Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ Crickets

Cricket questions quicklinks:

To help you navigate our frequently asked questions on Crickets so you can find your answer more quickly

• What are Crickets?
• Nutritional Information for Crickets:
• How do I keep my crickets?
• Why do my crickets smell, and how do I prevent that?
• How long do crickets last?
• My crickets died, what happened?
• Why have I heard that crickets are bad for my pet?
• Will crickets give my pet parasites?
• What do I feed my crickets?
• Do crickets bite?
• Are crickets noisy?
• What happens if my order arrives dead?
• What if I receive the wrong item?
• What if I receive someone else’s order?

What are Crickets?

The house cricket or Acheta domestica is one of the most popular feeders for insectivorous and omnivorous reptiles, amphibians, and other species. Their popularity is mainly down to their low cost and availability, and they are also well balanced nutritionally when it comes to feeder insects. They are grey-brown in color and easily recognizable. As well as being a common feeder for pets, they are also a well-known delicacy for human consumption and are eaten in various ways, including fried and roasted.

Nutritional Information for Crickets:

• Moisture 77.1%
• Protein 15.4%
• Fat 3.3%
• Ash 1.1%
• Fiber 2.2%
• Calcium 275mg/kg
• Phosphorous 2520mg/kg

How do I keep my crickets?

Crickets need to be kept in a "cricket keeper" or a plastic tote with a lid, and you need to poke air holes in the lid if you decide to go with the plastic tub/tote as you will need to use a cover for it or the crickets will escape from the container when you open it. Similar to dubia roaches, crickets need some kind of cardboard egg crate or something similar so that they can hide and climb around on. Also similar to dubia is the food that you can use, either salad items you would feed your reptile or a product used for gut-loading purposes can be fed to them in a bowl. Crickets also need a source of hydration, but you cannot use plain water, or they will drown in it. Instead, you can use cricket quencher or even paper towels soaked in water so that the crickets can drink without drowning.

Why do my crickets smell, and how do I prevent that?

Crickets are well known for their unpleasant smell and how hard it is to get rid of this, cleaning out their container regularly as well as removing any old food as soon as possible will help lessen the smell. Still, unfortunately, there will always be some odor present.

How long do crickets last?

About 2-3 weeks depending on the care that you provide, you can make them last a bit longer if you take really good care of them.

My crickets died, what happened?

This is another drawback to crickets; they are known to die seemingly without any apparent reason. Keeping their container sanitary, as well as removing rotten food, will help to prevent this, but this may still happen. Do not feed any dead crickets to your pet.

Why have I heard that crickets are bad for my pet?

Crickets have a negative reputation in some areas of the reptile community; this is mainly due to their drawbacks when it comes to their odor and passing away without reason. Nutrition-wise they are a suitable feeder, easily gut-loaded, and easy to supplement. They are also easy to find and inexpensive. They are also known for carrying parasites more commonly compared to other feeders, but this can be reduced by sourcing them from a reputable feeder company.

Will crickets give my pet parasites?

Any insect has the potential to carry parasites, but certain insects are more prone to carrying them. Crickets are one of those insects, but it does depend on where you source them. Dubia roaches have much less of a chance of carrying them compared to crickets. Always source your insects from a reputable supplier, avoid bait shops, and never feed your wild pet insects.

What do I feed my crickets?

You can feed your crickets commercially packaged foods that are made for providing a good range of nutrients for your crickets, which is the best thing to do for your crickets and your pet. You can also feed them salad items such as sweet potato, butternut squash, acorn squash, and dark leafy greens such as collard greens, mustard greens, and dandelion greens. Avoid anything you wouldn't feed to your reptile, you can feed a little fruit, but this can be messy, sticky and attract fruit flies.

Do crickets bite?

Yes, crickets can bite your reptile. You need to be careful that you do not leave them unattended inside your pet's enclosure.

Are crickets noisy?

Yes. Crickets will chirp, and this can be disturbing, depending on where you keep them. The cooler you keep them, the quieter they will be.

What happens if my order arrives dead?

Every effort is always taken to ensure that your order arrives alive, we always pack more bugs into our shipments just in case. On the off chance that your order does arrive dead, just send us a photo of the dead bugs in the container they came in and we will send you a replacement or issue you a credit on your account as long as the package has not been left outside to sit for longer than 1 hour.

What if I receive the wrong item?

If you receive the wrong item, please send us a message with your order number, the item you received, and the item you were supposed to receive. We do make mistakes, but we would be happy to send a replacement order.

What if I receive someone else’s order?

This doesn’t happen very often, but there is always a chance we may mix up a packing slip or shipping label. If this happens, just send us the order number of the order you received, and your order number so we can send a replacement order.

If you have any questions that haven't been answered here, go to the page for your product in question and scroll to the customer reviews and post your question there.