How to Care for Feeder Insects

Pet owners can face a challenge when they must provide for the diet of certain reptiles, arachnids or predatory insects that consume other insects as food. Many types of feeder insects can be purchased from pet suppliers, or even raised at home if you have the time and desire to do so. Requirements for feeding and housing are species-specific, but there are some general guidelines you can follow when caring for feeder insects.

Things You'll Need

  • Large glass or plastic container
  • Empty egg cartons or toilet paper rolls
  • Water source
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Foods rich in protein, calcium and nutrients
  • Source of heat
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the insects in an appropriate container. The right container is species-specific. For instance, crickets require a tall glass enclosure to prevent them from getting out, while meal worms that you raise yourself will need several containers to keep the different life stages -- meal worm, pupa and beetle -- separate, to allow a more efficient breeding cycle.

    • 2

      Provide adequate shelter and breeding enclosures for species that require them. Stack empty toilet paper rolls and egg cartons that have been torn in half to provide plenty of places for insects to hide and breed.

    • 3

      Hydrate the feeder insects as necessary. Make sure you follow guidelines specific to the species you are keeping. For instance, meal worms can get all of the moisture they need from foods such as carrots and potatoes. Crickets will require an outside source, such as a simple inverted plastic water dispenser that can be purchased at a pet supply store.

    • 4

      Feed your insects according to species-specific dietary requirements. For meal worms, the food source will also be the water source, so fresh vegetables that are high in moisture are ideal. Crickets will thrive on a diet that includes high-protein, high-calcium foods such as ground-up dried cat and dog food, with some fresh vegetables for variety. The more nutritious the cricket's diet, the more nutritious the cricket will be for your pet.

    • 5

      Heat your insect enclosure to the ideal temperature range. This is particularly important if you intend to raise your own insects, as it will result in a higher yield when breeding is underway. You can use heating pads and heat lamps for this purpose.

    • 6

      Prepare your insects 24 to 48 hours before feeding them to your pet by "gut loading" them. This is the process of feeding the insects foods that are very high in nutrition to ensure that your pet is getting the most nutritious meal available. Fish flakes are good for gut loading as they are very high in nutrients.