What Can I Feed Crickets?

[AKFROG]

I want to know if I can feed crickets the following: apples, romaine lettuce, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, tropical fish food, uncooked oats and hard boiled egg yolk. The crickets will be fed to a Horned Frog.

[mpmistr]

I would think all of the above would be acceptable. I am not sure if crickets will eat potatoes though, unless they're irish crickets.

[michael1846]

I would like to know this also. (mostly the fish food) Can crickets live only of fish food to ''gut load them'' ~michael

[AKFROG]

Thanks Michael for the quick reply. What is the frog in the picture?

[michael1846]

The crickets would be fed to a Pac man frog. ~Michael

[mpmistr]

Thanks Michael for the quick reply. What is the frog in the picture?

My forum avatar? That would be my main hombre Dolan the african clawed frog, the worm destroyer.

[Ash]

The crickets should pretty much eat most of what you offer (not sure about egg yolk) we feed our crickets and other Feeder Insects an All Natural diet consisting of grains that are moderately enriched with calcium and protein along with digestive enzymes and beneficial bacteria. We also offer fresh produce daily and they seem to prefer the fresh produce. This way we keep them gutloaded at All times. I recommend feeding a more varied diet than fish food "only" if you want a proper gutload.

[Tongue Flicker]

You could skip the potatoes though

[Ash]

"You could skip the potatoes though" Funny I meant to say the same thing sweet potatoes are more nutritious.

[petepann]

"You could skip the potatoes though" Funny I meant to say the same thing sweet potatoes are more nutritious.

No potatoes? I remember years ago in Alabama, we would buy crickets from from bait stores for fishing and potatoes were the only thing I have ever seen "breeders" use. The raw, sliced potatoes would be absolutely covered in crickets feasting upon them. Of course I am sure there are other foods crickets eat but potatoes seemed to be the marketers choice to feed them and the crickets were crawling over one another to get to an open feeding spot.

[Ash]

As for white potatoes, commercial retailers as well as producers of Feeder Insects like crickets and Roaches are notorious for feeding what is cheap to the crickets. This is why these crickets are often diseased underfed and they die to soon before you can fully use them. We got tired of buying crickets and feeders from large commercial dealers or so called Pet "Superstores" that died too soon and we decided to become a smaller successful not so "commercial" breeder of feeder insects.

We take pride in NOT feeding solely on potatoes or cheap corn based feed to our crickets roaches and other feeders. We start them on a protein and calcium modified grain and move them to Natural Produce fruits and veggies, supplying a fuller nutrient profile and giving a constant Gutload to your Feeder insects that you simply maintain before feeding to your pets. Feeder Insects that are Pre-Gutloaded are better for your frogs and other pets.

Nothing wrong with potatoes they are ok just not very nutrient dense like cheap corn products. We usually ship our feeders with potatoes however because of the moisture content for the trip rather than for the nutrients. Any animal fed solely potatoes will not thrive As is the case of many foods, variety should be the key.. You can certainly feed them once in a while just don't make a staple or intermittently use sweet potatoes with a higher nutrient profile

[Tongue Flicker]

Potatoes tend to be starchy. Other than carbs, potassium and moisture your feeders will benefit more from eating other nutritious veggies.

Potatoes also induce mold growth faster than most veggies & fruits. Feeding even a little mold (fungi) to crickets causes their bodies to produce aflatoxin which is dangerous to most animals. Remember that potatoes belong to the family Solanaceae which also includes dangerous members like the deadly nightshade, beladonnas, tobacco, mandragoras and chili pepper and thus contain the alkaloid solanine in amounts depending to its condition. Why take the risk when the options are far greater?

@pete: you've also mentioned that those were seen 'years' ago when people cared less about their feeder's health and less research has been done and experienced. You also mentioned you've seen those crickets in a 'bait' shop which would imply they were used more for the purpose of baiting than for regular feeder use.

[petepann]

Excellent info! I learn something new everyday even after 40. Knowledge is awesome.

[Tongue Flicker]

I learned the toxin thing from a sugar glider forum lol.. They had an incident were a glider got sick from eating crickets feeding upon a few hours dried potato slices. Vet result came out positive from aflatoxin and not even solanine poisoning as most have thought

[petepann]

Well I suppose this would be a perfect example of what all the cool kids call "paying it forward". You taught me something useful for sure. I learn new things with every visit to this site.

[flybyferns]

This may help you get started:

http://www.frogforum.net/food-feeder...cket-food.html

http://www.frogforum.net/food-feeder...-crickets.html

[maxQ]

I disagree about the "not" using the potato thing a few people mentioned, I use potato's and many of your large breeders use them also

[JeffreH]

Gary - You will find through the postings that the general consensus was that Potatoes are "okay" and can still be fed, but there are superior options. Regardless, the more variety you can provide the better. Every food items has trade-offs; pros and cons. The more variety you can provide to your feeders the more benefits your herps can reap from them.

A useful link for taking a quick peek at relative nutritional values of common greens, veggies, fruits, and insects:
Nutrition Content
(Avoid feeding anything in RED to your feeders as well)

Solanine is probably not a major concern in most fruits of Solanum plants. In potatoes, the alleochemical is primarily allocated in areas that will be directly attacked by phytophagous insects (i.e. the leaves, stems, etc.) and this is why it is imperative that we do not feed things like wild-caught hornhorms who feed on the plant itself. The potato by itself should not contain too much of the toxin unless exposed to air, in which case the skin of the potato will start to green as the plant up-regulates production of the toxin around surface of the fruit to deter enemies. So, fresh potatoes should be fine on occasion... especially if peeled.

Aflatoxins can be produced from other common food sources other than potatoes, too. Aspergillus spp. are sometimes incorporated in normal dog and cat kibbles... so moldy dry gutload can also result in production of myotoxins.

Moral of the study: feed a variety of fresh food items whenever possible =)