# how do you keep you livefood? i.e crickets



## XxLauraxX (Apr 17, 2012)

where and how do you keep your geckos livefood i.e crickets? Do you just keep them in the tubs you buy them in or do you give them their own set up? I saw an exo terra cricket pen large Exo Terra Cricket Pen Large - Surrey Pet Supplies is that any good?

and is this worth buying Beaphar Cricket Food 240g - Surrey Pet Supplies or is it cheaper and better to supply your own food to the crickets as well as water Beaphar Cricket Water 480g - Surrey Pet Supplies

Could you send me some piccys of you livefoods enclosures so i know whats the best way to care for them :2thumb:


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

I use a large cricket keeper which is simular to the exo terra pen. You can do exactly the same sort of thing with a RUB and cardboard tubes though and it'll save you money.

I give mine a mixture of veg, dry cat biscuits or fish food, oats and cornflakes. I also supply mine with a flavour of Crested Gecko Diet that none of the geckos will eat. I supplement the crickets food as well.


----------



## codyman70 (Dec 3, 2009)

I keep my crickets in a large kricket keeper.you can buy one online for under 20 pounds.I can keep 500 in it.they last for about a month till they all get eaten obviously.I give them plenty of bug grub,fresh carrots and vegetables and lots of bug gel to drink.they seem to thrive untill I feed them to my lizards and spider of course.


----------



## davylad36 (Dec 16, 2010)

i have a medium sized plastic tub with a few little holes drilled in the top, i have a kitchen towel on the floor and have egg cartons in there, i have a small milk carton top i fill about 1/4 with water and put half an apple in with them, its alot cheaper and they still last ages!


----------



## switchback (Nov 25, 2011)

I suppose it depends how many lizards you own....i have 1 chameleon, so i buy 3 tubs of locusts and keep them in the tubs they are bought in. Gutload them and feed...throw the box away nice and easy....
Obvioulsy if you have many like alot of people on here do,they set up their own colonies....
Best bet is to check the feeder section on the forums there are some good stickies on there with pics and advice ect...

Hope this helps


----------



## PrincessRiot (Apr 26, 2012)

Crickets in cricket keeper

Meal worms in a smaller cricket keeper when they are being 'defrosted' and tub when there refrigerated


----------



## XxLauraxX (Apr 17, 2012)

its only for 2 leopard gecko's but i wasn' sure whether they need supplementing or not with the cricket food and whether the bug jel/water is worth getting or whether giving them a shallow dish of water is good enough? I'll have a look in the feeder section, didnt think of looking in there thanks! 

I will probs set up my own lil enclosure up for them as i feel the tubs u get them in are a bit small and add some tubes and cardboard for them to hide under etc..


----------



## davylad36 (Dec 16, 2010)

as long as its not to deep that they will drown in it, i only litterally put a drop or 2 in and refill it everyday:2thumb:


----------



## PrincessRiot (Apr 26, 2012)

We use bug grub and and apple slice they can get the water from the apple and the bug grub is a mixture of nutrients  we tried water but it just ended up with bugs sitting in it or it getting spilt


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

XxLauraxX said:


> its only for 2 leopard gecko's but i wasn' sure whether they need supplementing or not with the cricket food and whether the bug jel/water is worth getting or whether giving them a shallow dish of water is good enough? I'll have a look in the feeder section, didnt think of looking in there thanks!
> 
> I will probs set up my own lil enclosure up for them as i feel the tubs u get them in are a bit small and add some tubes and cardboard for them to hide under etc..


Whether you're feeding 1 or 50 you'll need to gutload them before feeding them to the geckos. I personally don't use the bug grub and there's plenty of stuff at home to gutload them with, veg pealing work great too! I tend to just spray the food with water rather than directly giving them water.


----------



## XxLauraxX (Apr 17, 2012)

i just didnt know whether to buy some bug grub and give them fresh food aswell? and ooh spraying might be a good idea would that work? or i may just supply them with some fresh apple


----------



## PrincessRiot (Apr 26, 2012)

XxLauraxX said:


> i just didnt know whether to buy some bug grub and give them fresh food aswell? and ooh spraying might be a good idea would that work? or i may just supply them with some fresh apple


Bug grub is reasonably cheap swell lasts ages  x


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

XxLauraxX said:


> i just didnt know whether to buy some bug grub and give them fresh food aswell? and ooh spraying might be a good idea would that work? or i may just supply them with some fresh apple


I personally wouldn't bother with the bug grub, I'd be more inclined to just use the gel if anything. I'm not sure whats in the bug grub but if you have nothing protein wise for the crixs then it might be worth getting some. 

