Nobody Tells You About the Cricket Problem
Here's what no one warns you about before you get an insectivorous reptile: at some point, you will have escaped crickets chirping in your walls at 2 AM. It happened to me within the first month of keeping a leopard gecko, and I can still remember lying in bed, listening to a single cricket somewhere behind my dresser, questioning my life choices.
Feeding live insects is a fundamental part of caring for many reptile species, from bearded dragons and leopard geckles to chameleons and anoles. It's also the part of reptile keeping that grosses out the most people and causes the most day-to-day headaches. But once you develop a system, it becomes routine. Slightly weird routine, sure, but routine nonetheless.
Common Feeder Insects and Their Pros and Cons
Not all feeder insects are created equal. Each type has different nutritional profiles, ease of care, and let's be honest, different levels of grossness to deal with.
Crickets
Crickets are the default feeder insect, available at virtually every pet store. They're nutritionally decent, relatively inexpensive, and most reptiles readily accept them.
The downsides are significant, though. Crickets smell terrible, die easily, can bite your reptile if left uneaten in the enclosure, and they're noisy. The chirping of adult male crickets has driven more than one keeper to explore alternatives. They also escape constantly. You will find them in places you didn't know existed in your home.
Dubia Roaches
Dubia roaches have become the gold standard feeder insect among serious reptile keepers, and for good reason. They're quieter than crickets, can't climb smooth surfaces so they rarely escape, don't smell nearly as bad, and they have an excellent nutritional profile with more protein and less chitin than crickets.
The main barriers are the ick factor, since they are roaches after all, and availability. They're not always stocked at pet stores, so many keepers order online or start their own colonies. They're also illegal in some states, notably Florida, due to concerns about them becoming established pests if released.
Mealworms
Mealworms are easy to store, don't escape, don't make noise, and don't smell. They're essentially the lowest-maintenance feeder option. Keep them in the fridge and they'll last for weeks in a semi-dormant state.
The trade-off is nutritional. Mealworms have a higher fat content and more chitin relative to their size, making them less ideal as a staple. They work well as part of a varied diet but shouldn't be the only insect you offer. There are also concerns about digestibility, particularly for very young or small reptiles that might not chew them thoroughly.
Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Calciworms)
These little grubs have exploded in popularity because they're naturally high in calcium, which addresses one of the biggest nutritional challenges in reptile keeping. They're small, easy to store, and most insectivorous reptiles love them.
They're more expensive per piece than crickets or mealworms, and they're quite small, so larger reptiles would need a lot of them to make a full meal. They work best as a regular component of a varied diet rather than a sole food source.
Hornworms
Hornworms are large, soft-bodied caterpillars that are high in moisture and very palatable to reptiles. They're excellent for hydration and for enticing picky eaters. My chameleon goes completely bonkers for hornworms in a way he never does for crickets.
They grow incredibly fast, though. Buy them small and use them quickly, or you'll end up with hornworms the size of your finger that are too big for your reptile to eat. They also can't be stored long-term and need to be used within a week or two.
Superworms
Superworms are the larger, more active cousin of mealworms. They're a good protein source and their size makes them appropriate for medium to large reptiles. Unlike mealworms, they can't be refrigerated and need to be kept at room temperature with food.
They can bite, so it's worth crushing or removing the head before feeding to smaller or less aggressive reptiles. I know that sounds brutal, but a superworm bite inside your reptile's stomach is worse.
Gut Loading: The Step Everyone Skips
Gut loading means feeding nutritious food to your feeder insects for 24 to 48 hours before offering them to your reptile. Whatever the insect eats becomes part of your reptile's nutrition. An insect that's been living on cardboard scraps in a pet store bin has almost no nutritional value compared to one that's been eating quality produce and grains.
Good gut-loading foods include:
- Collard greens, mustard greens, and dandelion greens
- Sweet potato and butternut squash
- Carrots
- High-quality commercial gut-load products
- Oats or whole grain cereal as a dry component
Avoid citrus fruits, spinach in large amounts, and anything with pesticide residue. And always provide a water source for your feeders, either fresh vegetables with high water content or commercial water gel crystals.
I know gut loading feels like an extra chore on top of everything else, but it genuinely makes a difference. Think of it this way: you're not just feeding insects. You're feeding the food inside the insects.
