How to keep feeder crickets?

[Sunny Side Up]

I just bought my middle son the leopard gecko he has been asking to have for his birthday. We also brought home 25 live crickets that I hope will last the week to feed the gecko. What is the best way to keep them alive & well all week? There was a pricey cricket-keeper sold at the pet store, but it looked much like a regular plastic critter keeper with the addition of a few tubes. I didn't think it justified the $20 price tag. I have the crickets in a plain plastic critter keeper. What else do they need to keep them alive & well until they're fed to the gecko?

 

[equine623]

A piece of sponge that you keep wet to give them moisture (they will often drown in a dish but do need water)
A piece of sweet potato and/or carrot will give them food. Gut loaded crickets provide better nutrition to the gecko. Actually it is amusing what they can and will eat. Stick with nutritious things, greens, whole grain bread, veggies....some apple if you feel like spoiling them.

Happy food is healthy food

And they really are just food!

Also some pieces of egg carton for them to hide in and under will be much appreciated.

On a side note...make sure the crickets are sized appropriately for the gecko and realize that lizards can eat voraciously so 25 may not last a week.

 

[Epona142]

I bought a plastic rubbermaid box from walmart. Cut a whole in the lid and taped window screen over it. For fresh air you know.

Put in egg cartons, cricket food, and cricket gel. Sponges work okay but get NASTY fast

Sometimes fruit, though you have to get rid of it before it stinks.

Put in a toilet paper roll for when you need some crickets.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

After I posted my question I did an online search (you see, I check with my BYC buds before I check Google

) and found this http://www.nyworms.com/ccare.htm I already have a large plastic "critter keeper", a clear plastic container with a vented snap-on lid. So I put the crickets in there with some cardboard egg cartons, a jar lid with a damp sponge in it, and borrowed a handful of rabbit chow from our bunny. I was surprised to see the crickets carrying away large pieces of the chow, they're going to be as entertaining as the gecko! The next time I go to the grocery I plan to get some dry cat food (my feeder mice can also enjoy this) and mix up a bit with the powdered milk & powdered calcium we already bought for the gecko.

We'll remember to be diligent to rinse & refresh the sponge daily so it won't get funky. What is the paper towel tube used for? This is making me wonder why those special cricket keeper containers cost so much in the store, they don't seem that difficult to house.

My son is delighted with his new pet. He had already chosen the name "Reggie" for his gecko, and had assumed it would be a "he". But in the excitement of finally getting his gecko from the store we neglected to check the sex. They just had 2 to choose from, and they said the one who had most recently shed would be the best one for a beginner to have. After we were home we remembered to look at the sex, and found that Reggie is a SHE. I think my son was slightly disappointed, but had decided to keep the name the same. I don't know if temperment follows sex in geckos, but perhaps it's best that Reggie is a female, because she has a lovely docile temperment and tolerates handling well.

 

[Epona142]

The tube is to get crickets. They crawl inside the tube and you can pick it up and shakes out some crickets for the gecko.

I hated keeping large amounts of crickets...they stink. Lol.

Of course if you're only buying a small amount at a time you should be okay. I was buying several thousand at a time.