What is the best temperature for my crickets and why?

The life cycle of a cricket can vary between 8 – 16 weeks and is largely controlled by the temperature which they are kept at. Hotter temperatures will mean that your crickets are more active and will grow quicker but that also means they will die sooner. This in turn means that if kept at colder temperatures, crickets will be less active, grow slower and live a bit longer. However they can also get too hot or cold which can also cause them to die. As with most things in life, crickets need balance so you want to aim to keep them at temperature that is in what is referred to as 'The Goldilocks zone'. The ideal temperature to keep your crickets at for normal growth and optimal lifespan is between 22°C (72°F) to 25°C (77°F). This means you may be best off bringing the crickets indoors in the hottest parts of summer to benefit from the air conditioning and keeping them in a warm area during winter.

Sometimes we need our crickets to get bigger quicker. Rapid growth can be achieved by keeping your crickets at a temperature between 30°C (86°F) – 34°C (94°F). It is important to note that at this warmer temperature, crickets will be more active and therefore eat and drink more. Be sure to remember to check their food and water more regularly to make sure they don't dehydrate or starve and also keep an eye on the humidity level in their container.

If you need to slow your crickets growth then you should try to keep them at a temperature of about 22°C (72°F) and 25°C (77°F). At this level they wont be stressed by the cold but they will not be warm enough to metabolize energy quickly and will therefore eat and drink less and be less active. You will need to be careful that your crickets don't get too cold as they will stop eating and moving entirely and you will begin to experience die offs. It is a good idea when trying to slow your crickets growth to at least occasionally place them in a warm area.

Knowing how temperature affects crickets growth means you can keep multiple containers of crickets and have one in a warmer area growing quickly to feed your bigger animals and leave one in a cooler area so that you don't have more crickets than you need at once to feed your animals.

Summary:

• A crickets lifespan can be between 8 – 16 weeks and can be controlled by temperature.
• To make crickets grow quickly store them between 30°C (86°F) – 34°C (94°F).
• For slower growth, store crickets between 22°C (72°F) – 25°C (77°F).