Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Where and how does everyone store crickets? Is there an easy way to keep a bunch over a couple week span? And where can I keep them out of sight so my wife doesn't kill me? I live in an apartment.

Usualy i keep em in a small tupperware container, bout 5 gallons max. Others sometimes use wooden boxes, open air (no lid, but high enough so the crix cant jump over the box) and plastic/some other material on the side so the crix cant climb over to the upper sides (the rim/lip of the box). Add some egg cartons for added space. The wooden boxes usualy work for a bigger number of crickets (about 100 or so).
-----
My "babies" :
1.0.1 Indo BTS (Tiliqua gigas gigas)
1.0.2 RES (Trachemys scripta elegans)
0.0.1 Amboina box turtles (Cuora amboinensis)
1.0.0 Chinese softshell (Trionyx sinensis)
1.0.0 Asian leaf turtle (Cyclemys dentata)
1.0.0 Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius)
1.0.1 Indonesian Whites Tree Frogs (Litoria caerulea)
And hopefuly still growing...

Great ideas. Thanks.

It is best to buy smaller crickets than what you need. You will have to feed more but they will last longer. You just need to buy more than you normally do. The easiest thing to keep them in is a Tub like you can buy at Wal Mart. 40 or 50 Guart size is best. Then you can keep them in a closet. Out of site out of mind. This is what I do. Cricket don't live very long so you have to get them small to keep them alive that long. Adult cricket are already close to dying when you get them. Their whole life span is around 6 to 9 weeks from birth to death.

I use a 55 gallon brute trashcan, you will not need to use a lid but, if you feel better if you use one. then get one of the flat lids. cut a whole in it leaving 2 to 3 inches all around and hotglue some metal screen on it. I then put a large pile of monster cricket diet on the bottom. covering it with egg creats about 1/2 way up. supplment with carrots and mustard greens, the carots will give moisture but will dry up rather than rot. liturally no smell.
but the greens should be replaced often. I have 20 of these in my food room. I put anywhere from 1000 to 5000 in each depending on size. This method keeps adult crix around for 3 or 4 weeks. oh keep it in a place that in between 70 and 75 degrees. clean between filling.

Mitch Doenges

All good ideas. I'll have to keep the 55-galloner in mind if I ever need thousands of crickets... j/k. I do get the smaller ones, by default really, b/c my turtle is small. But that's great to know about adult crickets. Thanks for all the advise, guys.

Best thing to do is have the crickets in a dark area or have a container that is dark inside (make sure you have adequate veventilation and a top/lid crickets can climb and jump out). Put some egg cartons in the container along with your coice of cricket feed, carrots, or sweet potato and a water source such as a gel form water source or a sponge. Do not use a dish since crickets can drown even in a single drop of water. I prefer Fluker's orange cubes since they provide both food and water. Make sure that the feed and/or water provides calcium so the crickets can pass it on to your beloved pet.

I use about 5 dozen crix/week & I LOVE those cricket keepers they sell in the pet stores. I use the one that's made from a critter keeper, with 4 black PVC tubes in it. My crix stay alive much longer & the smell is greatly minimized.
-----
Robins Critters
1.0 Corn snake Jack Skellington
1.1 Hog Island Boas Harley & Isaboa
0.1 Albino Sonoran Gopher Snake Jasmine
0.1 Western Hognose Addy the Adder
1.0 Tricolor Hognose Yoshi
1.3 Leopard Geckos Yoda, Geo, Tang, Ginger
1.2 Crested Geckos Fox Mulder, Peek & Boo
1.0 Blue Tongue Skink Indigo
1.1 Eastern Box Turtles Squirtle II & Yurtle II
0.1 Pacman Frog Buffy the Cricket Slayer
0.0.1 Sulawesi Red Toad Mr. Toad
0.2 Tiger Salamanders Tiger & Sally
1.1.1 Firebelly Newts Wayne Newton, Olivia Newton John & Thandie Newton
1.1 Cats Gus & Mena

Here is something about crickets: http://civicchick.fortunecity.com/crickets.html

I keep mine in a 10 gallon aquarium with a screen top for ventilation. Our apt. has a balcony, so I keep them out there. In the winter I have to keep them inside, and I put them in the closet.
I feel like if you give them a good life, they'll live a lot longer. They need substrate (mine is mostly just dirt), and I have some places for them to hide (one of those half-log things you find in pet stores, and some egg crate or an empty toilet paper roll). Sometimes I also put non-toxic plants in there for them to munch on.
As far as food/water, they do drown easily, so I like to use the Flukers gel stuff (plus it gives them calcium and vitamins that will get passed on to your pets), or you can use a sponge. I also put in food for them to eat - they love watery fruits (cut in half grapes, strawberries, etc.), and things like oats or Cheerios.
I buy 2 dozen crickets and they last about two weeks. It also helps to find a really good petstore. When you buy them, don't be afraid to ask how they keep their crickets. I found a local pet store that keeps them in a HUGE trashcan, but it's well-ventilated, they have egg crates in there to hide, and they give them Flukers along with fresh fruits. When I buy from there, the crickets are healthy, fat, and last MUCH longer than other pet stores!!!
Link

-----
My froggy website: http://members.fortunecity.com/civicchick