Cricket Setup Size

[CHAMpion]

Alright I'll keep this short because it's not really a important question but i'm buying bulk crickets for the first time and I'm wondering how many crickets my Large cricket keeper can hold. Is five hundred to many? I'd like to get as many as I can.

 

[DeFishy]

WAY to many. In a cricket keeper of that size I'd put no more then 50. If you want to keep more then buy a large garbage can, poke holes in the top and put cardboard in. It works for me. I can keep 1000+ crickets at once.

 

[CHAMpion]

This is a large one it's like the size of a 5 gallon tank.... I keep 60 full grown crickets no problem at all I want to by 1/2 inch crickets in it now.

 

[CHAMpion]

I defintely don't doubt 500 is to many I know that i can keep more than fifty. I Kept 50 3/4 to 1 inch in my small one with no prob when they are climbing up the tubes and what not.

 

[Malicious]

The keeper claims 50-100 large crickets and 250 smalls If I remember right (I have one). Keep in mind they will grow while you have them so get the proper size. Ordering 1000 at a time is a big money and time saver, you just need a place to put them. Rubbermaid tubs (56qt) work very well. Add egg flats and food and your good to go. I cut a large hole in the lid and placed screen in there to make a screen top for ventilation. You just want to be sure they aren’t kept with excessive humidity in the enclosure. Cold weather and hot weather also contribute to large numbers dying off prematurely, keep them as close to room temp as possible. The older they are the hardier they are. LLL has 1000 crickets for $20 shipped, which is not to bad. Good luck!

-Jay

 

[chameleon guy]

usually when I keep to much in one place they all die faster that normal.

 

[warpdrive]

I've always keep crickets in 10 gallon tanks with a screen top.
add food on one side, egg cartons on the other.
every 2-3 days I clean out any dead ones using an old spatula...
just scrape all the bugs to one side/corner and come back in 5 mins to clean up the dead ones that are left in that corner.

I have had as much as 500 large crickets at a time with little die off.
but mostly only keep about a 200 at a time.

a clean tank means clean food for your Cham.
don't forget to wash the container/tank every month or more if needed.

Harry

 

[CHAMpion]

Thanks guys i'll just start with a hundred and see how it works

 

[nicoRamirez]

i use a 10 gal glass tank w/screen lid and i can keep up to a 1000 easy with
no problem

 

[Chameleon Company]

Dittos to everything that Malicious said

The plastic containers at WalMart are cheap ..... really cheap ..... large, and work great with a little modification as noted

Someone mentioned temps. Cricket growth rates are very temperature sensitive. If you want them to grow, get them above 85F. If you like them the size they are, upper 70's is good. If you need to really slow them down 70 F is good.

If you cut the egg crates (12" X 12" X 12" originally) down to 6 X 12 X 12, and glue them together as a honeycomb of 3 (Elmers glue works fine), it will maximize your ability to make the most of smaller cricket bins.

For those who have a container that can hold 1000 or more, and are looking to save money by ordering 1000 or more. If your chameleon is eating adult crickets, buy 3/4" crickets, or "not yet winged out" crickets. That way they are not almost dead from old age on arrival, have plenty of bulk on them, will last a couple weeks minimum, and allow you to save some money.

 

[ConcertPhotog]

I just started using large rubbermaid type containers (maybe 20x20x30) after almost 20 years of using fish tanks and smaller containers including cricket keepers, and will never go back. The bin was like $5 at Loews and over 90% recycled material I think. I then cut out most of the two bigger sides and the top lid and hot glued metal screening in. It provides 1000 crickets with plenty of room and I've had a remarkably low number of dead crickets. I think the ability to also have a big water dish full of crystals really helps.
If you don't want cricket stink do not skimp on the size of the container, and the amount of ventilation it has!!