Keeping bulk Crickets

Due to cost, hassle of going to the only local Bait Shop (when open), and the convenience of being able to head to the Lake on a whim, I'm considering getting 1,000 Crickets at a time, and keeping them handy for when I need them.

The question I have is, I'm not interesting in breeding, just holding them, but all the info I found (internet) centers around breeding. If I rig-up a plastic tote, handle the food/hydration end of things, can I just basically ignore any of the breeding related part of keeping them with no ill-effects? I'm guessing with loss and use, I could use 1,000 in about a month (give or take a week).

What says the hive? Anyone have any experience doing the same?

I have kept them for years in a plywood box for 30+ years. I feed them wild game bird mash and non chlorinated water. Use well water or pond water, or let city water set out in a bucket for a few days to allow the chlorine to escape then its safe. Scrape the cricket droppings off the bottom and sides every couple of days and they should last around 30 days. Use sliced orange for food and water while on your fishing trip they love the sugar water.

ply wood box, air conditoner and pleanty of water and moist bread

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Originally Posted by cricket george

I have kept them for years in a plywood box for 30+ years. I feed them wild game bird mash and non chlorinated water. Use well water or pond water, or let city water set out in a bucket for a few days to allow the chlorine to escape then its safe. Scrape the cricket droppings off the bottom and sides every couple of days and they should last around 30 days. Use sliced orange for food and water while on your fishing trip they love the sugar water.

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Thanks George! I'd read some of your posts and was hoping you'd reply.

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Originally Posted by Spawn

ply wood box, air conditoner and pleanty of water and moist bread

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Don't think you want to A/C your crickets. You may want to do some research on preferred temps.

fished with a guy last yr . that used frozen crickets ! caught as man as i did .

When it gets really hot during the peak of the summer heat I put a fan on the box to provide some air circulation and keep them cooler. If its too hot they will die.

For water, carrots, lettuce, romain, or other heavy water fruit/vegetable that isn't wet to the touch. Cucumbers are not a good choice but most others are fine. Egg layer mash, game bird mash and many other work well for food. I used oatmeal, cornmeal and egg layer mash for mine with the fruits and veggies.

You could order many more than 1,000 and keep them alive without much effort and save shipping costs or save money form buying in bulk.

As far as breeding, it is so easy there is no reason not. Place a 2 inch deep container full of sand in the box. Keep it moist, cover with some window screen and forget about it. The crickets will do the rest, just keep the sand slightly moist. You could raise 1000's of them without even trying. Place some corn cob bedding in the bottom and clean it out once every couple months.

Anyone ever buy from Armstrong Crickets? Was going to order from WormMan but crickets are currently "Out of Stock". I'm open for suggestions (where to order from), but Armstrong had about the best pricing.

f_4_a- Space is the main reason. I could find room for one tub easy enough, but once I needed to separate them, I'd be pressed for space.

I tried to order from Fluker's CricketFarm last week and was told that there is a nation wide cricket virus that has hit most of the farms and wiped them out. Fluker's said they were not taking on any more customers for at least 3 weeks until they had adult crickets. I had heard something about the virus and then Fluker's turned me down so it must be true.

Space can be an issue, I raised mine for 2 years in a single 15 gallon storage container. I didn't go through hundreds a week, more like 2-3 hundred a month but never ran out. Stacking lots of cardboard, egg cartons and other stuff gave them tons of room and I had more than I ever thought I could get very quickly.

I haven't tried to order in a while but used wormman, once and probably not again for crickets, then went with Nyfarms for my second order with great results. This was many years ago though so service and care could be very different by now.

Fluker's Cricket Farm was $13.90/1000 for adults plus shipping.

I just placed an order from Armstrongs, 1,000 (young adults-1") for $20 delivered (2nd day). $17 for crickets and $3 shipping. Two Cents each beats the heck out of the local bait shops prices.

Spent this morning gathering materials and food for when they arrive, and ventilating the tub. Less than $20 for the tub and screen (which I have enough left-over for more) and $5 for food (at TSC). Need to hit the grocery store for some fruit and veggies.

I went the wood slat route (scrap 1/4" luan) as opposed to hot glue (though I did run a bead on the ends of the lower vents)

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IM004500.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IM004501.jpg

Looks like youre about ready. Keep us posted about how hard it is keeping them alive.Thumbs Up

Or how long it takes to dig 1000 tiny graves Rofl

Just got an email from Armstrongs, they'll be here Wednesday.

Just got 'em and put them into their new home. They were ready for food and water, but only saw 2 dead ones, can't beat that.

