What Do Crickets Eat?



Posted: Friday, January 27, 2006

by Josh Riverside

Crickets are insects that belong to the Order Orthoptera and the Class Insecta. Crickets are an important part of the ecosystem since they help in the breakdown of plant material. They are also an important source of food for other animals like small owls, spiders, birds, mice, shrews, snakes, frogs, raccoons and opossums. There are many species of crickets: house crickets, field crickets, ground crickets, cave crickets, mole crickets, camel crickets, snowy tree cricket and mole crickets.

Crickets are reared and used as bait for fish and as food for some pets. The Chinese also use crickets in medicines. They are popularly used as a sport like cock fights. Crickets are also believed to bring luck. Rearing crickets is very easy since they tend to eat anything. Providing a nutritious diet to the crickets is very important as it helps in breeding. Another reason is that the nutrition from the cricket's diet would be passed on to the pets, which each these crickets.

Crickets are omnivores and feed on almost anything-usually organic materials, plant decay, grass, fruits, seedling plants, fungi and even meat. Crickets need good diet otherwise they tend to feed on each other. Cricket foods are commercially available in the market at feed shops. There are specific brands of cricket feed also. For a few crickets, tropical fish make a good meal though it would be expensive. Rolled oats with fresh fruits and vegetables is an ideal food for crickets. Cornflakes, bread and digestive biscuits can also be given. Crickets also relish fruits like apples, bananas and grapes and vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce and cabbage. Chicken laying mash is also good cricket food and is cost effective for feeding large number of crickets. Some food supplements like alfalfa, calcium supplements and raw vegetable scraps can also be added for additional nutrition. The food can be placed in an open and shallow container that is placed firmly on the ground. This container needs to be cleaned regularly to prevent the formation of mold.

Crickets also need a good supply of water. However, keep the water away from the food to keep the food dry and fresh. Insert cotton swabs into the water vessel to prevent the crickets from drowning. Raising crickets is very easy.

Crickets provides detailed information about crickets, live crickets, mole crickets, cave crickets and more. 
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More comments
» left by chris
from chicago
5 years 276 days ago.
I have a pet cricket, I learned how to care for it using this website. Crickets make great pets for anyone including children!!
» left by Anonymous
5 years 255 days ago.
i had a pet lizard. and i fed it crickets. one cricket got bigger than my lizard. and killed my lizard.
» left by Anonymous
5 years 220 days ago.
the same thing happened to my little brother! he used to eat crickets all the time..and then one day we found a huge cricket in his room picking it's jaws w/my brother's leg... i guess they will eat anything.
» left by Papa Bob from washington D.C 4 years 287 days ago.
nothing i dont get it because it dose not make secne to big of words to read i don't like big words YOUR MEAN I AM NEVER USEING YOUR SITE EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA HA I DON'T LIKE THIS ONE BIT AT ALL!!!! USE SMALLER WORDS THEY ARE NICE!!! ha ha ha
» left by bob from bob 4 years 284 days ago.
arggh THIS IS SOOOO ..........
» left by erika lopez
from arizona
4 years 278 days ago.
ummmm..........kinda helpful cause we could not find what we need'd to know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
» left by panthrogirl
from pa
4 years 246 days ago.
thank you sooo much. i just got a cricket and this gives me all i need to know. thank you again.
» left by Linda
from Texas
4 years 155 days ago.
Yes, it was very helpful. Thank you for sharing information with those of us seeking it. Your article was well written and highly informative.
» left by Sara from ct 3 years 283 days ago.
I never knew they liked water!!!
 
 
 
 
» left by Kayla from Cromwell CT 3 years 283 days ago.
I love crickets they are the best ever in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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