How can i keep my crickets alive longer? Please help!?

Question

okay i have 2 fire bellied toads in a 20 gallon tank(i plan to get 1 or 2 more toads) and i cant keep crickets alive.

i have one of those critter keepers that is probly about 1-1.5 gals.is that enough for a few dozen crickets?

i have one of those little water dishes filled with wet cotton balls and fish flakes.(was what the petstore told me i could do)

is that ok?

how can i keep them alive for at least a week and a half.

i usually buy about 3 dz at a time and by the end of the week a dz is dead.i want to minimize deadloss or my mom says i have to get rid of my toads.

also i have another small question.

my tank is aprox. 24 inches long,12 inches wide and i have 17 inches if water (about 3-4 in deep) and 6 in of land...do i need more land? i think i do the substrate i use is cocosoft for the land and normal fishtank gravel for water.

Answer 1

It can be difficult to keep crickets alive once you get them home. Here are some suggestions:

1) Get a larger, well ventilated container for the crickets to be housed in. Perhaps a 2.5 gal. lidded tank. Make sure there is plenty of clean egg crating available for them to sit on- I would change it out at least once a week, depending on how much frass accumulates on it. Try some cardboard chips as a substrate, and get rid of the water dish. I rec. Fluker's Cricket Quencher; a gel alternative moisture source that is much cleaner and less likely to build up bacteria. Keep in mind that crickets are highly susceptible to high humidity and temps.  We feed sliced apples (Changed 3x/week) and tetramin to our cultures, supplemented with a calcium gut loader. Remember that what you feed your crickets will be going into your toads. :)

2) IMHO, 6" of land is not enough. I would go with 12" and make sure that you have a gentle slope of gravel from the land to water for easier access. Are you running any type of filter on the system?

3) As far as I know, spider plants are not harmful to amphibs or herps.

Good luck!

p.s. The Cricket Quencher comes in 16 oz. bottles. For what you are using, 1 bottle would last a VERY long time. A great investment for only about $4.50.