Cricket Keeping question

[Cornelsworld]

I am getting my 3 beardies tomorrow and I know that im in for it when the little vacuums start eating. My fiancee told me already that if I have to keep lots of crickets that I am going to have to keep them in the garage. My question is how do I keep them alive in an unheated uninsulated garage? Should I build a box and insulate it and then put the cricket rubbermaid in that, or use an underpad heater all of the time, or heat lamp. Please let me know.

Thanks for all of your answers.

Greg

[reverendsterlin]

this site might help a little http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/crickets.htm

[Cornelsworld]

Thanks but Im looking for a way to keep them at an acceptable temperature so that they dont freeze and die. Anyone else???

[Linds]

Not sure... I would try using heat lamps - even though I'm not sure any of that equipment is supposed to be exposed to the cold... but those would best heat the air...

[reverendsterlin]

considering house crickets breed best between 80-90F (26-32C) I would figure a well insulated container and a 12X24in heating pad might work. Get a hi-lo recording thermometer and keep track of the temps for a few days and you should know if additional insulation or an added heat source are necessary. The home side of the garage will stay warmest and if there is a freezer or other running appliance that could create a warmer area near it's motor or vent. Heat tape is another option, along with putting it underneath it could be run down a side or more.

[Jaylyn]

The 250 watt heat lamps might work - you'd have to play around with the height - and then have some way of trapping the heat in. I don't think a heat pad is going to cut it in Alberta! How many crix are you wanting to raise per month?

Jaylyn

[Cornelsworld]

not wanting to raise them, I just want to be able to keep them without having to buy crickets from the pet store every day and also want to save a little by buying them in bulk.

Greg

[Syst3m]

I say get a good Rubbermaid container with fairly square edges.
Insulate the container well, I have some foil covered bubble wrap I bought at my hardware store that works Great. You might want to do both light and under tank. The reason I suggest this is that you need air circulation so an open top is probaly going to be a must. If you can make the vent holes small, you might be able to just use a good UTH with good insulation around the cage including the top. Just experiment with a good high/low thermometer. What is the problem with keeping them in the house? you dont have an area that you can stow them away?

[Jaylyn]

You won't need them so warm if not breeding them - I keep my non-breeders in our basement with a spaceheater (they are still pretty cool) and it slows down their growth.

Before we heated our garage - we kept our dogs in an insulated wood box (3 X 3 X 3) with a brooder bulb - they were good and toasty...

Get your crickets from Krickets Unlimited - they are the best!

Jaylyn

P.S. Make sure your rubbermaid container had slick sides. I bought one that had some texture and dumped in 3000 2 week old crix - not a pretty picture!!.

[reverendsterlin]

yeah not breeding they can be kept in the low 50s (12C), makes a big difference