How to Breed and Care for a Cricket

People raise crickets for fun, food, and profit.

Some people raise crickets as pets in cultures where the cricket is considered "lucky." Many more people raise crickets for their pet reptiles to consume. Some people even raise crickets for their own consumption. No matter why you want to raise crickets, it is a fairly simple process with only a few rules. Setting up a home, caring for, and breeding crickets takes a bit of time and the right materials.

Things You'll Need

• Lidded aquarium
• Brick
• Corn meal
• Egg carton
• Knife
• Jar lid
• Cotton balls
• Paper towel
• Water
• Assorted vegetables
• 15 crickets

Instructions

1. Place the aquarium in a secure location away from regular foot traffic. Cover the bottom of the tank with a thin layer of corn meal. Set the thermostat in the room where the crickets will live to 72 degrees F.

2. Cut the egg carton into four pieces and place the pieces into the tank to give the crickets a place to hide. Place the jar lid upside down in the aquarium.

3. Wet the paper towel, wring it out, and place it in the tank to give the crickets a place to lay their little yellow eggs. Wet three cotton balls and place them inside the jar lid to provide a water source.

4. Chop a couple of vegetables into 1/4-inch cubes and spread a handful of the cubes around the aquarium. Place the crickets into the tank and close the lid immediately. Place the brick onto the lid to prevent the crickets from escaping into your home.

5. Remove the crickets from the tank to replace the corn meal and clean the entire aquarium every two weeks. Replace the cotton balls daily. Keep the nursery paper towel damp at all times.

Tips & Warnings

• It takes approximately 10 days for cricket eggs to hatch.

• Crickets will make a lot of noise and can produce a bad odor.

References

• The Lizard Lounge: Cricket Care Sheet
• Anapsid: Breeding and Raising the House Cricket