CRICKETS (Acheta domesticus)
To guarantee that your crickets remain in their utmost condition after delivery, please follow these steps.
Prior to the delivery of your crickets, prepare for their arrival. Set up an enclosure in which your crickets will be housed. Have the food and water sources your crickets require prepared ahead of time and ready to be placed in their enclosure upon their arrival. Make sure that someone will be present at the time of delivery to accept and properly care for the crickets.Crickets require a large, spacious, well-ventilated, clean enclosure. A 24 inch (60.96 cm) deep, 73 qt, clear plastic, Sterilite® container - - that has been washed with hot water to remove the plastic scum and dried - - will make the perfect enclosure for 1,000 crickets of any size.
To prevent cannibalism, only crickets of the same size can be housed together (e.g. ¼ inch (6.35 mm) crickets with ¼ inch (6.35 mm) crickets and ¾ (1.91 cm) crickets with ¾ (1.91 cm) crickets). Crickets are unable to scale the smooth, plastic walls of the enclosure. A framed, metal-mesh, insect-screen can be placed directly on top of the enclosure to permit for excellent ventilation and to prevent escape and the entrance of any foreign objects into the enclosure. Place the cricket enclosure in a dry, inside location that is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 and 29.4 degrees Celsius) and free from any drafts, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and pests. The temperature within the enclosure should remain between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (26.7 and 35 degrees Celsius). For 1 week old and 2 weeks old crickets, maintain temperatures between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 and 35 degrees Celsius).
Large quantities of clean, fresh food and water must be provided and accessible to crickets at all times for they have voracious appetites and will quickly eat each other if there is no access to food. Freshly quartered oranges, apples, or coarsely chopped kale are the perfect water source for 2 week through 6 week old crickets. In addition to the oranges, apples, or kale, 1 week old crickets must be provided with a damp, clean, folded piece of paper towel.
Baby cereal and ground oat meal (with no added flavors) are excellent food sources for crickets. Commercially produced and marketed cricket water gels and diets can also be offered to crickets as water and food sources.Crickets are packed and shipped in cardboard boxes containing cardboard partitions and egg crates. When your crickets are delivered, immediately bring them inside and transfer them into their prepared enclosure by opening the top of the shipping box using a knife or razor blade to cut the tape along its top, and gently pulling open all of the top flaps. Once opened, flip the cricket box upside down directly over the cricket enclosure and smack the bottom of the box with the palm of your hand to release the crickets, partitions and egg crates into the enclosure. Be sure to pull-up the box’s inside-bottom flaps to ensure that all of the crickets have been removed from the box. The crickets will not be harmed by the smacking and shaking of the box, nor by their drop into the enclosure.
Once all the crickets, partitions, and egg crates, have been transferred into the cricket enclosure, set the box aside and shake each cardboard partition and egg crate within the enclosure to remove any crickets. Once shaken, place the cardboard partitions and eggs crates outside the cricket enclosure. Then tip, tap, and shake the cricket enclosure so that all of the crickets will be forced to one end of the cricket enclosure. Lay the enclosure flat and reintroduce the cardboard partitions and egg crates to the opposite end, stacking them on the floor in the same manner as they were stacked within the cricket shipping box (i.e. egg crate – partition – egg crate – partition – egg crate). Allow the crickets a couple of minutes to move to the stacked cardboard partitions and egg crates. As the crickets move away from the end of the enclosure they were forced to, remove any waste materials that may be present (i.e. dead crickets, cricket exoskeletons, cricket feces, and/or uneaten potato), and dispose of them along with the empty shipping box that has been set aside.
At the empty end of the enclosure, place the water and food sources for the crickets, side-by-side and directly on the floor. This includes the damp, clean paper towel for 1 week old crickets. Quartered oranges or apples should be placed peel-side down. Replace the water and food sources daily, when they run-out, or when conditions become unsanitary.
Crickets require excellent ventilation throughout the enclosure; therefore, do not cover the top of the cricket enclosure with anything other than a framed, metal-mesh insect screen, which will prevent crickets from escaping or foreign objects from entering.
Place the cricket enclosure on a flat surface in an inside location that is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 and 29.4 degrees Celsius), and that is free from draft, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and/or pests. The temperature within the enclosure should remain between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (26.7 and 35 degrees Celsius) for most crickets and between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 and 35 degrees Celsius) for 1-2 week old crickets.
