# Why does cricket use get a bad rap.



## SSimsswiSS (Apr 13, 2012)

I have raised several species on a cricket only diet for multi generations. I know not all species can be fed a cricket only diet, and those species will quickly let you know with tell tale brown stains. Variety is always best. And what you feed captive feeder insects makes a big differents. I seem to hear alot of negative things about them. Please share your thoughts and comments on this topic. Apologies if this is a topic that has already been discussed, it's just been on my mind lately.


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## Bryce08 (Apr 13, 2012)

A lot of mantids that will only eat flying foods is a big reason why lots of people on here dont use them I think.

But also crickets seem to gather bacteria easily and die easily...but if raised by you, that eliminates that most of the time.

I mainly stopped using them because flies are easier for me as well as cheaeper...


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## itzjustjeff (Apr 13, 2012)

Do crickets generally smell worse than cockroaches too? It's hard to find a supplier of bb flies near the west coast. I'm wary of having them shipped from the east coast, especially now with the warmer weather. I agree that variety is best..but say we dust our feeders, would that make up for feeding one type of insect?

Using crickets as feeders can be slightly more inconvenient...since they need a thin level of soil to lay eggs right? Hobbyists would also have to make sure that the mantis eats the cricket rather than vice versa. I suppose the only factors to consider are time and nutrition.


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## gripen (Apr 13, 2012)

itzjustjeff said:


> Do crickets generally smell worse than cockroaches too? It's hard to find a supplier of bb flies near the west coast. I'm wary of having them shipped from the east coast, especially now with the warmer weather. I agree that variety is best..but say we dust our feeders, would that make up for feeding one type of insect?
> 
> Using crickets as feeders can be slightly more inconvenient...since they need a thin level of soil to lay eggs right? Hobbyists would also have to make sure that the mantis eats the cricket rather than vice versa. I suppose the only factors to consider are time and nutrition.


Dusting feeder as well as variety is not needed from my experience. The only food my mantids get are lots and lots of BB's. I have never seen any ill affects.Crickets if raised properly do make good food for many sp. They are not a substitute for flies though in my opinion.


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## maybon (Apr 13, 2012)

http://melbournemantids.com/live-foods

I have written a fair bit of information about this on my website. (its a work in progress but the info is there)


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## lunarstorm (Apr 13, 2012)

I use crickets sparingly, usually when I'm out of flies and/or waiting for pupae to hatch. To define "sparingly", nearly all of my mantis species eat a cricket at least once a month during the winter months (the ones that don't are on fruit-fly only diets). And though rare, I've lost some mantis nymphs to a cricket's mandibles.  I've not lost an adult thus far, but the fact that a cricket is capable of injuring and killing a mantis is enough reason for me to use caution (ensure the mantis is larger than the cricket, isn't likely to molt soon, etc.)

I've heard various other negative aspects to crickets, e.g. claims that cricket-only diets can lead to infertility in some species, but I am very skeptical of those claims. From a mantis health perspective, other than the issue cited above, I haven't witnessed any negative impacts to using crickets as an occasional feeder for mantids.


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## Krissim Klaw (Apr 13, 2012)

I've used crickets as a base diet for years and have what I consider good success with them. I've never had a mantis injured by a cricket nore have I ever had any deaths that seem caused by a cricket. I can't speak on fertility since I don't tend to breed my mantises. Flies can be fun, but I don't like having to constantly order things. I can get a breeder tank of crickets going with no effort on my part and they make for very active prey items so are easy to feed. I do tend to avoid fly only mantises. I like the braver more active species and most of those seem to be the same types that enjoy tackling a wide range of prey rather than shuddering in terror at anything other than a fly.


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## Rick (Apr 14, 2012)

This is one of those topics that really gets my blood boiling. Most of the bad you hear about crickets evolves from misinformation and ignorance. And most of the issues come from bad husbandry. I have used crickets almost exclusively for years with very, very few issues. For some people roaches are not an option. My wife won't allow a roach into the house. Silly, yes I know. However the few times I used them I wasn't impressed. They hid most of the time and weren't as active as a cricket.

There are pros and cons to every feeder and crickets are no exception. I am not saying they're perfect by any means, but they are not as bad as they are made out to be by many on this forum. If you get crickets from a reputable source they should be healthy. Care for them properly and they will be a fine food source.

I hear a lot about how crickets will eat your mantis. I have never seen a cricket harm a mantis in any way, EVER. That particular point of the argument is vastly blown out of proportion. People say they stink. Yes, they have an odor but it is no worse than roach colonies in my experience and it isn't bad. Yes, they make noise. I personally don't mind the cricket noise. Yes, they may not be easiest to breed, but they're so cheap you really don't need to breed your own. As far as a mantids health and fecundity, I never saw an issue with crickets as the primary diet for a mantis. I feed my crickets like kings, and that is the real key.

I will argue in the favor of crickets as a feeder. If you need something non flying they're a great, great choice. Get them from a reputable breeder and care for them properly and you won't have any issues. Roaches are another great option that many use, not saying they'e bad or anything. The masses can continue to bash crickets, but I will continue to use them without issue.


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## maybon (Apr 14, 2012)

Well that's interesting, I have read so many times that crickets are bad I just sort of went with it. But hearing from Rick that they aren't bad has to count for something.


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## Krissim Klaw (Apr 14, 2012)

Rick said:


> I feed my crickets like kings, and that is the real key.


Wait you need to feed crickets? No seriously, it is such a simple concept but it amazes me how many people don't seem to grasp that as living creatures crickets need food. I suppose the petstores don't help since a lot of people do get their animal care information from petstores and most petstores I've been to will suggest all you need to do is offer them a slice of potatoe.


