cricket sources

[kosh]

Where do people get their crickets?
Do any sources have a greater chance of mites?

The local PetSmart I go to for crickets has quit keeping them in a big bin where I can see them. They now have the crickets already bagged up in groups of 10, 15, 25 in the large (adult) and small (2 week) crickets. This sucks as I usually buy about 40 at a time. Also their large crickets (all of my slings and adult spiders can now eat adult crickets) were all too small (they were only like twice the size of the 2 week crickets). So, I was thinking about buying some "fishing bait" crickets at Wal-Mart but, I didn't know if crickets sold as bait are of a lesser quality than pet store crickets. I was concerned about getting some "sub standard" crickets that might have mites or something. Well anyway, I was just wondering if any of you had any thoughts or experiences with the source of your T's crickets.

 

[LPacker79]

I used to get my crickets at my local pet store, but their prices went up from $1 a dozen to $1.25 a dozen and since I usually get around 9 dozen crickets at a time, it was getting a little expensive especially since I'm unemployed at the moment.
I've just set up a breeding colony and they're laying eggs like crazy. Now to see if they actually hatch.........

Oops! Guess I really didn't answer your question. I don't know how different "bait" crickets are from the ones you buy at the pet store, since I have yet to find a bait shop that sells them. The owners of the bait shops say they're too noisy and die off too quickly to make it worth their while stocking them.

 

[Buspirone]

Generally most of the cricket, mealworm and earthworm wholesalers started out as bait dealers. Companies like flukers and timberline started out this way and they sell their product as feeders and bait now. I don't think it would make any difference.

 

[Neo]

This is what I do. I go to the petshop and buy like a dollar or two. But only after awhile, they get pregnant. Find the fat females. They contain thousands of eggs. Go home turn on the heating matt or something so it reaches 70 at least and a bit high humidity. Than you put them in, females will deposit their eggs almost right away, you can tell when they stick their "tail" into the soil. Males go little tails and aren't as fat....cause their not preg. Anyways, in a way for a dollar or so you actually made a gigantic profit. $1=100++ crickets?

I did that ended up with like 2000++ crickets in my scorpion tank. DO not Do that. Trust me, thats how they all died, parasite cause crickets die all over the place....

They eat vegetables like lettuce and grains such as TOTALS are good for them and for your pets.

I hate places where they tax crickets.......

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by kosh
Where do people get their crickets?
Do any sources have a greater chance of mites?

The local PetSmart I go to for crickets has quit keeping them in a big bin where I can see them. They now have the crickets already bagged up in groups of 10, 15, 25 in the large (adult) and small (2 week) crickets. This sucks as I usually buy about 40 at a time. Also their large crickets (all of my slings and adult spiders can now eat adult crickets) were all too small (they were only like twice the size of the 2 week crickets). So, I was thinking about buying some "fishing bait" crickets at Wal-Mart but, I didn't know if crickets sold as bait are of a lesser quality than pet store crickets. I was concerned about getting some "sub standard" crickets that might have mites or something. Well anyway, I was just wondering if any of you had any thoughts or experiences with the source of your T's crickets.

Bait crickets might not be "gut loaded" like feeder crickets, and thus not be as nutritious. Armstrong crickets sells high quality feeder crickets, housing supplies, and food to maintain them.

http://www.armstrongcrickets.com/

 

[Neo]

Some pet stores won't even do a damn thing. They probably just feed the crickets whatever, AS LONG AS YOU BUY IT before they die. I mean those xtra stuff is coming out of their pockets, you think they're just going to do it because of you? Some probably but.....shiet, nice finding pal.

The best thing, it doesn't matter, you buy your own stuff and fill your own crickets out...

 

[SpiderTwin]

Hey kosh, I noticed that petco was doing that also the last time I was in there. But they got mine from the back like they usually do since I get 50-60 at a time. I guess they don't know that if crickets are left too long in the bag, they die.

I try not to go to petco because of how they treat their animals, my local petsmart does not carry inverts. I am lucky that another pet store in town has nice fat crickets and they don't seem to have mites either.

 

[Wade]

Since I get my crickets directly from a distributor (nice benifit of working for a nature center!) I know that the local bait stores get their crickets from the same place as the pet stores do, so there's little difference in that regard.

Bait stores charge alot less, but they usually sell adults (which will die soon) and may not keep them as well as a good pet store.

Crickets can, and usually do, carry the scavanger-type mites regardless of where you get them from. The only defense is to keep your animal cages clean and unfriendly to mites (dry as possible).

If you have more than a dozen or so cricket-eating animals (esecially if you have herps too), you should seriously consider mail-ordering your crickets, the savings are huge. For example, I pay an average of $15 dollars (shipped) for 1000 crickets...about 18 cents a dozen! Some companies sell them even cheaper.

Wade

 

[Neo]

Check the price on www.lllreptile.com I remember it was 13.50 or so. Don't remember. If you got a lot of T's you should just breed them, easy.