Ensuring Cricket Longevity

If you neglect the proper housing and care for your crickets, they risk becoming unhealthy and perishing prematurely. Fortunately, establishing an optimal environment is straightforward when you adhere to the correct procedures. Begin by acquiring a pristine tank or habitat that offers ample space for your crickets. Subsequently, consistently provide them with nourishment and ensure they have access to sufficient water to maintain their well-being. By executing these tasks diligently, your crickets can potentially reach an age of 8-10 weeks!

Select a tank with a capacity of 1 US gal (3,800 ml) per 100 crickets. Crickets thrive in spacious enclosures, so opt for the largest tank available to accommodate them comfortably. Ensure the tank features adequate ventilation at the top and is fully enclosed to prevent the crickets from escaping.

• You may choose either a plastic or glass tank.

Sanitize the tank using a mild bleach solution to eliminate bacteria. Before introducing the crickets into the tank, ensure it undergoes thorough cleaning. Prepare a diluted bleach solution by mixing bleach with cold water. Dampen a cloth with the solution and use it to wipe the interior of the tank. Ensure the tank is completely dry before housing your crickets.

• An unclean tank may harbor harmful bacteria or chemicals detrimental to your crickets' health.
• Avoid using other chemical cleaners as they may be toxic to the crickets.

Provide shelter for your crickets by adding shredded egg crates to the tank. Obtain several cardboard egg crates and tear them into smaller pieces. Scatter these pieces on the tank's floor to create a conducive habitat for your crickets. This setup offers shade and ample space, promoting the well-being of your crickets.

• Inadequate habitat can lead to territorial disputes among crickets.

Maintain a stable temperature range of 75–90 °F (24–32 °C) within the cricket tank. Place the tank in a dimly lit area with consistent temperature levels to foster the health of your crickets. Extreme temperatures can lead to fatalities or reduce the crickets' lifespan significantly.

Regularly clean the tank bi-monthly to uphold your crickets' well-being. Safely relocate the crickets to another container with ventilation holes. Thoroughly clean the tank's bottom to remove any waste or deceased crickets. Utilize the diluted bleach solution and a cloth to sanitize the tank's interior.

• Accumulated waste and deceased crickets pose health risks to your cricket population.

Immediately transfer newly acquired crickets to their designated habitat upon arrival. Crickets require ample space to thrive and do not fare well in confined environments. Avoid extended confinement in the transportation box, as it may lead to fatalities. Transfer the crickets promptly to a sanitized tank upon arrival.

• Ensure adequate ventilation in the transport box by providing sufficient air holes on the lid.

Offer oatmeal, cornmeal, or cricket food as sustenance for your crickets. Place a dish containing cornmeal, oatmeal, or cricket food inside the tank. This will serve as a consistent source of nourishment for your crickets without the risk of overeating.

Provide a moist sponge or slice of fruit for hydration. Crickets are prone to drowning in water dishes, so it's advisable to offer hydration through a damp sponge or a piece of fruit such as an apple or peach. Crickets can extract moisture from the sponge or fruit.

Maintain a continuous supply of food and water within the tank. Ensure there's always food and water available for your crickets to access as needed. Replace the food weekly to keep it fresh, and if using fruit, replace it daily to prevent spoilage and bacterial growth.

• Crickets do not overeat, so there's no need to worry about overfeeding.

The tips provided in this section are derived from the real-life experiences shared by Mytour readers like yourself. If you have a useful tip you'd like to contribute to Mytour, please submit it below.

• Tank
• Bleach
• Rag
• Cardboard egg cartons
• Oatmeal, cornmeal, or cricket food
• Wet sponge or fruit.