty egg flats with fresh ones. Spot-clean the peat moss layer.
Notes to Prevent Crashes
Always keep the food and water bowls in opposite corners. Never use standing water, only gel. Make sure every vent is covered with screen. If the lid warps, your heat lamp is too close. Label tubs with numbers or colors to avoid mistakes in rotation.
🛠 Quick-Fix Guide – 3 Common Problems Solved
Temps Too Cold or Too Hot
Crickets stop breeding below 75°F and overheat above 95°F. Keep them steady at 80–90°F with a thermometer/hygrometer. Adjust by raising or lowering the heat lamp instead of blasting more wattage.
Mold Attack
Mold wipes colonies fast if feed or flats stay damp. Keep the food and water bowls in opposite corners. Remove old feed daily and rotate egg flats weekly.
Silent Colony (No Chirping)
Chirping males mean healthy, unstressed breeders. Silence can mean overcrowding, wrong temps, or poor ventilation. Spread out the egg flats, check your heat, and confirm vents are screened but not blocked.
❤️ From Greg
These quick fixes cover most rookie mistakes. Print this guide, tape it near your tubs, and check it daily. With steady heat, clean setup, and the right rotation, your colony will thrive.
⚠️ Don’t stop here ⚠️
✅ These steps will get you started…
❌ But most people lose their colony in under 3 months.
👉 If you want the exact day-by-day system that shows what to do on Day 1, Day 7, and Week 4…
👉 …and the printable checklists that keep your bugs alive without guesswork…
➡️ "Click here for the 8-Day Bug Breeder Challenge + 3-Bin Easy Breeder System"
🐛 For the sake of your feeders (and your wallet), don’t guess. Follow the plan.