Big Pet Crickets?
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patrickfraser
Well-known member
It depends on the species.
Oh it reminds me of my childhood...
The one in the video is not a cricket, it is Gampsocleis gratiosa, one of the numerous singing orthopterans that kept as pets in China. It is omnivorous but a very positive hunter, I'd say more aggressive than most mantis. They are not feeder, they can prey on your mantis!
They are very stout and heavy, a lot of fun keeping and breeding them; if only they are available in US :tt2: I think those predacious katydid will fall in USDA's "crop pest" catalog.
The one in the video is not a cricket, it is Gampsocleis gratiosa, one of the numerous singing orthopterans that kept as pets in China. It is omnivorous but a very positive hunter, I'd say more aggressive than most mantis. They are not feeder, they can prey on your mantis!
They are very stout and heavy, a lot of fun keeping and breeding them; if only they are available in US :tt2: I think those predacious katydid will fall in USDA's "crop pest" catalog.
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happy1892
Well-known member
Dang! Huge katydid.
MantisSFB
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I have one I got from a breeder friend on here, it is awesome. Today it made so much noise I told it (Henry) it need ed to go outside for a bit, so I put his cage outside, a couple hours later I brought him in before the neighbors called the police, he just wont shut up! I have to go to my messanger to see how old he is. hold on.....
ok, I wrote my friend in may to get more eggs, he said he would send, but has not gotten to it yet. So this one was getting big then, and it ate it's mate, which I did not know it would do. So I say at least april, may, june, july, august, sept, oct. so it is miminum 8 mts old.
Reminds me of those loud Cicada we get invasions of around here yearly (yeah big one every 17 years, but lots every year nevertheless). Very interesting cricket, love the size; however, I've been know to go outside at night at all hours to drive off crickets around my bedroom windows, let alone a cricket that big and loud. 
Anyone got any pictures of these pet crickets to share, hibiscusmile, or ?
Anyone got any pictures of these pet crickets to share, hibiscusmile, or ?
Krissim Klaw
Well-known member
Not a cricket but if you are looking for a large insect for a pet that you can get within the United States, you might want to check out the Eastern Lubber Grasshopper. They are stunning to look at and super mellow as far as handling. The nymphs start out black with red/orange/yellow stripping and eventually shed into a yellow/orange/red blend with black markings.
Kitkat39 has some videos of them on Youtube
Kitkat39 has some videos of them on Youtube
Krissim Klaw
Well-known member
Nope they don't sting and are pretty harmless unless you try to eat them, or happen to be a piece of lettuce. They are toxic but this is generally only a problem if you try and eat them. If stressed enough they can secrete an irritating toxin, much like some millipedes, but once again this is really only a problem if you are sticking them in your mouth or rub your hands in your eyes or something. They might also make a hissing noise by expelling air and kick their back spiked legs around, but they tend to be all bark and no bite. In all the ones I've handled I've never had any irritation or even noticed them bothering to secret anything. They tend to tame up very fast and are super mellow if you handle them with the same care you would a mantis.
Because they rely on their bright colors/toxic nature to keep predators away, they don't really have much in other ways of defense. The adults have short wings and can't fly. They also aren't very athletic and they often remind me off a very fat, ungainly toad trying to hop around. Outside of mantises, they make one of my favorite pet insects.
Edit- For some reason when I first read your post I thought you said sting not sing. The males make a noise through stridulation I believe, but it it is a lot more low key/raspy noise than crickets. You could always get some small crickets and hide them behind the lubbers though to pretend they can sing. :stuart:
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LOL... I have done that before.. (misread a word) and there is just to much writing or good info provided to just waste it...
Or maybe hire a Jiminy Cricket?...
No, really they are very interesting.. even with out singing or stinging.. :kiss:
