Cricket Availability and Holidays

[PeterF]

I have had supply problems with local pet stores around xmas. I have long since come to prepare for it.

I just wanted to warn other people on the forum, especially the people new to keeping bugs that it can happen.

The pet store is open as usual, they just don't get in crickets for about 2 weeks.

Lots of people are busy around the holidays, and you can get yourself into a position where you are already a a day or a few later at going to get crickets than you should have been. To then find out that your local store is out and coming up with back up plans can be a nightmare. Sure you can order them online, but by the time you order them you are already late in needing them. And you are busy, so are you going to be home to sign for them? And do all the online suppliers work over the holidays? -it's a bad time to find out.

It sounds paranoid, but it is a real risk, and I just want people to think forward about it.

 

[PhilinYuma]

This fits neatly into the "basic needs of keeping mantids", and you may have done a number of people a big favor by mentioning it.

I can afford to buy a regular supply of nice clean fly pupae, and the woman who sells crix has always given me a special price, but I would be dependent on them and could do little if the supply chain collapsed. If you raise any kind of flying insect, you will have escapees, but a nice sweater box full of roaches is a great insurance policy. Keep them under the bed and you will be able to enjoy hearing them skittering about their business (eating and copulating, mostly) all night -- very soothing, as is the fun of sifting them through different sized mesh so that the right size mantis gets the right sized roach. Gotta love 'em!

 

[sporeworld]

Does this style of forum support any kind of breeder or supply mechanism - ratings, listing, that sort of thing...? I can see that being useful - especially for feeders. Who has what in stock. Forums are still pretty new to me, so I'm not sure of their limitations.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Does this style of forum support any kind of breeder or supply mechanism - ratings, listing, that sort of thing...? I can see that being useful - especially for feeders. Who has what in stock. Forums are still pretty new to me, so I'm not sure of their limitations.

Try the Breeder feedback: Other forum.

 

[Rick]

Better to order them online. They are much cheaper that way too if you buy many at a time.