How to Keep a Cricket As a Pet

Crickets are nature's choir singers. The male variety produces chirping from rubbing his forewing against his hind leg. If you enjoy these nighttime serenades, consider keeping a cricket as a pet. They are fairly easy to care for, take up little space, and can provide countless hours of uninterupted chirping, to help you drift off to sleep. Follow these guidelines to set up house for your pet cricket and ensure he keeps delivering tunes.

Instructions

1. Pour sand, along with a few rocks and twigs, in a small aquarium.

2. Dampen a sponge and place it inside the aquarium. This will hold moisture for the cricket to drink from. If you place water in a dish, the cricket is liable to drown. Clean and re-moisten the sponge as needed. If you have a female cricket, she will likely lay her eggs in the sponge. You may consider using marbles to fill a small drinking dish, to prevent drowning.

   Another water option is to place vegetable greens in the aquarium and spray them with water. The cricket will acquire his water from the leaves, but will also feed on them, so you may have to replenish the greens regularly.

3. Provide a food supply inside of the aquarium. Crickets are not picky and will eat most any fruit or vegetable. Ground pet food, oats and pieces of bread are all good food choices for your insect friend.

4. Place your cricket in the aquarium and cover the top with a small screen.

5. Clean the aquarium at least once per week, to remove old food and excrement.

References

• Keeping crickets
• Breeding crickets