Damn, crickets are cheap.

[jbm150]

yea, im like completely new to this, learning as i go along.

anyone know a site that ships crickets without having a "LIVE" label on the side of the box?

No problem, that's what we're all doing. All part of the fun. I'm not sure the answer to your question but if you only have one or even 5 Ts, I don't think you need to order your crickets online. Hell, I have 37 and I still buy from an LPS and never pay more than $8-10 a month. I don't know any places that sell 'em for more than $1 a doz (or that even sell them in smaller quantities than that) but apparently you've found one. Even at 11 cents per, you're not exactly breaking the bank buying a dozen. I say stick with that if its absolutely the only place selling 'em (have you tried a bait shop?) and don't overthink it. I can give you my recipe for cricket food that serves me well and keeps my deaths low if you're interested.

 

[forrestpengra]

Or... you could always grow you own food , *cough* B.dubia *cough*.

I certainly wouldn't start a dubia colony for 1 B.smithi, more hassle than it's worth. Regardless, they are a FAR superior food item. My small brachys love little nymphs though. Now if the OP had one of each brachy (wink wink) that would merit a colony.

 

[AceOfJacks]

I can give you my recipe for cricket food that serves me well and keeps my deaths low if you're interested.

yea dude! wat is it?

 

[Najakeeper]

I hate crickets however cheap or expensive they are. I hate the noise, I hate the smell...

I got 75 f 25 m adult dubias for 25 bucks and I probably have over 200 babies in a few months. Great feeders.

 

[gmrpnk21]

I love the sound of crickets at night! However, they die really fast, jump away, and smell awful. I am working on a colony of Blaberus discoidalis atm, and they have no smell, don't fly, don't make noise, and are proven to be more nutritious than crickets! The second best feeder choice is silkworms. How could anyone say roaches aren't a better feeder???

 

[BQC123]

Looks like i'm going to have to buy them in bulk.

is there a place to buy them from online without the shipping box saying "live" on the side?

Check into buying larger quantities from the pet store. It was cheaper to get 1000 from the petstore once I figured shipping in. Price each usually goes way down as quantity goes up.

I certainly wouldn't start a dubia colony for 1 B.smithi, more hassle than it's worth. Regardless, they are a FAR superior food item. My small brachys love little nymphs though. Now if the OP had one of each brachy (wink wink) that would merit a colony.

Starting a colony is the BEST excuse to get more animals. It won't cost any more to feed the new arrivals after that.

 

[hassman789]

I have 4 Ts and 6 frogs, I was paying like $5 a week for 40 crickets (20 small, 20 large) thats like $250 a year (estimated, mabey less if I go about 2 weeks without buying somtimes) Thats why I am DONE with crickets. Now if I could only get my roaches to breed:wall::wall:.

 

[BQC123]

I have 4 Ts and 6 frogs, I was paying like $5 a week for 40 crickets (20 small, 20 large) thats like $250 a year (estimated, mabey less if I go about 2 weeks without buying somtimes) Thats why I am DONE with crickets. Now if I could only get my roaches to breed:wall::wall:.

I hate crickets, but really needed some pinheads. The ones they were ordering were coming in way too big so I bought 1000 to breed myself. It was $23.00.

When those roaches take off you'll forget all about that initial wait!

 

[Najakeeper]

I actually want my Dubias to stop breeding. Too many tiny ones already. my S.lateralis are slow breeders though as they lay eggs and hatch rate is low. I don't even need them anymore with the Dubia success.

 

[jt39565]

I got my B smithi at 1" fed her every third day 2 crickets until she reached 3". Now she is just getting 1-2 every 5 days and she is very content.

 

[PitViper]

I feed all my Ts twice a week

 

[ZergFront]

Good thing they're cheap. Keepers have a lot of mouths to feed sometimes.

 

[Blackbeard]

I leave them in overnight then remove in the morning if still uneaten.

PS Cheap now but wait til you buy a thousand or so every week.

A thousand?
If that's related to your personal cricket needs I suspect you are snacking on them yourself.
(talking about T's here btw. I know how amphibians and herps can eat.)

That was the other thing, crickets die really easily. And they cannibalize each other. Five crickets can become none so very quickly.

Crickets suck

They die easily?
I've found them to be quite hardy as long as you give them a source of moisture and plenty of ventilation.
The one chirping behind my fridge refused to die for several weeks.
And yes they do canibalise on the weaker ones.
They stink.
They can attack your pets if they get the opportunity during a molt.
I agree, they suck.