Keeping crickets..........is it as bad as i think???

[Killjoy]

Hi Everyone,
as always thanks again for all the help.
I have decided now that I really need to start keeping crickets in the house. This is what i think, please correct me if im wrong. I have been avoiding it because they smell like crap and require more maintenance than its worth......and a tank full of crickets can be really loud at night. Please tell me its not that bad and what are some things i can do to reduce these concerns. And in your opinion, is it worth the headache?
Thanks

 

[Chamero]

They arn't that bad if they are maintained.

Change food ever day or every other day.

Wipe down inside of container every 3 days.

Clean whole cage once a week.

Younger crickets should not make noise.

Should be fine

 

[Killjoy]

Thanks
What is the largest size i can buy without making sounds??

 

[Berg]

Younger crickets should not make noise.

Yea i get them a little small and as soon as they start making noise i feed them to my Cham.

 

[Texas Panther Man]

I ususally order 4wk olds. You have about 2 -3 wks before they start chirping.

 

[ShaunaLynnA]

There not that bad to keep inside. I keep mine in the bedroom where the chams are. I get the one size down from the largest. These guys make noise but not very much in my own opinion cause I am able to finction still with no problems. Hope this helps a little in advice.

 

[cholly1]

Crix noise /chirping

I believe Ive read that some are non chirping. Ive had this tub full for 4 weeks bought them at 1/2 in size. Not a peep. Not sure.

 

[sandrachameleon]

In my opinion, crickets are so cheap to buy that breeding them isnt worth the effort. or rather, breeding and raising them up to a decent size isnt worth it. Certainly its worth doing for pin-heads up to one week old. But after that, I cant be bothered.
I breed all sorts of other bugs, but I just buy crickets.

 

[Oski]

I just buy enough crickets that i need as well, i have some some 'so called silent brown crickets' adults atm, they are definately not silent.

They now live in the garage I find mealworms the worst smelling things ever after a week or so,much worse than crickets,

 

[sandrachameleon]

...I find mealworms the worst smelling things ever after a week or so,much worse than crickets,

Probably too much moisture, making the substrate mildew

 

[joshualoomis]

i've always found chirping crickets to be relaxing...

 

[Killjoy]

Thanks guys for the input
im not trying to raise or breed crickets just buy around 150 at a time and gutload them d for a few days. I have been going to the pet store every day and been buying 20 a day. i figured out the chirping problem.....the petsmart by me sells them right before developing the chirping wings. so now it just the smell. any suggestions??

 

[Berg]

In my opinion, crickets are so cheap to buy that breeding them isnt worth the effort.

I breed all sorts of other bugs, but I just buy crickets.

I was think that too because of the higher death rate as well compared to other bugs... just what ive heard

 

[Monkeykungphu]

i've always found chirping crickets to be relaxing...

Relaxing even when a cricket is in the wall right next to you & chirps at random intervals while you're trying to sleep? If so, you're very lucky. I will lay awake there all night if I have to deal with that.

I only get medium size crickets for my bearded dragon. I love my no chirping roaches.

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

Honestly crickets as sandra has said are not worth breeding unless you are expecting hatchling and need pinheads. I did it for years until I got my dubia/discoids/hissers and now the only sounds I head are the scurrying of thousands of roaches when I turn the lights on in the morning. Cricket chirping annoyed me to no end and without maintenance they smell and die. I have accidentally gone a week or two without feeding the roaches and none of them die. This was in the winter when my chams appetites slowed down and I had a massive silkworm hatch out. About 5,000 eggs were laid and hatched within 4 days of being laid. They all began to hatch the day after I refrigerated them somehow so I had to bring them out of the fridge and feed them all off. It was alot of leaf picking and washing for about a month. So overall just buy cricket as needed and use a tupperware bin and clean it alot and store it way away from our bedroom and don't let any get out.



Justin

 

[serenitystarlite]

I keep mine on oatmeal. It cuts down on the smell a little, but I also remove dead ones asap. I usually buy around 100 a week, although my friends usually slip me more than that

I also breed dubias and feed hornworms and butterworms when I can get them, so I don't need more than that many crickets per week.

 

[OldSkoolxReasons]

Oh, well I guess it's different when you buy 100 crickets at a time. I'm buying them 5,000 at a time when I decide to break down and let the little vermin into my house. Lol.

 

[camshaft]

If take the dead ones out every couple of days and put some green/red pepper in there, the smell won't be bad. I don't go around sniffing my cage though.

 

[lizziloo]

How do you clean the cage without getting crickets all over the house? I've been keeping about 250 small ones in a ten gallon for about four days, and it definitely needs a good cleaning but I'm afraid they will all escape when I attempt it...

Do i need a second ten-gallon?

 

[td1960]

I keep mine on oatmeal also!