The daily removal of any dead crickets, cricket exoskeletons, cricket feces, leftover water and food will reduce the presence and growth of mold, bacteria, pests and pathogens, all of which are detrimental to the health of crickets. In addition to this daily removal of waste the enclosure must be washed with hot water and an antibacterial soap (e.g. Liquid Dial® Soap) weekly or when conditions become unsanitary. It is imperative that the washed enclosure be free from soap residue and thoroughly dry before any crickets are reintroduced.
Crickets will become dormant in cold temperatures; therefore, when crickets are delivered in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), immediately bring the crickets inside and place the unopened box of crickets directly next to a constant heat source of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) in an area that is free from draft, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and/or pests. Allow the crickets to warm up in the unopened box for 3 hours. After 3 hours, open the top of the cricket box by cutting the tape along the top of the box, and pulling open all four of the box’s top flaps. If all crickets are completely active (i.e. the crickets are jumping and climbing around the inside of the box) the crickets can be transferred to their housing container as described in step #4. If after 3 hours of having been allowed to warm up, all crickets are not completely active (i.e. the crickets are moving slowly, are motionless, or appear dead, lying on their backs), close and re-tape the box and return it to the heat source where the crickets can warm up directly beside it for another 3 hours. Repeat the warm-up process until all of the crickets have become completely active, which may take up to 24 hours.
The cricket shipping box is constructed for the transportation of crickets rather than the housing of crickets. Upon being packed within the shipping box, crickets will immediately attempt to escape by looking for any openings or creating their own by chewing through the walls of the box. Crickets will also quickly cannibalize each other once they have consumed any water and food source provided. It is for these reasons that crickets should not be housed within their shipping box but rather transferred to a cricket enclosure. If they are to be housed within their shipping box, it is imperative it be done for the shortest period of time possible and that the crickets are kept in a well ventilated, dry, inside location that is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 and 29.4 degrees Celsius) and free from draft, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and/or pests. It is also imperative that the crickets be provided with fresh, clean water and food sources on a daily basis. A quartered potato or apple works well for their hardness prevents them from turning to mush and they are resistant to mold and bacteria growth. To provide the boxed crickets with the fresh, clean water and food sources, place the cricket box on a flat surface and open the top of the cricket box, using a knife or razor blade to cut the tape along the top of the box, and gently pull open all of the box’s top flaps. Once the top of the cricket box has been opened, quickly remove and discard any uneaten food within the box’s inside corner cavity and replace it with the water and food source. Quickly close and re-tape the box and return it to its original location.
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CRICKETS (Acheta domesticus)
To guarantee that your crickets remain in their utmost condition after delivery, please follow these steps.
Prior to the delivery of your crickets, prepare for their arrival. Set up an enclosure in which your crickets will be housed. Have the food and water sources your crickets require prepared ahead of time and ready to be placed in their enclosure upon their arrival. Make sure that someone will be present at the time of delivery to accept and properly care for the crickets.Crickets require a large, spacious, well-ventilated, clean enclosure. A 24 inch (60.96 cm) deep, 73 qt, clear plastic, Sterilite® container - - that has been washed with hot water to remove the plastic scum and dried - - will make the perfect enclosure for 1,000 crickets of any size.
To prevent cannibalism, only crickets of the same size can be housed together (e.g. ¼ inch (6.35 mm) crickets with ¼ inch (6.35 mm) crickets and ¾ (1.91 cm) crickets with ¾ (1.91 cm) crickets). Crickets are unable to scale the smooth, plastic walls of the enclosure. A framed, metal-mesh, insect-screen can be placed directly on top of the enclosure to permit for excellent ventilation and to prevent escape and the entrance of any foreign objects into the enclosure. Place the cricket enclosure in a dry, inside location that is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 and 29.4 degrees Celsius) and free from any drafts, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and pests. The temperature within the enclosure should remain between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (26.7 and 35 degrees Celsius). For 1 week old and 2 weeks old crickets, maintain temperatures between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 and 35 degrees Celsius).
Large quantities of clean, fresh food and water must be provided and accessible to crickets at all times for they have voracious appetites and will quickly eat each other if there is no access to food. Freshly quartered oranges, apples, or coarsely chopped kale are the perfect water source for 2 week through 6 week old crickets. In addition to the oranges, apples, or kale, 1 week old crickets must be provided with a damp, clean, folded piece of paper towel.
