Live Crickets for Sale — Farm-Direct Banded Crickets from Dunn, NC
Live Crickets for Sale — Farm-Direct Banded Crickets from Dunn, NCCouldn't load pickup availability
Ships Mon–Thu
Order by 11 AM ET to ship the same day (Mon–Wed).
Crickets grow at their own pace! Please allow for a minor size variance of about 10% (slightly larger or smaller) per batch.
Details
Details
Where can I buy live crickets online? Carolina Cricket Farm sells live banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) farm-direct from Dunn, NC, raising feeders since 1957. Order sizes from 1/16" pinheads to 1" adults in counts of 25 to 5,000 starting at $5.00 ($17–$22 per 1,000), or save 15% with the Carolina Cricket Club. We ship Monday–Thursday via UPS Ground or 1–2 Day with a Live Arrival Guarantee, plus $0 local pickup in Dunn.
- Raised in Dunn, NC since 1957: Family-owned farm continuing the Warren Cricket Farm legacy with same-day harvest and packing.
- Clean farm diet & hydration: We use a special high-quality cricket feed and have a state-of-the-art watering system.
- Lab-tested 27.4% protein: Tested as shipped by Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories (see lab test report).
- Consistent grading: Counts are measured by volume with an approximate 10% natural size tolerance.
Available counts
Available counts
Standard sizes (Pinheads 1/16", Small, Medium, Large, Jumbo): 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 counts.
Pinheads 1/8" (7–14+ days): 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 counts.
Cricket Size, Pet Matcher & Price Guide
Cricket Size, Pet Matcher & Price Guide
| Cricket Size (Variant) | Approx. Length | Best Pets / Uses | 100 Count | 500 Count | 1,000 Count (Price / Cricket) | Club Price (15% Off 1,000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinheads (3–7 days) | ~1/16" | Newly hatched froglets, dart frogs, baby spiders/slings, small ant colonies, nano fish | $8.00 | $13.00 | $17.00 ($0.017/ea) | $14.45 |
| Pinheads (7–14+ days) | ~1/8" | Hatchling geckos (crested geckos, mourning geckos), growing slings, larger ant colonies | $8.00 | $13.00 | $17.00 ($0.017/ea) | $14.45 |
| Small | ~1/4"–3/8" | Juvenile leopard geckos, juvenile crested geckos, small anoles, tree frogs, young chameleons | $9.00 | $13.00 | $18.00 ($0.018/ea) | $15.30 |
| Medium | ~1/2" | Sub-adult bearded dragons, adult leopard geckos, adult crested geckos, larger frogs | $10.00 | $13.00 | $19.00 ($0.019/ea) | $16.15 |
| Large | ~3/4" | Adult bearded dragons, monitors, veiled/panther chameleons, large amphibians, poultry treats | $11.00 | $15.00 | $19.00 ($0.019/ea) | $16.15 |
| Jumbo | ~3/4"–1"+ | Very large lizards/monitors, adult tarantulas, panfishing & fish bait | $12.00 | $17.00 | $22.00 ($0.022/ea) | $18.70 |
Also available in 25 count ($5.00–$7.00), 50 count ($6.00–$9.00), and 250 count ($11.00–$16.00) across all sizes, plus 2,000 ($32.00), 3,000 ($45.00), and 5,000 ($70.00) in 1/8" Pinheads. Need larger wholesale or bulk quantities? See our bulk & wholesale live crickets page.
Sizing rule of thumb: Choose a cricket no longer than the space between your pet’s eyes; when in doubt, size down. New to pinheads? See our pinhead crickets size chart & feeding guide or use our reptile feeding calculator.
Why We Raise Banded Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus)
Why We Raise Banded Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus)
Carolina Cricket Farm raises banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) exclusively. Banded crickets are hardy, naturally resistant to the house-cricket AdDNV virus, stay active in transit, live longer in your home bin (see how long crickets live), have a milder odor, and tested at 27.4% protein as shipped (lab test details). On our farm in Dunn, NC, they are raised on a special high-quality cricket feed with a state-of-the-art watering system so they arrive vigorous and ready to gut-load (see what crickets eat).
Also feeding roaches? Shop our live Dubia roaches for sale (Small, Medium & Large; cannot ship to Florida) or join our live mealworms waitlist.
What to Expect on Arrival & Count Policy
What to Expect on Arrival & Count Policy
Open the ventilated shipping box right away and transfer your crickets into a clean, well-ventilated container with dry cardboard egg flats for climbing. Keep them around the mid-70s to 80°F with dry cricket feed and a safe moisture source such as water gel or fresh vegetables—never an open water dish. See our full guide on how to keep crickets alive.
