Published October 26, 2026 · The Cricket Depot, San Antonio, Texas
Most cricket smell, and most cricket die-offs, come from the same handful of causes: too many crickets in too little space, too much moisture, not enough airflow, and dead crickets or old food left in the bin. Fix those and a container of feeders can stay healthy and nearly odorless for weeks. This guide is written for pet owners keeping a supply on hand, not for breeding. If you want a colony, see our breeding guide.
Choose the right container
A purpose-made cricket keeper, with a ventilated lid and tubes you can shake crickets out of, is the easiest option. A plastic storage tote works well too. Look for:
- Smooth sides that crickets cannot climb. Leave a few inches of clear wall above any egg crate.
- Ventilation: cut a large opening in the lid and cover it with fine metal screen, or use a screen lid. Airflow is the single biggest factor in controlling odor.
- Size: bigger than you think. A shoebox is a bare minimum for a small batch; a large tote is better for a thousand crickets.
Avoid sealed containers and cardboard boxes for long-term use. Cardboard soaks up moisture and odor and cannot be cleaned.
Give them surface area
Crickets live on surfaces, not in volume. Egg crate (cardboard egg flats) stood on end gives them far more room to spread out, hide and stay dry. Crowding stresses crickets, increases cannibalism and concentrates waste. When you remove crickets for feeding, you can lift an egg crate piece and tap them into a cup, which saves chasing them around the bin.
Temperature
House crickets do well at roughly 75 to 85°F. In that range they stay active and eat well. Cooler conditions slow them down and can extend their lifespan a bit, but if they get too cold they stop eating and become sluggish. Too hot, and they dehydrate and die quickly. Keep the bin out of direct sun, away from heaters and AC vents, and never in a closed car, garage or shed during a Texas summer. In winter, a warm room or a low-wattage heat mat under part of the bin can help.
Humidity and water
Crickets need water but hate wet conditions. Standing water drowns them, and a damp bin grows mold, raises ammonia and smells. Offer water in forms they can drink from without falling in:
- Water gel or water crystals in a shallow dish. Clean, simple and our first choice.
- Moist produce such as potato, carrot or orange slices, replaced before they spoil.
- A damp sponge, rinsed often, though it can harbor bacteria if neglected.
Aim for a bin that feels dry, with moisture available in specific spots. If you see condensation on the lid, add ventilation or reduce wet food.
Food
Keep a dry food available at all times, such as cricket feed, rolled oats, wheat bran or plain chick starter in a shallow lid. Add fresh vegetables in small portions. Fed crickets survive better and are more nutritious for your pet; our gut-loading guide goes into detail on what to offer.
The daily two-minute clean
This is the habit that makes the biggest difference:
- Remove dead crickets. Dead crickets rot fast and their smell builds quickly. They also attract healthy crickets to scavenge, which can spread problems.
- Remove old produce before it gets soft or moldy.
- Check water gel and dry food and top up as needed.
- Glance at the floor. If droppings (frass) are building up, plan a full clean.
A few dead crickets after shipping is normal. A steady stream of deaths is a sign something is off; our article on why crickets die walks through the usual suspects.
Weekly deep clean and odor control
Once a week, or whenever the bin starts to smell, move the crickets temporarily into a spare container with a piece of egg crate. Empty the frass, wipe the bin with hot water (skip strong cleaners and scented sprays, which can harm crickets), dry it completely and set it back up. Replace egg crate that is damp, soiled or falling apart.
If odor comes back quickly, the cause is almost always one of three things: too many crickets for the space, too much moisture, or not enough airflow. Odor-masking products tend to hide the problem without fixing it.
Handling and feeding out
How you get crickets out of the bin affects both you and them. Tapping them off a piece of egg crate into a deep cup or a plastic bag is quick and avoids chasing them around. A cricket keeper with tubes lets you remove the tube and shake out just what you need. Take out only the crickets your pet will eat in one feeding, dust them right away if your vet recommends supplements, and close the bin before you walk away. Escaped crickets tend to hide behind furniture and chirp at night, so a quick check of the floor around your setup saves headaches later. Wash your hands after handling crickets or their bin, just as you would after handling any animal or its enclosure.
Buy what you can use
Even in a perfect setup, crickets have a limited lifespan, and adults are near the end of theirs. Buying a quantity you will use in two to three weeks usually works best. With our free Texas shipping and live arrival guarantee, regular smaller orders can make more sense than one huge batch.
Not sure which size your animal needs? Read cricket sizes explained.