I find spraying the fresh food works well. I wouldn't use a water bowl unless very very shallow.


----------



## codyman70 (Dec 3, 2009)

Don't spray them.if the place they live is to moist they die.they naturally live in dry arrid regions.just give them some bug gel or cotton wool that is wet.or if you give them lots of fresh carrot they can get moisture from that.


----------



## kelsey7692 (Jul 28, 2010)

I don't directly spray the livefood, just the fresh food I give them. Never had any issues doing it that way.


----------



## XxLauraxX (Apr 17, 2012)

ok thanks for the advice :2thumb: i will probably just either spray their food a little bit with water or supply them with some apple or carrot so they can get moisture that way

Im just a bit stuck on the feeding because if you give them fresh food yourself how do you know your giving them a balanced and complete diet as with the cricket food it says:


''A nutritionally balanced food for crickets and other 
feeder insects.
Beaphar Cricket Food is a hygienic, nutritionally
balanced food with the added advantage that the 
insects cannot drown. 
Suitable for crickets and all other feeder insects. ''


----------



## codyman70 (Dec 3, 2009)

I buy a kilo of bug grub from livefood.uk for around 6 pounds and also give them fresh vegtables.they love peas and go mental for them.I've caused a few fights putting peas in.its hilarious.


----------



## PrincessRiot (Apr 26, 2012)

codyman70 said:


> I buy a kilo of bug grub from livefood.uk for around 6 pounds and also give them fresh vegtables.they love peas and go mental for them.I've caused a few fights putting peas in.its hilarious.


Fresh or defrosted frozen peas? x


----------



## codyman70 (Dec 3, 2009)

Just defrosted peas.they go aff their nut for them.


----------



## XxLauraxX (Apr 17, 2012)

thanks!! will have to try the peas lol i can imagine it being quite amusing watching them arguing over some peas but hey small things please small minds :lol2:


----------



## codyman70 (Dec 3, 2009)

That's why it makes me happy.lol.


----------



## niccky (Apr 16, 2012)

i have put my crickets in a cricket home i have my locusts in an insect box, my roaches are in big tubs but they are breading colonies.

as for the others i found some lidded tubs in my local pound store drilled some holes and keep the wormy ones in those.

add bits of veg and the water gel stuff to stop them drowning.

they last well and are growing happily. 

alot cheaper than buying little tubs every week and last a good length of time

i am feeding 2 beardies a gecko and a baby bosc tho so worth buying more for me


----------



## XxLauraxX (Apr 17, 2012)

i found this ProRep Livefood Care Kit Small - Surrey Pet Supplies you can get a large or small one do you think thats quite good value for money as you get

•Tank with Livefood Dispenser (similar to Kricket Keeper)
•ProRep Bug Grub
•ProRep Bug Gel
•ProRep Calci Dust calcium supplement
•Plastic tongs
•Dish for bug gel
•Full instructions

i guess i would need the small one as that holds 2 tubs of bugs and i will only have 2 leopard geckos which costs £8.82

What you think??


----------



## Dan Trafford (Mar 10, 2011)

I do the same as Kelsey except I only have one animal like the other guy so mine stay in the tub. Plenty of greens including grass and dandelion leaves from the garden (where I know there are no pesticides), veg peelings etc and they are all washed before they go in the tubs so there's a bit of water on them, no problems. They grow fast!


----------



## Iwantone (Dec 2, 2010)

I only keep my hoppers in a small faunarium and the roaches in a tub as I have so many different sizes of crickets for my reptiles. I also found the crickets escape from the Kricket Keepers. My crickets range from micro to size 4/5. I clean out the tubs every week and change the egg carton when needed. They get a dry gutload and a wet gutload. 

The dry gutload consists of alfalfa, kelp, dried shredded dandelion leaves, sunflower seeds, sesame seed, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and blueberries, seaweed, hemp seed, bee pollen, spirulina, brewers yeast, almonds, dried coconut, millet, poppy seeds and ginger powder. This is all ground up and stored in an airtight plastic container to make a dry gutload that will last for ages. 

For the wet gutload I use butternut squash, sweet potato, carrot, rocket and occasional apple or orange


----------