Counts are measured by volume with generous overpack and may vary slightly (~10% natural size tolerance). Extreme temperatures can affect transit conditions, so choose a UPS shipping speed that arrives in 3 days or less.
How We Ship Live Crickets
We ship live banded crickets Monday–Thursday from Dunn, NC (28334) via UPS Ground or 1–2 Day to the lower 48 states. 11:00 AM ET cutoff Mon–Wed for same-day shipping; orders placed after 11:00 AM ET Wednesday and all Thursday orders are held until Monday unless overnight shipping is selected by 11:00 AM ET Thursday.
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Green
1–2 days · NC, SC · UPS Ground or 1-2 Day
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Gold
2–3 days · VA, WV, MD, DE, DC, GA, AL, TN, KY · UPS Ground or 1-2 Day
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Orange
3+ days · All other lower-48 states / 85°F+ · UPS Ground or 1-2 Day · slight upcharge
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No ship
We can’t ship live crickets to Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.
Live Arrival Guarantee: Applies when temperatures are 40–85°F and estimated delivery is 3 days or less (if estimated delivery is more than 3 days, the Live Arrival Guarantee does not apply—choose a faster UPS option at checkout). Send photos within 24 hours of delivery for significant losses.
Local pickup is $0 at 212 Bait Rd, Dunn, NC. Mon–Fri: order by 10:00 AM ET, ready for pickup at 3:00 PM.
Live banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) raised in Dunn, North Carolina for reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and fish bait. Choose your count and size above for fast UPS Ground or 1–2 Day fulfillment across the lower 48 states.
- Cricket Species: Banded Crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) exclusively
- Available counts: 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1,000 (plus 2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 in 1/8" Pinheads)
Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy live crickets online?
You can order live banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) directly from Carolina Cricket Farm on this page. We raise our crickets in Dunn, North Carolina (continuing the Warren Cricket Farm legacy since 1957) and ship Monday–Thursday via UPS Ground or 1–2 Day across the lower 48 states, with $0 local farm pickup Monday–Friday and wholesale pricing for bulk buyers.
How much do live crickets cost (including 1,000 crickets)?
Our live banded crickets start at $5.00 for a 25-count pack ($4.25 with the Carolina Cricket Club) and $8.00 to $12.00 for 100 crickets, depending on size. A 1,000-count box costs $17.00 to $22.00 ($0.017 to $0.022 per cricket), or $14.45 to $18.70 when you save 15% with a Carolina Cricket Club subscription.
What cricket sizes and quantities are available?
We stock six sizes of live banded crickets: Pinheads 3–7 days (~1/16"), Pinheads 7–14+ days (~1/8"), Small (~1/4–3/8"), Medium (~1/2"), Large (~3/4"), and Jumbo (~3/4–1"+). Counts include 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 for all sizes, plus 2,000, 3,000, and 5,000 counts for 1/8" pinheads. Not sure which size fits your pet? Check our pinhead crickets guide.
How and where do you ship live crickets, and what is the Live Arrival Guarantee?
We ship Monday–Thursday from Dunn, NC to the lower 48 states (no Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico) via UPS Ground or 1–2 Day. Orders placed by 11:00 AM ET Monday–Wednesday ship the same day; orders after 11:00 AM ET Wednesday and Thursday orders ship Monday unless you choose overnight shipping by 11:00 AM ET Thursday. Our Live Arrival Guarantee covers shipments in 40–85°F weather when estimated delivery is 3 days or less (send photos within 24 hours of delivery).
Can I pick up live crickets locally at your farm in Dunn, NC?
Yes. Local pickup is $0 at our farm at 212 Bait Rd, Dunn, NC 28334. Place your order online by 10:00 AM ET, Monday through Friday, and your crickets will be packed and ready for pickup at 3:00 PM ET the same day.
What should I do when my crickets arrive, and how do I keep them alive longer?
Open the shipping box right away and transfer your crickets into a clean, well-ventilated container with dry cardboard egg flats for climbing. Keep them around the mid-70s to 80°F with dry cricket feed and a safe moisture source like water gel or fresh vegetables—never an open water dish, as crickets drown easily. See our full guides on how to keep crickets alive and how long crickets live.
What do crickets eat?
On our farm in Dunn, NC, our banded crickets eat a special high-quality cricket feed and stay hydrated with a state-of-the-art watering system. At home, give them a dry base feed plus fresh vegetables or greens (like carrots, squash, or collard greens) to gut-load them 24–48 hours before feeding your pet. Read our full guide on what crickets eat.
Do you sell Dubia roaches or mealworms too?
Yes. We sell farm-direct live Dubia roaches in Small, Medium, and Large sizes (shipped Monday–Thursday to the lower 48, excluding Florida). Live mealworms are coming soon—visit our live mealworms page to join the waitlist and get notified as soon as they launch.