6 Cricket Pens For Sustainable Feeder Insect Housing

Maintaining a healthy feeder insect colony is the unsung backbone of a successful small-scale farm that relies on poultry or reptiles. While it might seem like a simple task of just keeping them in a box, the efficiency of your operation often hinges on how well those crickets are housed. Selecting the right enclosure turns a chore of endless escapes and odors into a seamless part of your daily feeding routine.

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Exo Terra Cricket Pen: Easiest for Dispensing

The Exo Terra Cricket Pen excels for farmers who need speed during hectic morning feedings. Its standout feature is the dual dispensing tubes, which allow for the removal of a small number of crickets without opening the main lid. This design drastically reduces the likelihood of accidental escapes, keeping the colony secure and the environment tidy.

The design prioritizes convenience over absolute capacity, making it perfect for smaller poultry flocks or a few reptile enclosures. Because the tubes are clear, monitoring the remaining cricket count is simple and visual, preventing the annoyance of running out mid-feeding.

Consider this the premium choice for efficiency. If your priority is a “grab-and-go” system that keeps your hands clean and the crickets contained, this is the definitive investment.

Lee’s Kricket Keeper: The Classic Budget Pick

Lee’s Kricket Keeper remains a staple in the hobby farming community because it delivers exactly what is promised without unnecessary bells and whistles. It features a sturdy plastic base with a secure, ventilated lid that offers reliable airflow while preventing the inevitable jumping escapees.

The inclusion of dark, removable dispensing tubes provides crickets with a place to hide, which significantly reduces stress and cannibalism. When it is time to feed, simply pull a tube and shake the contents into the enclosure. It is a straightforward, no-nonsense tool that has stood the test of time.

This keeper is recommended for those starting with small numbers who prefer proven, affordable hardware. It is not an industrial solution, but for someone managing a handful of animals, it hits the perfect balance of price and utility.

Zoo Med Cricket Care: The Best All-in-One Kit

For the hobbyist who prefers a turn-key solution, the Zoo Med Cricket Care kit is an excellent starting point. It ships with a specialized gut-loading food and a water-gelling supplement, ensuring that the crickets are nutritionally dense before they ever reach the livestock.

The enclosure itself is functional, but the true value lies in the provided supplies that eliminate the guesswork of cricket nutrition. It simplifies the setup process by grouping everything needed into one package, saving the time typically spent researching and sourcing individual dietary components.

Purchase this if you are a beginner looking to eliminate trial and error. By bundling nutrition with housing, it guarantees that the crickets are as healthy as possible from day one, which directly improves the health of the animals consuming them.

Fluker’s Cricket Keeper: Great for Small Batches

Fluker’s Cricket Keeper utilizes a vertical design that is highly effective for limited shelf space. The orange tubes serve as both hideaways and extraction points, which keeps the crickets calm and minimizes handling.

This unit is remarkably easy to clean, a vital feature given that crickets produce a significant amount of waste relative to their size. The durable plastic construction withstands daily use, and the lid snaps into place with a satisfying, secure click.

Choose this model if space is at a premium in your farm office or shed. It is a compact, reliable workhorse that treats the crickets humanely while providing a clean, accessible way to manage short-term supplies.

Pro-Kal Breeder Bin: For Serious Colony Needs

The Pro-Kal Breeder Bin is the professional choice for those ready to move past small containers and establish a self-sustaining colony. With a much larger surface area, these bins provide the necessary room for crickets to breed without overcrowding, which is the primary cause of premature colony collapse.

Because these bins are usually sold in bulk, they are perfect for the hobby farmer who wants to scale up production. They lack the built-in dispensing tubes of smaller keepers, requiring the use of egg cartons or similar structures inside for climbing and hiding space.

Invest in these only if you are committed to high-volume production. They are not as convenient for daily dispensing as the smaller keepers, but they offer the best environment for long-term health and reproduction.

DIY Sterilite Bin: The Ultimate Customizable Setup

The DIY approach is the most flexible option for the budget-conscious farmer. By taking a standard storage bin and modifying the lid with fine metal mesh for ventilation, one can create a habitat that is significantly larger than any commercial keeper at a fraction of the cost.

This method allows for the integration of custom humidity controls and multiple levels of egg carton “vertical space.” It is the preferred method for anyone who enjoys tailoring their equipment to specific environmental conditions or larger insect populations.

The primary trade-off is the labor involved in proper ventilation; if the holes are too large, the crickets will find a way out. Choose this path if you possess basic tools and enjoy creating custom solutions for your farm’s unique spatial constraints.

How to Choose the Right Size Cricket Enclosure

• Population density: Crickets require room to move to prevent cannibalism, so ensure the container isn’t packed too tight.
• Access points: Determine if you need rapid dispensing (tubes) or large-scale access (open lids).
• Verticality: Crickets thrive when they have height to climb, so taller bins are often better than wide, shallow ones.
• Environmental fit: Measure the physical footprint of your available shelf space before committing to a bin size.

Setting Up Your Pen for Healthy, Happy Crickets

Humidity and ventilation are the two most critical factors in keeping a colony alive. Crickets require fresh air to prevent the buildup of mold and ammonia, yet they also need enough moisture to thrive. Use a fine mesh screen on any DIY setup to allow for constant air exchange without allowing escapees.

Provide ample “furnishings” inside the pen. Cardboard egg cartons are the gold standard for this, as they provide a vast surface area for crickets to roam and hide. This keeps them calm, which leads to better growth rates and less aggression within the population.

Keep the environment dry. While crickets need a water source, never use open water bowls as they will drown. Use cricket-safe water gels or sponges to provide hydration without the mess or the risk of mass drownings.

Gut-Loading 101: Boost Your Crickets’ Nutrition

A cricket is only as nutritious as the food it consumes, a process known as gut-loading. Never feed your insects scraps that are high in pesticides or lack nutritional value. Instead, provide a high-quality, calcium-rich commercial gut-load or a mix of dark leafy greens and carrots.

The goal is to load the cricket’s gut with vitamins, minerals, and moisture just hours before they are fed to your livestock. This ensures that the animals receive a concentrated “dose” of nutrients.

Consistent gut-loading is the difference between a filler snack and a vital supplement. View your cricket colony as a delivery system for nutrients, and ensure the input (the cricket’s diet) matches the required output for your animals.

Controlling Odor and Keeping Your Cricket Pen Clean

The secret to odor control is waste management. Crickets produce “frass,” or excrement, which, if left to accumulate, creates a strong, pungent ammonia smell. Remove excess food and frass at least once a week to maintain a healthy, odor-free environment.

If the bin becomes damp, the smell will intensify rapidly. Ensure the enclosure stays dry by placing hydration sources away from any food piles. If a significant smell develops, it is an immediate indicator that the enclosure needs a full sanitization cycle.

Use a mild, pet-safe disinfectant when cleaning the enclosure to remove residue. Always ensure the bin is completely dry before reintroducing the colony, as lingering moisture or cleaning agents can be toxic to the insects.

A well-maintained cricket pen is an asset that keeps your livestock thriving with minimal intervention. Whether you choose a high-end dispensing system or a custom DIY bin, consistency in hygiene and nutrition remains the true key to success. Focus on these fundamentals, and your feeder colony will become the most reliable piece of equipment on your farm.