Cricket Keeping

Does anyone have any tips for keeping crickets? I find them to be extremely messy, also they seem to die really easy not sure if its because too many are in a small container or what, but im afraid it could spread disease which could be passed onto my pets. I think they may be killing eachother. I try and take the dead ones out but its a hastle keeping the small cage clean.

I give them cricket food and gel water.

Maybe i just need a bigger tank? Should i add some mulch/substrate in the cricket cage and more hiding spots? Any tips are welcome!

Ok so my crickets are no longer in the old small cricket keeper. I just gave them their own mansion, which should be plenty of room for 24 medium sized crickets.

I used two halves of an egg carton as hides and a plastic painting dish to put cricket food and water gel in. Hopefully they will do better in here.

Healthy crickets equal heslthy critters! Let me know what you guys think of my new setup.

That Looks awesome man! I think you'll be very successful with this setup. My only suggestion would be to cover the side vents with packaging tape from the inside. In my experience little crickets can jump very high and could fit through those holes.

Good point better safe than sorry. Leaving the top vents open would be ok i guess?

More than likely. If you are really worried about it you can get some fine mesh fabric at the craft store and use it as a barrier. Glue it over the vents, or cut a big piece and shut it into the lid.

It looks great, what I would add is a little tub with moist sand. This way the females can lay their eggs in it. Keep it moist and you will have pinheads! FOR FREE.

If the bark is pinewood, get wrid of it. Pine holds a high percentage of fenols and abietenic acid C20O2H30, which basically is the largest component of Colophonium, terpentine.

IT KILLS BUGS SLOWLY BUT STEADILY!

Hmm i forget which type it is it was some reptile substrate i bought in a pet store. Ive used some of it in my scorpion and tarantula tanks too. Hopefully it will be alright.

Is most reptile substrate in pet stores ok for scorps and t's?

If it comes from a shop it will most certainly be no pine shreddings or bark.. so dont worrie. It just looks like it, my bad.
I do wish to say that tarantalu got very soft abdomen and wood can cut it...

I would not use it on your pets, I'd get some soil or coco fibres instead. They are also not that big, so imagine yourself climbing rocks all day instead of walking on dirt.. It would be very tiring