Should I Buy Crickets or Breed My Own? A Comprehensive Guide

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Buying vs. Breeding: The Best Way to Source Crickets for Your Pets

Crickets are a vital food source for many reptiles, amphibians, and birds, providing essential nutrients that help keep your pets healthy and active. As a pet owner, you may be wondering whether it’s more practical to buy crickets as needed or take the plunge into breeding your own colony. Both options have their advantages and challenges, and making the right choice depends on your specific situation.

In this article, we’ll explore the entire process of breeding crickets, from habitat setup and daily care to breeding schedules and the costs involved. We’ll also compare these aspects with the convenience and expense of purchasing crickets from stores or online suppliers. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which option best suits your needs, ensuring that your pets receive a steady supply of nutritious crickets without unnecessary hassle.

What’s Involved in Breeding Crickets

Breeding crickets can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to ensure a steady supply of feeder insects for your pets. However, it requires careful planning and regular maintenance to keep the colony healthy and productive. Here’s a detailed look at what’s involved in breeding crickets.

Container Selection: Creating the ideal environment for breeding crickets is the first step. You’ll need to select the right container, typically a plastic or glass bin with a secure, ventilated lid to prevent escapes while ensuring proper airflow. Ventilation is crucial to prevent the buildup of harm

Habitat Setup: Inside the container, provide a substrate such as coconut fiber, vermiculite, or soil to facilitate egg laying. Egg cartons or cardboard tubes should be added to give the crickets shelter and climbing surfaces, mimicking their natural environment. A shallow dish of water gel or a sponge can serve as a hydration source, while another dish is used for food, which can include commercial cricket feed, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

Care and Maintenance: Breeding crickets requires daily attention. You’ll need to feed the crickets fresh food daily, ensuring a balanced diet that supports their health and breeding capabilities. Regularly check and replenish their water source to keep them hydrated. Temperature and humidity should be monitored closely, with the ideal temperature range being 75°F to 85°F (24°C to 29°C) and humidity levels between 50% and 60%.

Regular maintenance tasks include cleaning the habitat to remove waste, uneaten food, and dead crickets. This helps prevent the growth of mold and bacteria, which can harm the colony. Proper care and cleanliness are essential for a thriving cricket colony.

It's very important to clean out the deceased crickets.  When crickets die, their bodies release ammonia.  This ammonia will build up in the habitat, and suffocate the other crickets, causing them to die as well.  So be sure to clean the dead crickets routinely.

Breeding Schedule: Understanding the cricket breeding cycle is key to maintaining a steady supply. Female crickets lay eggs in the substrate, which will hatch in about 7 to 10 days if the conditions are optimal. Once hatched, the nymphs will take 2-3 weeks to before they are ready to reproduce, ready to breed again.

To manage multiple generations, you will need separate containers for different stages of the life cycle or rotating the substrate in the breeding enclosure. This helps avoid overcrowding and ensures a continuous supply of crickets.  

Additionally, crickets are cannibals.  The elder crickets will eat the baby crickets.  So it's important to rotate the younger stages from the older stages.

Cost of Breeding Crickets: The initial setup costs include purchasing a container, substrate, food, and heating equipment, which can range from $50 to $100. Ongoing costs primarily involve food, which might cost $10 to $20 per month, and electricity for heating. The time investment is also significant, requiring daily care and regular maintenance. However, the long-term savings and constant availability of crickets often outweigh these costs for dedicated breeders.

By understanding and managing these factors, you can successfully breed crickets, providing a reliable and economical source of food for your pets.

Comparing the Costs and Convenience of Buying Crickets

When deciding whether to buy crickets or breed your own, it’s important to consider both the financial implications and the convenience factor. Here’s a detailed comparison to help you make an informed decision.

Cost of Buying Crickets:

Purchasing crickets from pet stores or online suppliers is straightforward but can add up over time. On average, crickets cost between $0.10 and $0.15 each when bought in bulk, and prices can be higher if purchased in smaller quantities. For example, if your bearded dragon eats 20 crickets a day, you’ll need around 600 crickets per month. At $0.12 per cricket, this totals about $72 per month or $864 per year.

Bulk purchasing can reduce costs significantly. Many suppliers offer discounts for larger orders, making it more cost-effective to buy in bulk. For example, buying 1,000 crickets at once might reduce the cost to $0.08 per cricket, lowering your monthly expense to $48 and your yearly cost to $576. However, bulk purchases require careful planning to ensure you can store and use the crickets before they die.

Convenience Factor:

Buying crickets when needed offers the convenience of not having to manage a breeding colony. This approach eliminates the need for additional space, daily maintenance, and the time commitment required to care for the crickets. It’s especially beneficial if you have limited space or don’t want the responsibility of maintaining a cricket habitat.

However, relying on purchased crickets can have drawbacks, especially if there are supply issues or delays in delivery. This could disrupt your pet’s feeding schedule and require more frequent trips to the pet store or online orders. Additionally, if you run out of crickets unexpectedly, it can be stressful for both you and your pet.

