Where do you keep your crickets?

[Erotik]

I'm having a major issue with keeping my crickets from getting out of their "cricket keeper". It was purchased at PetSmart and it sucks.. I have the keeper now in a deep bucket and every morning there are at least 7-10 crickets wandering around the bucket. So far, I tried to tape the small-ish holes that I think they have been crawling out of but they chew holes right through it.


What do you guys do? Where do you keep them?

 

[jumpinjack]

In a 18g Sterlite Tote from Walmart (its like $6). Cut a hole in the top and hot glue on some wire mest for ventilation and thats pretty much all you need.

 

[mrbeardie]

i keep mine in a glass jar with a lid on it with small holes cut in the top. i put egg carton in it and put some of the gel water and food at the bottom for them. i usually only get about 50 to 80 at a time and they will stay alive in that for around a week or so, but usually most of them are eaten by then

 

[ziggy23]

cheap 10 gal. tank with a screen lid.

 

[Erotik]

Thanks for all of the ideas. I'll have to try a few out!

 

[bkelley]

Right now I have them in a large coffee can with some egg crate and gutload. I'm going down to Target tomorrow to get a rubbermaid tub (they say the clean ones are harder for the crickets to climb up) to accommodate for the bulk purchase I'll be making soon. Make sure to throw in some paper towel rolls with them. They'll hide in the rolls and make it easier for you to get them out.

 

[leibe001]

I keep mine in a critter keeper, it is like the cricket keeper but without the tube things, I havent had any escapes yet and it was cheap, I think $7 at petco but you could probably get it cheaper elsewhere.

 

[kimmie]

I had one of those cricket keepers you get from petsmart - gave it away. I use the Sterilite tubs/bins that have been mentioned (cheaper than rubbermaids) with the egg crates, papertowel rolls, etc etc. Works great!

 

[mrbeardie]

how many crickets does everyone usually purchase at a time? or does everyone have their own colony?

 

[ziggy23]

how many crickets does everyone usually purchase at a time? or does everyone have their own colony?

I order a month supply for 2 or at least try, about 4 or 5 thousand.

I tried breeding, but I didn't have much luck. As soon as I can get some spare money I plan on trying breeding roaches.

 

[bkelley]

Are you saying your dragons eat 2,000 crickets a month?

 

[FrancoisBeans]

We keep our crix in the rubbermaid containers too (I already had some from moving, so it was handy) with some holes poked in the top. We purchase 500 at a time (used to be 500 a week! It's down to about every 2 weeks now, thank goodness!) so it's a pretty big container. Awesome for keeping them secure though, the only time they get out is when we empty our big box of them in there.

 

[ziggy23]

Are you saying your dragons eat 2,000 crickets a month?

more if I let them probably. They've been eating more lately, and I haven't found the new magic number yet. 2000 a month is only about 66 a day.

 

[bkelley]

That seems like a lot to deal with. Do you have a roach colony as well, or do you only house crickets?

 

[ziggy23]

I'd love to have a roach colony, but money's tight right now. Unless some extra money falls into our lap it probably won't happen for a few months.