Dusting: Getting Calcium and Other Nutrients Right
Dusting refers to coating feeder insects with powdered calcium or other nutritional supplements before feeding. For most insectivorous reptiles, the standard protocol is:
- Dust with plain calcium powder at most feedings
- Dust with calcium plus D3 once or twice a week if UVB lighting is limited
- Dust with a reptile multivitamin once a week
The method is simple. Put a small amount of powder in a plastic bag or cup, add the insects, and shake gently. The insects should have a light coating, not be caked in powder. Too much powder can actually put reptiles off their food.
How Many Insects to Feed
This varies hugely by species, age, and size. A baby bearded dragon might eat 30 to 50 small crickets a day, while an adult leopard gecko might only need 6 to 8 appropriately sized insects every other day. Research your specific species for detailed feeding guidelines.
A general rule for sizing: the insect should be no longer than the distance between your reptile's eyes. Feeding insects that are too large can cause choking or impaction. Always err on the smaller side if you're unsure.
Practical Storage and Management Tips
Keeping feeder insects alive and healthy until feeding time is half the battle. Here are some lessons I've learned, mostly the hard way:
- Keep crickets in a well-ventilated container with egg cartons for climbing surfaces and remove dead ones daily to prevent die-offs
- Store mealworms in the refrigerator in a container with bran or oats, and pull them out an hour before feeding to warm up
- Start a dubia roach colony if you go through a lot. A small colony sustains itself and saves money over time
- Buy feeders from reputable sources. Pet store feeders are often stressed and malnourished, so online feeder suppliers tend to provide healthier insects
- Never release feeder insects outdoors. They can be invasive and disrupt local ecosystems
When Live Insects Aren't an Option
Sometimes live insects aren't practical. Maybe you're traveling, or your usual supplier is out of stock, or frankly you just can't deal with live bugs that week. Freeze-dried and canned insects are available and can work as a temporary substitute. They're not as nutritionally complete as live insects and most reptiles find them less appealing, but they'll get you through a pinch.
Some keepers also use reptile-specific gel diets or pellets designed for insectivorous species. These have improved dramatically in recent years, and while I wouldn't rely on them exclusively, they're a reasonable supplement to a live insect diet.
Dealing with Picky Eaters
Some reptiles are frustratingly selective about what they'll eat. I've had a leopard gecko that would only eat crickets and completely ignored anything else for the first six months I had her. Getting a picky eater to accept variety takes patience, but it's worth the effort for their long-term health.
The best strategy I've found is to mix unfamiliar insects with familiar favorites. Toss a few dubia roaches in with the crickets, and hunger will eventually win out over pickiness. You can also try scenting new prey items by rubbing them against something the reptile already likes. It sounds odd, but it works because many reptiles rely heavily on smell when identifying food.
Hunger strikes happen too, especially during seasonal shifts or after a move to a new enclosure. A healthy reptile can safely go a week or two without eating, so don't panic immediately. But if the fast extends beyond that, or if the animal is losing visible weight, something else is going on and you should look at husbandry factors or consult a vet.
The Economics of Feeding Live Insects
Feeding live insects adds up financially, especially for species with large appetites. A juvenile bearded dragon can easily go through 15 to 20 dollars worth of crickets per week if you're buying from a pet store. There are ways to reduce the ongoing cost without cutting corners on nutrition.
Buying in bulk online is significantly cheaper than pet store prices. Most online feeder suppliers offer bulk quantities at a fraction of the per-unit cost, and shipping is usually reasonable if you order enough to justify it. Starting a dubia roach colony is another smart long-term investment. A starter colony of a few hundred roaches will, within a few months, produce enough offspring to feed one or two reptiles indefinitely. The initial setup requires a plastic tub, some egg cartons, and a heat source, and ongoing costs are minimal since they eat kitchen scraps and inexpensive produce.
Living with containers of insects in your home is genuinely one of the weirdest parts of reptile keeping. But like most things in this hobby, it gets normal surprisingly fast. Develop a routine, find the feeder insects your reptile loves, and embrace the slight strangeness of it all. Your reptile's health depends on getting this part right, and when you see them light up at feeding time, it makes the cricket escapes and the roach colonies worth it.