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IM004502.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IM004503.jpg

:popcornVeeeerrrrrry innnnnteeerstin'. Them will be easy to transport in anyones motorhome.
Got a patient on that transporter yet? lol

Ha! Nope, I just did a little research (web search which led me mostly to pet (lizard) sites) and fount the totes and aquariums are most widely used. Naturally an aquarium wouldn't be good in my situation, so this seemed like the best choice, not to mention much lighter and easier to move around. I'll be recruiting several "volunteers" for the mornings fishing trip :fish

Depending on how this batch goes, I might consider an additional tub (or two) and try my hand at breeding/raising.

Just an FYI update, crickets are doing great, have only noticed a couple dead ones. I'm actually surprised at the amount of mash and fruit they can devour in 2 days. It's nice not having to make a trip to the bait shop for a spur-of-the-moment fishing trip.

Just another update, things couldn't be better in cricketland, all healthy as horses, and haven't seen but a couple dead ones (unless they're being cannibalized). Anyone who uses crickets on a regular basis should consider doing the same, it's sure nice to grab a couple of those paper towel tubes and shake 'em into a cricket cage when it's time to hit the water. :fish

Is that a 1000 crickets???

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Originally Posted by NeonMoon

Just got 'em and put them into their new home. They were ready for food and water, but only saw 2 dead ones, can't beat that.

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IM004502.jpg

http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/o...t/IM004503.jpg

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I didn't count 'em, but yes :biggrin Those paper towel rolls are also full of crickets, as is the underside of the egg carton.

To help minimize some expense you might try using cricket gel. Flukers makes some called Cricket Quencher. It a polymer based gel that is non-toxic and retains water for long periods of time. I bought some similar gel from ebay $1.05/packet and 1.90 S&H. It makes one gallon of the gel. On Ebay if you search for Cricket Water Gel Crystals you will see what I mean. This will cut down on you fruit / watering expense.

With this gel you pour it into a bowl and the crickets will drink from it. We use it for keeping crickets alive for our lizard. Anyway, just an idea! Good luck cricket farming!

All you need for water is a plastic container with a lid. Cut a X in the lid and stuff a paper towel down into the container. Let 2 inches of the paper towel stick out of the X. The water will wick up to the end of the paper towel and the crickets will suck the water from the paper towel. About once a week pull the towel up and tare off the dirty end and fill it up with water again. I used a clear food storage container. Also put some egg cartons by the water container so the crickets can clime up on the water container to get to the water. Worked for me for years.

Only reason why i said ac was just to make sure you keep em in a 70-80 temp. Over here it can peak 105 and it can get hot in them garages. Im actually thinking about doing this. Is the setup your using doing good? Also are they pretty easy to maintain food and water wise?

Yep, still chirping away, matter of fact it's feeding day. Every other day I replace 1/2 an orange (cut into fourths), about 1/4 cup of chicken mash, and replace the 6-8 cotton balls soaked with clean water. Every now and then I'll add potato or carrot slices in addition to the oranges.

i feed my crickets sliced tators and they seem to do well.:biggrin

I have my crickets in my garage and the temps are going to hit 109 this next week. I have installed a small fan on some plywood and set on top my cricket box to circulate the air out of the box. I provide the bugs with water, game bird mash and tomatoes that have gone bad from the garden. They are enduring the heat and not dying off so far. The air circulating thru the box seems to be working well.

Whats the shipping charge on a 1000 cost?

OOPs! i see were it saids shipping 3 dollars.

Well, about a week ago I'd noticed several of the crickets starting to die-off, and took the tub with me camping this week to use-up the rest of them. Had close to a 2 month run with them, longer than I would have expected keeping them, but due to the abnormal heat, I couldn't (well, wouldn't) get out to fish as much as I would have. I'd have used them up before now. I'll be ordering more once I'm sure this heat wave is over.

Not a bad idea. Do you plan on taking some on your fall road trip south?

Ever try freeze'n the dead ones? Bluegill would'nt care if the Crickets are dead.

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Originally Posted by RetiredRR

Not a bad idea. Do you plan on taking some on your fall road trip south?

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Yep, plus Armstrongs is in GA I believe.....never seen a Cricket Farm :popcorn

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Originally Posted by NIMROD

Ever try freeze'n the dead ones? Bluegill would'nt care if the Crickets are dead.

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Sure didn't, I saw several days prior they were headed down hill, so I just fed/watered as I'd been doing and let 'em go. I probably used $20 worth at local baitshop prices, plus learned how easy they were to care for. Had it not been so hot I'd have used them all before they expired, I'm sure. Oh, and I don't have a freezer (in the bus).