# Cricket Farming to feed reptiles and amphibians



## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

This is my introduction into cricket farming, why?

Petsmart had crickets for $.14 each :shocked: so it was $1.68 per day for frog food, that is more than a cup of coffee and Sally Struthers could feed 2 third world kids with $1.68 per day :sigh:

The solution? Hit the internet and find some bulk crickets!

There are lots of cricket farms online, I picked one with 2 day shipping and pulled out the CC

carolinacrickets

So I just ordered 500 crickets with shipping they are $.03 each, I converted a Sterylite container and some old screen, and now I am a cricket farmer :dance::clap::hammer:

Crickets will be here on the 15th and they needed a place to live, searching on line and found some stuff...no way am I paying $30+ for a plastic tot with screen venting...

Time to hit the out building for supplies

Basic parts prepped for assembly, old plastic tot cleaned out and lid cut( I left the web bracing intact for strength. Old screen I had laying around









I needed a backing so rivets wouldn't pull out of plastic lid, normally I would use washers (didn't have any) I did have a bunch of 10-32 nuts left over from another project









Here is lid completed, screen is nice and tight from folding over edge









Here is first setup with a water "bowl" (it has a paper towel in it so they don't drown) and a food bowl with some broccoli and celery on it, will buy a carrot (basically feed them what frogs need for nutrition and it will be like feeding them vitamins, corn meal will be added also (I need a smaller bowl for it also, loosing too much space) I have a 10 watt bulb in the heat lamp base









I will update this as I go, if anyone has hints or tricks, feel free to add


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is funny. You have quite a collection going on now.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

ksalvagno said:


> That is funny. You have quite a collection going on now.




My son texted wife last night after finding out about the Alpacas, he said we should check out Albino Anteaters :shocked: I said "where is he going to keep it, not in his apartment"

her response was "no honey, he said _*we*_ should get a couple" :hammer:










I think there are other animals that come to mind first :ROFL:


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## cheefulmelody (May 27, 2015)

I did bulk crickets for a time. Unfortunately they reek! I mean it was crazy how gross they were. Oh and my mother in law was less than thrilled about the escapees roaming the house. It's going to happen. When you have that many hoppers in one small space you will end up with runners no matter how hard you try. I eventually gave it up and found a monthly reptile show half an hour away and bought in smaller bulk. Still cheaper but less crickets less stink and less escapees. I know that it's not a positive post but be ready for it. Personally I liked the water crystals that plump up for water. You can buy bulk on eBay because they are going to drink more than you think and having it heated will make it dry out quickly.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

sounds like solid advice, thank you!

So we will have more cat toys other than moths :fireworks: what joy


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Escapees, I believe so as every time we are at our reptile store we see crickets on the floor and walls.:lol: Your cats will love them.

I was sick of forking out $5 a week for mice for my corn snake. I bought a male for my pet rats. So far I have gotten 5 pinkies as I have to race the moms before they eat them.:angry::hair: Working on solutions but I am not the only one with this problem. I separated the male, they have plenty of room and food.
(My daughter got 3 rats for her kids, they were all pregnant and had 10 babies each!!!!!!!! And she could not get rid of them.):shocked:

Good luck on cricket farming. I have stuck to the freeze dried ones for my turtle.


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

We used to get bulk cricket, and as others have mentioned, ended up with escapees all over the place! Such joys! We switched to cockroaches. They really grossed me out but they multiplied like crazy and didn't escape (you just put vaseline around the top of the tank, they can't crawl through it).


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

How is this project going?


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

Well only issue is not getting baby crickets? but it is great to buy 500 at a time for food, and when the crickets get an inch long, the inside frogs can't/won't eat them...so we feed the outside frogs/fish by tossing them on the lilly pads


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

and so far money wise I don't think I have saved much if any, the convenience of having crickets handy is great tho'


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