How to keep crickets alive?

[polar sky]

So I have to buy crickets weekly for my reptiles and my leopard gecko. I want to gut load so I leave broccoli in there for them, but they only live for about 3 days and then they all die off. I have no idea what causes it. Ik too much humidity can, but then I worry they don’t get enough water. I’m just honestly so confused cuz they are so lively before and then suddenly they are all dead. I’m wondering if you guys have tips on keeping them alive so I don’t have to drive to the store each week.

[fair patrol]

nqa crickets are huge ammonia producers so a larger bin with more ventilation is better than a smaller one.

you have to maintain them much more than other feeders generally. i clean my cricket bin every single day. i scrub and wash their container and give them fresh veggies + freeze dried shrimp crumbs.

my current batch has lasted over 3 weeks so far with only 2 casualties

if you feed them veggies, you dont need to worry about water

[polar sky]

How do u clean it everyday if u have them? Do u have to move them somewhere else?

I do feed them veggies so I guess I won’t worry too hard bout water

But yeah my container is very small so I’ll prolly get the larger critter keeper

[fair patrol]

i put em in another container while i clean their main one

i keep about 10 in a small critter keeper

[polar sky]

Yeah I had 12 but they died almost immediately

I hadn’t been cleaning the enclosure tho

[frigid haven]

IME broccoli molds over really easily which might not be helping either honestly

Do you have any CUC bugs in with them? as far as I know that helps immensely with their longevity

[sacred cargo]

nqa but another thing- I found getting those orbeez looking water balls from bugsnbits helped keep the feeders alive longer without increasing humidity of the tank, I didn’t realise how much of an issue lack of hydration could be between gutloadings

[polar sky]

I mean it hasn't even been in there for like. a long time. like i said they die in 3 days

[polar sky]

what is CUC bugs?

[frigid haven]

cleanup crew bugs! stuff like dermestid beetle larvae for instance

[polar sky]

Oh aye. Could dubias potentially fill that role as I do have dubias that I use in some enclosures but I’m not sure if they would work well with crickets

[frigid haven]

not quite!