How to breed crickets? A detailed explanation of methods and key technical points
The cricket, also called ququ, is a very popular insect. Up to now, in addition to spawning the cricket-fighting industry, it has also been widely used as food, especially in recent years, when its edible value has become even more popular. Some ancient prescriptions even use it as medicine, so how exactly should this thing be bred?
1. Setting up the breeding environment
Because crickets are relatively small, the breeding environment has a great impact on them. Cricket breeding today is basically done in a simulated wild mode, generally using iron cages, with the cage size controlled at about 1.5*1*0.5 (m), and about 500 crickets per box. For ease of management, the bottom and all four sides should be ventilated, and the top can simply be covered with gauze netting for ventilation. There should be bedding at the bottom of the box, preferably dry grass; do not use fresh plants as bedding, as they rot easily.
2. Controlling the living environment
After the breeding cage is built, the living environment must be set up. Crickets do not like light and are creatures that are active at night, so the lighting in the breeding room needs to stay relatively dim all year round; just 3-4 hours of light each day is enough to let the crickets stay slightly quiet for a period. The temperature should be controlled at 20°C-25°C, which is most suitable for crickets to survive; below 10°C, crickets may enter a state of hibernation. The ventilation and light openings must not face the breeding box directly, as this is not good for cricket growth.
3. Food management
Crickets are omnivores and will eat grass, vegetables, ants and similar items, so there is generally no need to worry too much about a lack of food. There are two choices for cricket food: dry food and wet food. Dry feed refers to items such as vegetable leaves and grass, while wet feed is a viscous substance mixed from protein powder, glucose, honey and the like. The two food types can be used alternately to keep things fresh; feeding time is generally concentrated just before nightfall, and during the day some green feed such as vegetable leaves can be placed there as a transition.
4. Breeding management
Once all of the above is ready, attention must be paid to breeding management. Do not patrol too frequently in daily rounds; crickets like a quiet environment, and outside noises easily stimulate them. The covering gauze must remain soft and elastic for a long time. Crickets have very strong jumping ability and may often touch the gauze; if the gauze becomes too stiff, it can easily harm the crickets. Also regularly check the density in the breeding box. Crickets are somewhat aggressive, and when density is high, fighting easily occurs. If fighting occurs, then the density in that breeding box may be relatively too high.
The above is a simple method for breeding crickets. Friends who are interested can refer to this process. Insects have relatively strong adaptability, are relatively easy to raise, and do not eat much, so breeding them is still quite suitable.