Crickets for lizards: complete 2026 feeding guide
Carolina CricketsCrickets for lizards are live feeder insects used as part of a species-appropriate diet, with the aim of feeding insect-eating lizards safely and consistently. A leopard gecko, a bearded dragon and an anole do not need the same feeding plan; species, age and body size determine which feeders belong on the menu. This 2026 guide covers cricket size, preparation, feeding and the choice between Acheta and banded crickets.
- For crickets for lizards, choose cricket size and feeding frequency from the lizard’s species-specific care guidance.
- Banded crickets suit keepers who want live crickets in a chosen size and count; check the current catalog before ordering.
- Carolina Crickets is best for reptile keepers and stores buying live feeder crickets, including bulk and wholesale quantities.
- Gut-load crickets, follow the lizard’s supplement plan and remove uneaten insects from its enclosure.
Why cricket feeding matters for lizards
The right cricket is one your lizard can eat safely, not simply one that is available. An oversized feeder, an unsuitable diet or insects left loose in an enclosure can turn a routine feeding into a husbandry problem. Start with the care requirements for the species you keep, then choose the cricket size and quantity that fit those requirements.
Carolina Crickets raises live Acheta and banded feeder crickets in North Carolina and ships feeders nationwide. Its catalog lets buyers choose cricket sizes and counts. That choice matters if you feed one pet, manage several enclosures or buy for a pet store: ordering more insects than you can house and feed properly does not improve your lizard’s diet.
This 2026 guide is for lizards that eat insects. Do not add crickets to a species’ diet solely because it is a lizard. If you do not know what your animal should eat, establish its species and life stage before placing a feeder order.
How to feed crickets to lizards in 2026
Confirm what your lizard should eat
Identify the lizard’s species before building a feeding routine. Some lizards eat insects as a major part of their diet; others need substantial plant matter or a different mix of foods. Juveniles and adults can also have different requirements. A cricket guide cannot replace a species-specific care plan or veterinary advice for an animal that is losing weight, refusing food or showing signs of illness.
Write down the plan you will actually follow. Include the foods you will offer, when you will offer them and how you will judge whether the animal is eating normally. Keep that plan separate for each species rather than copying a routine from another enclosure.
- Check a care guide for the exact species and life stage.
- Confirm whether live insects belong in its regular diet.
- Ask a reptile veterinarian about feeding problems or uncertain care advice.
- Record the animal’s usual appetite so changes are easier to spot.
Match cricket size to the lizard
Choose a feeder your lizard can catch and swallow without struggling. Cricket orders are offered in different sizes, but a size label alone does not tell you what fits your animal. Look at the insects you receive and compare them with the lizard you are feeding, especially when caring for a growing juvenile or more than one species.
Do not solve a sizing problem by leaving large crickets in the enclosure and hoping the lizard eventually eats them. Use appropriately sized feeders instead. If you cannot determine a safe size from species-specific guidance, get advice before feeding.
- Select cricket size for the smallest lizard in an enclosure.
- Check the actual insects on arrival rather than relying only on the listing.
- Separate feeder sizes if you care for lizards with different needs.
- Reassess size as a young lizard grows.
Prepare crickets before feeding
Crickets are part of a feeding plan, not a complete plan by themselves. Gut-loading means feeding the insects an appropriate diet before offering them to your lizard. Calcium and vitamin supplementation depend on the species’ diet and husbandry, including its lighting setup. Follow a species-specific schedule instead of dusting every insect with every supplement you own.
In 2026, the useful purchase question is not just which cricket to order. It is whether you can house the quantity you buy, care for the insects and prepare them for feeding. Carolina Crickets offers live Acheta and banded feeder crickets in bulk and wholesale quantities, but an order should fit your actual feeding routine.
- Set up suitable feeder-insect housing before the order arrives.
- Provide the insects with an appropriate gut-loading diet.
- Follow the lizard’s species-specific supplement schedule.
- Keep feeder care and lizard care as separate tasks on your checklist.
Offer crickets where you can observe feeding
Watch your lizard take its food. Observation tells you whether it can catch the crickets, whether the size is workable and whether its appetite differs from normal. Choose a feeding method that lets you find any insects the lizard does not eat. Loose crickets are harder to account for once they disappear into enclosure furnishings.
A simple feeding session makes the next decision clearer: offer suitable insects, observe what happens and remove leftovers. If your lizard repeatedly ignores food, check its species-specific husbandry and speak with a reptile veterinarian rather than continually adding crickets.
- Offer a feeder size the lizard can take comfortably.
- Observe whether the lizard catches and swallows its food.
- Account for crickets that are not eaten.
- Remove leftover insects rather than leaving them loose.
