How do you all manage to feed your many pets?

[John]

I buy nightcrawlers from walmart, occasionally some waxworms from a few places, and I culture my own fruit flies.

[pixiefrogman]

I buy crickets from bait shops, they are very cheap there. I get 1,000 adult crickets for $10.00 (US dollars). Although crickets are very easy to breed, if you can handle the smell. I breed mice for my male pyxie and my adult leopard geckos. I also breed mealworms.

[Greatballzofire]

I raise both domestic crickets and black field crickets for my toads. I raise mice for my snakes, and the toads get pinks as an occasional treat. I trade off my surplus crickets and mice for rodent block and other supplies, and sell mice to other snake keepers for cash. So my hobby doesn't cost much, just a little time tending to the critters, mostly.

[bshmerlie]

.....thousands of crickets.....mice....I'm sorry I still can't get past the smell. I'd buy one cricket at a time if it were practical.....Did I mention they... SMELL.
"crickets"

[Ebony]

I breed Locusts and Mealworms. I also have a fly trap. I never run out of food.

Oh...Locusts don't smell. Lol

[Snapdragon]

Thanks everyone, I'm not going to do the fruit flies but I did just read over the cricket culturing guide and am planning on trying that. I can keep them in the shed with some heating and it should be fine. I think the crickets will be enough for most of my feedings since I'll have all sizes, and the occasional mouse, earth worm, or other feeder worm I have to buy should be no problem. I hope all goes well with the crickets, and I hope it saves me a lot of money every week once they're all established!

[Rat The Unloved]

IMO, if a cricket tub is more pungent than a recently worn shoe there's something wrong.

I used to put a few drops of orange or lemon oil (the kind used to make candy) on a cloth and wipe it across the metal screen over the cricket tank. It kept any cricket odor in check, and the room had a fresh, citrus, scent.

[Greatballzofire]

.....thousands of crickets.....mice....I'm sorry I still can't get past the smell. I'd buy one cricket at a time if it were practical.....Did I mention they... SMELL.
"crickets"

LOL! I forgot to mention the mice have a little heated barn in the winter (a converted RV) and a screen tent in the shade in the summer. I keep their tubs clean. The crickets just don't seem to stink; I use vermiculite for them to walk on, and change their vermiculite often enough so wastes don't build up. Anything will stink if it has to live in it's own wastes.