How much do you usually pay?

[silkiechicken]

My guess is 95% of cost is packaging, handling, and shelf space. It always does seem so expensive for bugs to me. A quarter a cricket. I guess with pet store bugs though, you should have a bit of peace of mind knowing they aren't carrying little nasties which wild caught ones could be carrying.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Unless they are fed dog food. Then you end up with dead reptiles.

I lost 13 baby beardies that way and at $200 a piece...

Do the math on that!

 

[VaM715]

I'm not into reptiles, but what does the dogfood do to the crickets to kill the reptiles?

 

[AussieSharon]

8 cents for small crickets
12 for large

Pet store in Virginia

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Wow. The more I hear the prices the more I see how expensive bugs are getting. Though as silkiechicken said it is much safer than wild caught. Also that sounds about right how most of the cost is packaging and handling but I never thought of shelf space. I forgot some places charge companies to have products in the most desired spots.

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Quote:
Geez! I feed mine on fish food flakes. That is what other cricket keepers sugguested so I've been feeding them flakes from day one.... is that okay or does this create problems for reptiles? Last thing I want to do is sell these crickets and find out I killed people's pets.

 

[KellyGwen]

I used to "make my own" mealworms and I'd sell a few on the side (at reptile shows, etc)... Chinese or Italian takeout places are a great resource for "cheap" (read: free) cups for 50 mealies... they usually have them on the counter for sauces and things...

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
Geez! I feed mine on fish food flakes. That is what other cricket keepers sugguested so I've been feeding them flakes from day one.... is that okay or does this create problems for reptiles? Last thing I want to do is sell these crickets and find out I killed people's pets.

i think its something with the red coloring in the dogfood from what i heard. Thats why i stopped feeding my rats red dog/cat food. I raised them o a 1/3 human grade dogfood, 1/3 guinea pig pellets and 1/3 wild bird seeds

 

[KellyGwen]

Oh, btw... I was reading about the dead reptiles... be sure that if you use cricket water (that gel stuff) that none of it is stuck to your crickets or your mealies... especially dried crystals... it'll expand when it hits water.. like in a reptiles stomach... and kill them... (probably wouldn't hurt a chicken.. but I lost a few TINY baby beardies that way... I used to "make" those too haha)

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Thanks for the tip I use FLukers gel for my crickets.