Baby cereal and ground oat meal (with no added flavors) are excellent food sources for crickets. Commercially produced and marketed cricket water gels and diets can also be offered to crickets as water and food sources.Crickets are packed and shipped in cardboard boxes containing cardboard partitions and egg crates. When your crickets are delivered, immediately bring them inside and transfer them into their prepared enclosure by opening the top of the shipping box using a knife or razor blade to cut the tape along its top, and gently pulling open all of the top flaps. Once opened, flip the cricket box upside down directly over the cricket enclosure and smack the bottom of the box with the palm of your hand to release the crickets, partitions and egg crates into the enclosure. Be sure to pull-up the box’s inside-bottom flaps to ensure that all of the crickets have been removed from the box. The crickets will not be harmed by the smacking and shaking of the box, nor by their drop into the enclosure.
Once all the crickets, partitions, and egg crates, have been transferred into the cricket enclosure, set the box aside and shake each cardboard partition and egg crate within the enclosure to remove any crickets. Once shaken, place the cardboard partitions and eggs crates outside the cricket enclosure. Then tip, tap, and shake the cricket enclosure so that all of the crickets will be forced to one end of the cricket enclosure. Lay the enclosure flat and reintroduce the cardboard partitions and egg crates to the opposite end, stacking them on the floor in the same manner as they were stacked within the cricket shipping box (i.e. egg crate – partition – egg crate – partition – egg crate). Allow the crickets a couple of minutes to move to the stacked cardboard partitions and egg crates. As the crickets move away from the end of the enclosure they were forced to, remove any waste materials that may be present (i.e. dead crickets, cricket exoskeletons, cricket feces, and/or uneaten potato), and dispose of them along with the empty shipping box that has been set aside.
Crickets require excellent ventilation throughout the enclosure; therefore, do not cover the top of the cricket enclosure with anything other than a framed, metal-mesh insect screen, which will prevent crickets from escaping or foreign objects from entering.
Place the cricket enclosure on a flat surface in an inside location that is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 and 29.4 degrees Celsius), and that is free from draft, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and/or pests. The temperature within the enclosure should remain between 80 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (26.7 and 35 degrees Celsius) for most crickets and between 90 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 and 35 degrees Celsius) for 1-2 week old crickets.
The daily removal of any dead crickets, cricket exoskeletons, cricket feces, leftover water and food will reduce the presence and growth of mold, bacteria, pests and pathogens, all of which are detrimental to the health of crickets. In addition to this daily removal of waste the enclosure must be washed with hot water and an antibacterial soap (e.g. Liquid Dial® Soap) weekly or when conditions become unsanitary. It is imperative that the washed enclosure be free from soap residue and thoroughly dry before any crickets are reintroduced.
Crickets will become dormant in cold temperatures; therefore, when crickets are delivered in temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), immediately bring the crickets inside and place the unopened box of crickets directly next to a constant heat source of 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.2 degrees Celsius) in an area that is free from draft, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and/or pests. Allow the crickets to warm up in the unopened box for 3 hours. After 3 hours, open the top of the cricket box by cutting the tape along the top of the box, and pulling open all four of the box’s top flaps. If all crickets are completely active (i.e. the crickets are jumping and climbing around the inside of the box) the crickets can be transferred to their housing container as described in step #4. If after 3 hours of having been allowed to warm up, all crickets are not completely active (i.e. the crickets are moving slowly, are motionless, or appear dead, lying on their backs), close and re-tape the box and return it to the heat source where the crickets can warm up directly beside it for another 3 hours. Repeat the warm-up process until all of the crickets have become completely active, which may take up to 24 hours.
The cricket shipping box is constructed for the transportation of crickets rather than the housing of crickets. Upon being packed within the shipping box, crickets will immediately attempt to escape by looking for any openings or creating their own by chewing through the walls of the box. Crickets will also quickly cannibalize each other once they have consumed any water and food source provided. It is for these reasons that crickets should not be housed within their shipping box but rather transferred to a cricket enclosure. If they are to be housed within their shipping box, it is imperative it be done for the shortest period of time possible and that the crickets are kept in a well ventilated, dry, inside location that is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 and 29.4 degrees Celsius) and free from draft, direct sunlight, pesticides, fumes, smoke, and/or pests. It is also imperative that the crickets be provided with fresh, clean water and food sources on a daily basis. A quartered potato or apple works well for their hardness prevents them from turning to mush and they are resistant to mold and bacteria growth. To provide the boxed crickets with the fresh, clean water and food sources, place the cricket box on a flat surface and open the top of the cricket box, using a knife or razor blade to cut the tape along the top of the box, and gently pull open all of the box’s top flaps. Once the top of the cricket box has been opened, quickly remove and discard any uneaten food within the box’s inside corner cavity and replace it with the water and food source. Quickly close and re-tape the box and return it to its original location.