Crickets are very easy to breed, even with little space, time or money. This makes them ideal pets to keep in schools, for example, where they can be studied easily and within a relatively short space of time.

The house cricket is the species most often bred, but the field cricket is larger and more attractive. It also have the advantage of not setting up its home in your home should it escape.

House crickets can be kept in plastic aquariums or even a large plastic food container with ventilation panels. The sides should be kept clean and smooth so that the crickets are not able to climb them but of course a lid should be fitted to prevent them jumping out. They are best kept at a temperature of around 68-77F, however this is not critical and there is no need to install expensive heating equipment.

Male crickets are territorial, so increase the living space by making a stack of cardboard tubes or crumpled brown paper.

The floor can be covered with a layer of sawdust or fine sand paper. Crickets will eat flaked fish food, crumbled biscuits, wholemeal bread and the meal sold for chicks and hens. Slices of fruit may also be given, supply drinking water by placing a shallow bowl with damp absorbent cotton in.