Crickets are common insects found across the globe, inhabiting diverse environments from fields to forests. These adaptable creatures are classified as omnivores, meaning their diet naturally includes both plant and animal matter. This broad dietary range allows them to thrive in various habitats, consuming whatever food sources are available to them.
Wild Cricket Diet
Crickets consume a wide array of food, mainly plant matter. They feast on tender plants, including grasses, leaves, flowers, seeds, and various fruits and vegetables. Their strong mandibles enable them to chew through tough plant fibers, making gardens and crops potential targets when populations are large.
Crickets also act as scavengers, consuming decaying organic matter like dead plants, fungi, and fallen fruits. Beyond plant-based foods, wild crickets supplement their diet with animal matter, such as small insects, insect larvae, aphids, and even carrion.
Feeding Crickets in Captivity
Providing a balanced diet is important for crickets kept in captivity, whether for pets, bait, or as feeder insects. Commercial cricket foods are readily available and often contain a blend of grains, protein sources, and vitamins to meet their nutritional needs. These formulated diets ensure crickets receive adequate nourishment, which is particularly important for “gut-loading” feeder insects to transfer nutrients to the animals consuming them.
Supplementing commercial food with fresh produce offers additional nutrients and variety. Suitable options include:
Apples
Oranges
Carrots
Potatoes
Squash
Leafy greens (romaine, kale, or collard greens)
Grains like alfalfa, wheat germ, or rice cereal can also be provided. These fresh foods also contribute to the crickets’ hydration.
Crickets in captivity need adequate hydration, as they can dehydrate quickly. While water dishes can be used, it is important to provide a method that prevents drowning, such as water crystals, a shallow dish with a sponge, or cotton balls. Ensuring consistent access to clean food and water is important for their health and survival.
Foods to Avoid
Certain foods should not be given to crickets, especially those intended for consumption by other animals, due to potential harm or lack of nutritional value. Processed foods, including many human snacks, often contain ingredients that are not beneficial for crickets. These items may lack the necessary nutrients or contain additives that could be detrimental to their health.
Dairy products and overly sugary items should also be avoided. Crickets are not adapted to digest dairy, and excessive sugar can lead to health issues. While small amounts of some fruits are acceptable, large quantities of acidic fruits like citrus can be problematic.
It is important to avoid feeding crickets anything treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Such contaminants can accumulate in the crickets’ bodies and potentially transfer to the animals that consume them, posing health risks. Always ensure that any fresh produce offered is clean and free from harmful residues.