How to Build a Cricket House

In some Asian countries people keep crickets as pets because of their chirping. Crickets often chirp in the presence of familiar members of the household and stop when a stranger appears. In the USA, people use the chirps of crickets to estimate temperature because they chirp faster in warm weather. Some elaborate cricket houses use reed slats and carved wooden boxes but any well-ventilated container can serve as a cricket house as long as the cricket is unable to escape and you can clean it easily.

Things You'll Need

  • Small milk carton
  • Scissors
  • Pantyhose
  • Staple or sticky tape
  • Sand
  • Rocks
  • Twigs
  • Fruits or vegetables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Empty and clean a small half pint milk carton.

    • 2

      Cut holes in at least two sides of the carton. You can cut any shape you want. You will look through these holes to see the cricket so make the hole at least as big as the cricket.

    • 3

      Shut the top of the milk carton using staples or sticky tape.

    • 4

      Place the milk carton in a sheer pantyhose. The pantyhose should tightly wrap the milk carton so the cricket cannot escape and it should be sheer and in a light shade so you can see through it.

    • 5

      Place sand, rocks and twigs at the bottom of the milk carton to recreate the cricket's natural environment.

    • 6

      Place bits of fruits and vegetables for the cricket to eat, for example potato, carrot, apple and lettuce. Remove any uneaten food every day to prevent it from rotting. You don't need to provide water because the cricket can get all the moisture it needs from its food.

    • 7

      Place the cricket in the carton and tie the top of the pantyhose.

    • 8

      Place the cricket house in a cool area away from direct sunlight.