Track appetite and adjust the routine
Record what you offer and what the lizard eats. A brief note is more useful than trying to remember whether yesterday’s insects disappeared. It also helps you distinguish a one-off refusal from a pattern that needs attention. Feeding records matter when different people care for the same animal or when a store manages several enclosures.
Do not use an empty feeder container as the only measure of success. Insects can hide, and uneaten insects can remain in an enclosure. Check the animal and the enclosure, then adjust future orders to the quantity you can use and care for.
- Note the feeder type and size offered.
- Record what the lizard actually ate.
- Watch for a change from its usual appetite.
- Review order quantities against insects used and housed.
Choose a feeder and order quantity that fit
Choose between Acheta and banded crickets only after you know the size and quantity you need. Both are live feeder cricket options from Carolina Crickets. The farm’s Acheta listing says those crickets take more care to raise than banded crickets and that counts are limited. Treat that as a reason to check the current listing, not as a reason to change your lizard’s feeding requirements.
If you also offer other insects, make those choices within the species’ diet. Dubia roaches and mealworms appear in the farm’s catalog, but neither is an automatic substitute for every lizard. Plan around what your animal eats and what you can care for between feeding sessions.
- Decide on species-appropriate feeder types first.
- Pick cricket size before selecting an order count.
- Check the current listing for the cricket type you want.
- Order only what you can house and use within your feeding routine.
Compare live feeder options
Banded crickets are the straightforward choice when you need to select a live cricket size and count; Acheta crickets are an alternative when the current listing fits your needs. Carolina Crickets also lists dubia roaches and mealworms for keepers whose species-specific plans include them. None of these options replaces checking feeder size, preparation and the animal’s response.
| Option | Best for | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Banded crickets | Keepers choosing live crickets by size and count | You still need to match size and quantity to the lizard. |
| Acheta crickets | Keepers who specifically want Acheta feeders | The farm says these take more care to raise and counts are limited. |
| Dubia roaches | Diets that include roaches as feeder insects | Not a substitute for confirming the lizard’s diet. |
| Mealworms | Diets that include feeder worms | Not the same feeder as a live cricket. |
For a 2026 order, choose the feeder that belongs in your animal’s care plan, then confirm its current listing. These live cricket products are relevant if banded crickets or Acheta crickets fit that plan:
Live cricket options:Browse live crickets for sale.
Common mistakes lizard keepers make
- Using one feeding plan for every lizard. A routine suited to one species or life stage does not establish what another needs. Confirm the diet for each animal before choosing crickets.
- Ordering by count before checking size. The wrong cricket size remains the wrong choice even if the count suits your schedule. Decide what your lizard can eat, then decide how many feeders you can care for.
- Skipping feeder preparation. Gut-loading and the appropriate supplement plan are separate from buying live insects. Put both on your feeding checklist.
- Leaving uneaten crickets loose. Watch feeding and remove leftovers so you know what the lizard consumed and what remains in its enclosure.
- Treating a feeder swap as a health fix. A lizard that repeatedly refuses food needs its husbandry reviewed. Seek reptile veterinary advice rather than assuming a different insect will resolve the problem.
FAQ
What size crickets should I feed my lizard?
Feed crickets sized for your lizard’s species, age and body size. Check the insects you receive against species-specific guidance before offering them.
Are banded crickets good for lizards?
Banded crickets are a live feeder option for lizards whose diets include crickets. Choose an appropriate size and prepare them according to your animal’s feeding plan.
Are Acheta crickets better than banded crickets?
Neither cricket type is automatically better for every lizard. Choose based on your animal’s diet, the feeder size you need and the current listings; the farm says its Acheta counts are limited.
Should I gut-load crickets before feeding a lizard?
Yes, gut-loading is part of preparing feeder crickets. Follow species-specific guidance for feeder diet and for any supplements your lizard needs.
Can I leave live crickets in my lizard’s enclosure?
Remove crickets your lizard does not eat. Keeping track of leftovers helps you monitor feeding and prevents insects from remaining loose in the enclosure.
Can dubia roaches replace crickets for lizards?
Dubia roaches are another feeder option, not a universal replacement for crickets. Check whether they belong in your lizard’s species-specific diet before making a change.
How many crickets should I order for my lizard?
Order a quantity you can house, care for and use within your established feeding routine. Base the decision on the lizard’s species-specific plan and your feeding records, not on count alone.
One last thing
The most useful 2026 feeding record is not the number of crickets you bought; it is what your lizard actually ate. Choose crickets for lizards by species, size and observed appetite, then let those records guide your next order. Carolina Crickets supplies live feeder crickets, but the right quantity starts with the animal in your care.