Breeding Guides

Crickets (Acheta domesticus) are one of the most widely used feeder insects. A colony can produce continuously if kept warm, dry, and well fed. The main challenges are odour control, ventilation, and keeping pinhead hatchlings separate from adults.

Quick Facts

Difficulty

Intermediate

Temperature

28–32°C (82–90°F)

Egg to adult

~7–9 weeks

Best for

Reptiles, amphibians, arachnids

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• Use a smooth-sided plastic tub or glass tank with a secure, well-ventilated lid — crickets climb and jump.
• Add stacked egg-crate flats vertically to maximise surface area and hiding space.
• Keep the enclosure dry; excess moisture causes bacterial die-offs and bad smells.

• Maintain 28–32°C with a heat mat on one side; warmth dramatically speeds growth and breeding.
• Keep humidity moderate and provide ventilation — stagnant, damp air is the main killer of colonies.

• Offer a dry grain-based diet (cricket feed, oats, poultry mash) available at all times.
• Provide water via a gel/polymer crystal or a shallow sponge dish to prevent drowning.
• Gut-load with fresh vegetables 24–48 hours before feeding them out for better nutrition.

• Place a shallow dish of moist (not wet) coco-fibre or sand as an egg-laying substrate.
• Adult females lay eggs into the damp substrate over several days; remove the dish after ~3–4 days.
• Incubate the egg dish warm and humid in a separate container; pinheads hatch in about 7–14 days.

• Keep pinheads separate from adults, which will outcompete and cannibalise them.
• Use fine ventilation (pinheads escape through standard mesh) and offer powdered/finely ground food.

• Mass die-off and ammonia smell: usually too damp or overcrowded — improve ventilation and cleaning.
• Mites: caused by excess moisture and food waste; keep things dry and remove uneaten produce daily.