How best to keep crickets?

L

LizardBoy333

New Member
I wanted to upgrade my cricket box so I could keep more and keep them alive longer. How many crickets is best to get at one time? Feeding for an adult chameleon.
What should I include besides water and food? Would they like a substrate and moss or would that make it too hard to clean?
I also see conflicting answers on google as to wether they like humidity and moisture or not. One answer will say they like it while another says it kills them. Real answer?

Thanks
 
I'm going to watch this as I want to start keeping a weeks worth of crickets in hand but I HATE crickets for so many reasons.

Dubias are my preferred bug since they are darn near immortal and have zero odor.

So I hope you get some answers because I too need to know...
 
Hi I've never provided water for any of my insects, just fresh food, providing places for them to hide ( I use egg crate flats ) but you can also use kitchen/toilet roll tube. What size is your current cricket box , I sometimes use the exo terra cricket keeper , but currently using an adapted storage box as I ordered 500 but the company sent 1000 lol 😆 they must know I hate crickets
 
Hi personally I wouldn't add substrate or moss , it will make cleaning more hassle and raise humidity ( moss ) and could make food go moldy which could be problematic, what are you currently using for housing? I clean and change food 3 times a week . If you have an adult and are feeding every other day you should be able to work out what you need per month, providing them with adequate space is good as they will eat each other another reason for the egg crates , do you only feed crickets,
 
I get 500 at a time and keep them in a big Rubbermaid type bin. I have found they need really good ventilation, so I’ve screened some areas on each side as well as the lid. No substrate and the only hydration is what they get from their food, although at times I will lightly mist their greens. I do have a lot of die off and pretty sure it’s because the crickets are domestic. When I’ve had banded, there’s almost no die off. I too get medium sized to make them last longer.
 
I just upgraded the cricket box to 9.4 L x 6 W x 6.57 H (inches)
The crickets also do have egg carton in there.
How many should I get for that size? I have a pet store near me so I don’t load up on 500-1000 as some of you do. But the pet store only has 2 sizes of cricket which is large and small, the small would be way too small to feed him and I would probably have to feed him 2-3x the amount if I fed him in small crickets.
I do feed him other things but I’m focused on the crickets right now.
 
How often do you buy, I get all my stuff online as I live in the country, and my local pet stores haven't always been reliable. I'd say 100 would be fine . So given your numbers you feed roughly 75 a month. So even if you 50 every fortnight they'd have plenty of space I always have way more than I need just to be on the safe side) I 5hink I have around 1500 + lol 😆. Does your container have ventilation
 
Flick boy said:
How often do you buy, I get all my stuff online as I live in the country, and my local pet stores haven't always been reliable. I'd say 100 would be fine . So given your numbers you feed roughly 75 a month. So even if you 50 every fortnight they'd have plenty of space I always have way more than I need just to be on the safe side) I 5hink I have around 1500 + lol 😆. Does your container have ventilation
Click to expand...
Oh wow! I didn’t know I could keep that many. I’ve been getting only like 25 at a time. But the pet store is like 5 minutes from my house so there’s not an issue.
And yes it has ventilation. It’s one of those plastic boxes with the lid with the opening window.
(Not the exact one but just an image off google of what kinda box I mean)
 

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Like if you have good access and good quality and the store is reliable I would always recommend less in a certain space than more. I'm not sure about humidity in the uk at the moment humidity is high ( as I know that was initially part of your question)what type of crickets are you getting. As they live in various parts of the world in different conditions so maybe why you found conflicting info. I have a spare uvb which I use for them , mainly for a bit of heat , which I have found to be beneficial
 
Flick boy said:
Like if you have good access and good quality and the store is reliable I would always recommend less in a certain space than more. I'm not sure about humidity in the uk at the moment humidity is high ( as I know that was initially part of your question)what type of crickets are you getting. As they live in various parts of the world in different conditions so maybe why you found conflicting info. I have a spare uvb which I use for them , mainly for a bit of heat , which I have found to be beneficial
Click to expand...
I do have good access and the store always has crickets. Quality depends as they get shipped and sometimes sit for a while or take longer etc, just how shipping is.
It’s pretty humid where I live as well.
Also I’m not sure what type of crickets they are as the label at the store just says “large crickets” but I’m pretty sure they’re banded crickets by looking at them.
 
Did say earlier I hate crickets?

So I bought 100 (they probably game me more like 250/300 medium crickets. Built a 5gal plastic tote container with a giant vent up top and vent on the side for some cross ventilation.

Added my bug burger and 5 days later have probably lost half of them.

I'm sure it's the humidity in the container because the egg crates were soft, not dry but you could tell they had moisture.

Guess I'll have to use less bug burger and replace more Frequently.

Dubia roaches, in the same style container are doing great and breeding like crazy.
 
I get the same thing & have given as much ventilation as I can. Even just cleaning the bin with a moist paper towel and I find massive die off after. These are domestic crickets though. Banded crickets are so much hardier. I had zero deaths out of hundreds and the only thing I was cleaning was poo & molted exoskeletons.
 
For optimal care of crickets, consider maintaining a spacious box with adequate ventilation, providing a substrate for comfort, and offering a balanced diet. Avoid overcrowding and ensure clean conditions by regularly removing waste. Regarding humidity, it's essential to strike a balance; excessively high humidity can be detrimental, but some moisture is beneficial. Observe your crickets for signs of discomfort and adjust humidity levels accordingly. Additionally, ensure access to flag football and ample hiding spots to reduce stress and promote natural behavior, benefiting your adult chameleon's feeding routine and overall well-being.
 
johnstewart said:
For optimal care of crickets, consider maintaining a spacious box with adequate ventilation, providing a substrate for comfort, and offering a balanced diet. Avoid overcrowding and ensure clean conditions by regularly removing waste. Regarding humidity, it's essential to strike a balance; excessively high humidity can be detrimental, but some moisture is beneficial. Observe your crickets for signs of discomfort and adjust humidity levels accordingly. Additionally, ensure access to flag football and ample hiding spots to reduce stress and promote natural behavior, benefiting your adult chameleon's feeding routine and overall well-being.
Click to expand...
Ohhh I apologize for shoot hoops:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Black bucket with some food in the middle. Keep it in a dark place. No cardboard. They don’t feel cornered and essentially walk around the circle of the bucket
 
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