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## maybon (Apr 14, 2012)

Krissim Klaw said:


> Wait you need to feed crickets? No seriously, it is such a simple concept but it amazes me how many people don't seem to grasp that as living creatures crickets need food. I suppose the petstores don't help since a lot of people do get their animal care information from petstores and most petstores I've been to will suggest all you need to do is offer them a slice of potatoe.


wow that's horrible... you should probably feed any feeder insect with a range of different veggies (I feed my roaches anything that is thrown away eg the base of broccoli &amp; cauliflower, the bottom of a carrot, apple core etc... etc... Then you should add some protein in there as well. I use fish food because I have left over pellets of the stuff (axolotl food actually). But cat/dog food is probably the cheapest easiest option.

The real worry about feeding them well is removing the food if it starts to mold in my opinion. I had an orange slice go from normal to covered in penicillin mold over night. (white &amp; green hairy one)


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## guapoalto049 (Apr 14, 2012)

I keep roaches (lobsters and now reds too) and flies at all times. In the past I've gone to get crickets at Petsmart or Petco if I was running low on feeders or had many large females, and have had mixed results. The only times I've had mantids die with the black vomit is when they were fed store crickets.

I think crickets could be a great feeder if they are raised, but I don't trust store feeders anymore. Roaches are much more fecund and easy to raise in my mind, and they get much larger than crickets which is nice for heavy mantids.


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## Rick (Apr 15, 2012)

maybon said:


> The real worry about feeding them well is removing the food if it starts to mold in my opinion. I had an orange slice go from normal to covered in penicillin mold over night. (white &amp; green hairy one)


You do the same thing with any other animal, remove the uneaten food before it goes bad. I never fed them citrus fruits though.



guapoalto049 said:


> I keep roaches (lobsters and now reds too) and flies at all times. In the past I've gone to get crickets at Petsmart or Petco if I was running low on feeders or had many large females, and have had mixed results. The only times I've had mantids die with the black vomit is when they were fed store crickets.
> 
> I think crickets could be a great feeder if they are raised, but I don't trust store feeders anymore. Roaches are much more fecund and easy to raise in my mind, and they get much larger than crickets which is nice for heavy mantids.


That is the problem in many cases I think; pet store crickets. Why spend three time the price when they can be bought in bulk online for cheap? And those from a reputable breeder are generally healthy.


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## Mantiskid (May 4, 2012)

I use Crickets, and haven't seen any side effects on developement or Ooth formation. The only cons I can think of for Crickets are:

1. If you can't breed your own Crickets, buying them can be expensive over the long term

2.They are very loud at night  

3.They often injure or try to injure Mantids by biting them

4.Crickets STINK!!

5.They have short lifespans


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## jcal (May 8, 2012)

I have raised ghosts exclusively on crickets. Now most of my collection is geared toward species that prefer them. For me finding good sources are a lot easier and cheaper than ordering flies.

If you have a problem with crickets biting or injuring mantis....then feed smaller crickets.


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## mkayum (May 9, 2012)

I feed my mantids the variety feeders like smaller crickets and bottle blue &amp; houseflies &amp; smaller superworms. They thrive very well.

I usually catch BBS &amp; HFS outside and gutload them on honey for a day before feeding my mantids. If I don't have time for catching BBS &amp; HFS then I'll go out to purchase a dozen crickets so my mantids won't go hungry. It gives me extra time to catch some more.


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## massaman (May 9, 2012)

I use crickets as a main source for my mantids as well as fruit flies and bees and flies and have not had alot of issues with any of them though I do use some honey bees at time to time but see no harm in any of it as it depends on the user and the mantis in question!


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## massaman (May 9, 2012)

I learned to tolerate crickets noise as have had some escape on many occasions and have caught most of them but usually can find them just by following their sounds!


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## frogparty (May 9, 2012)

my cat is dilligent about catching any and all escapees. He demands I let at least one go every time I feed so he can chase it and pounce on it


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## frogparty (May 9, 2012)

The newer black crickets seem to be a lot quieter than the old brown crickets I used to get


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## mkayum (May 9, 2012)

frogparty said:


> my cat is dilligent about catching any and all escapees. He demands I let at least one go every time I feed so he can chase it and pounce on it


My cat does that too! He's just so demanding.


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## mantisboy (Jun 27, 2012)

I have gone 3 season raising numerous M Religiosa and split their diet between wild grasshoppers, flies, and moths late summer and early fall, then crickets during the winter. However I also toss lettuce, potato, Cheerios cereal and bananas into a chopper and feed the Crickets for 48 hours before I feed them to my mantids. I have never had a Mantid killed by a cricket. However one of my big females somehow managed to get wedged between a branch and her housing and the cricket in her housing ate a portion of her wing.

Crickets are pretty brutal which is why I only put one in a housing at a time. Crickets are so voracious that sailors used to dump crickets on boats that were infested with cockroaches and within a week the boat would be roach free.

Central Texas just had an explosion of Crickets and probably put a huge dent in the roach population.


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## ShieldMantid1997 (Jun 27, 2012)

The only bad rep usually comes from reptile keepers who do not take them out when their lizard is done.

For example, when i was eight i did not know much about my leopard gecko, and i never took the food out. The crickets took most of three fingers and nip of his tail.

Crickets can be vicious animals in the sense that they will nip at your animal, but you can not blame them since it is in their nature, rather, they should blame themselves for leaving them in the cage.

Also i used to raise crickets and they smell awful, well until i got springtails and those little black guys (worm like things) that sometimes come with crickets from pet stores. They cleaned up waste.


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