Potential Savings vs. Time Investment:

Breeding crickets can lead to significant long-term savings, particularly if you have multiple pets that require a steady supply of feeder insects. While the initial setup and ongoing maintenance involve costs and time, the savings can be substantial over time compared to purchasing crickets regularly. 

Ultimately, the decision between buying crickets and breeding your own depends on your priorities—whether you value convenience and ease or are looking to save money and ensure a constant supply of crickets. Both options have their benefits, and understanding the costs and commitment involved will help you choose the best approach for your situation.

Pros and Cons of Breeding Crickets

When considering breeding crickets, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons to determine if this approach suits your needs and lifestyle.

Pros:

1. Constant Supply of Crickets: Breeding your own crickets ensures a steady, reliable supply, reducing the risk of running out. This is particularly beneficial if you have multiple pets or if you live in an area where crickets can be difficult to purchase regularly.
2. Potential Long-Term Cost Savings: While the initial setup costs for breeding crickets can be significant, over time, breeding your own can save you money compared to continually purchasing crickets. The ongoing costs of food, substrate, and minimal heating are generally lower than the recurring expense of buying crickets in bulk.
3. Greater Control Over Health and Nutrition: Breeding crickets gives you direct control over their diet and living conditions. This means you can ensure your crickets are well-fed with high-quality food, leading to healthier feeder insects for your pets. You can also avoid the potential risks of pesticides or other harmful substances that might be present in store-bought crickets.

Cons:

1. Initial Setup Costs and Ongoing Maintenance Expenses: Setting up a cricket breeding operation requires an upfront investment in containers, substrate, heating elements, and other supplies. Additionally, there are ongoing costs for food, water, and maintaining a clean habitat.
2. Time Commitment and Daily Care Requirements: Breeding crickets involves daily tasks such as feeding, watering, cleaning, and monitoring temperature and humidity levels. This time commitment can be significant, especially if you have a large colony or multiple enclosures.
3. Potential Challenges in Managing Breeding Cycles and Preventing Overcrowding: Successfully breeding crickets requires managing their breeding cycles to ensure a continuous supply without overcrowding. Overcrowding can lead to increased waste, higher mortality rates, and stress within the colony. Managing these challenges requires careful planning and regular attention to the breeding environment.

In summary, breeding crickets offers the benefits of a constant supply, potential cost savings, and control over the crickets' health, but it also demands a significant time commitment, initial investment, and ongoing management. Carefully considering these factors will help you decide if breeding crickets is the right choice for you.

Pros and Cons of Buying Crickets

When deciding whether to buy crickets or breed them yourself, it’s essential to consider the pros and cons of purchasing crickets as needed.

Pros:

1. Convenience of Purchasing Crickets as Needed: Buying crickets from pet stores or online suppliers offers unparalleled convenience. You can simply purchase crickets when you need them, without the time and effort required to breed and maintain a colony. This is particularly beneficial for those with busy schedules or who prefer a hassle-free approach to feeding their pets.
2. No Need for Additional Space or Daily Care Routines: Purchasing crickets eliminates the need for extra space dedicated to breeding and housing crickets. It also removes the daily care routines such as feeding, cleaning, and monitoring the crickets’ environment. This simplicity can be a major advantage for pet owners with limited space or those who prefer a less hands-on approach.
3. Reliable Access to Crickets Without the Responsibility of Breeding: With a reliable supplier, you can have consistent access to crickets without the challenges and responsibilities of breeding. This can be particularly reassuring during periods of high demand or when managing a large number of pets.

Cons:

1. Higher Long-Term Costs, Especially if Purchased in Small Quantities: While buying crickets is convenient, it can be more expensive in the long run, particularly if you purchase them in small quantities. Over time, the cost of regularly buying crickets can add up, making it less economical compared to breeding your own.
2. Potential Issues with Availability, Especially During High-Demand Seasons: Crickets can sometimes be difficult to source during high-demand periods or if there are supply chain disruptions. This can lead to shortages or delays, potentially disrupting your pet’s feeding schedule.
3. Limited Control Over the Health and Quality of the Purchased Crickets: When buying crickets, you have limited control over their health and nutrition. Store-bought crickets might have been exposed to pesticides, poor diet, or suboptimal living conditions, which can affect their quality as feeder insects. This lack of control can be a concern for pet owners who want to ensure the best possible nutrition for their pets.

In conclusion, while buying crickets offers convenience and simplicity, it comes with higher long-term costs, potential availability issues, and limited control over the quality of the crickets. Weighing these factors against the pros and cons of breeding your own crickets will help you decide the best approach for your situation.

Additional Resources

• Video: "How to Breed Crickets" - YouTube video by The Critter Depot Link
• Article: "Breeding Crickets: The Never-Ending Saga" - The Critter Depot Link