Red Wigglers in the Cricket Bin?

[WingedWolf]

I had a bright idea, and was wondering if anyone else has tried it....

Would it interfere with the cricket reproduction if I put red wigglers (red worms) in the cricket bin to control food and cricket wastes?

Red worms generally eat dead matter, would they harm the cricket eggs?

[17730turtlegirl]

no idea but it seens a resonable idea pretty cool

[Linds]

Guess you could try experimenting with a smaller bin of crickets and see what happens. I wouldn't try it on your whole cricket operation though, just due to the experimental nature of it all in case it didn't work out you wouldn't want to lose your whole colony. I honestly don't know much on that topic, but it seems like it could be worth a shot. I don't know anything about red wigglers, other than there are quite a few herps that are unable to eat them, I can't remember the reason behind it. Would it be an environment in which they would breed? Would it affect anything if they did?

[Jeff_Favelle]

My question is: Why is your cricket bin(s) humid enough for a red wiggler to live in it? Crickets are best kept hot and dry. They are just like grasshoppers man.

[WingedWolf]

I have a deep moist sand/soil mix in the bottom of my cricket bin, to ensure that the cricket eggs remain viable. I hadn't heard anything about it being hot and dry, that doesn't match what I've read on their breeding requirements. The surface of the soil is dry, but it's damp beneath that. It should be an ideal environment for the cricks.
It's been down to 40 degrees F in the past few days, and the cricks are thriving. The cold snap apparently didn't bother them one bit, I've had no deaths. They appear to be gearing up for their final molt into adulthood.
I live in a VERY dry environment, and keeping enough moisture in the bin is more of an issue than having too much. I thought of the worms as a possible way to control mold due to cricket wastes. If the worms eat the cricket wastes, producing castes, then what I have is a bin full of perfect compost/fertilizer and healthy crickets.

I'm not sure why herps would be unable to eat red wigglers. Earthworms do not breed as quickly, and need deeper soil and cooler conditions, so I thought wigglers might survive in there better. But my primary concern is whether they will eat the cricket eggs.

[Kyle Barker]

Sow/pill bugs will eat dead plant and animal. tehy will live on the surface so they wont touch eggs. but they too need really humid cond's.

[WingedWolf]

Will sow bugs actually consume the crickets' wastes, though?