# live vs canned crickets



## dancetinadance (Jul 14, 2010)

(I apologize in advance if this has already been addressed but I couldn't find anything anywhere)

Pequita absolutely loves mealworms. Since she's still so timid around me, it's the one thing that she gets really excited about (and I love it!). So I'm wanting to find her other treats that she'll enjoy.
I'm a little confused about whether to get her live or canned crickets (like the Zoo Med brand Can O Crickets)? The answer seems obvious but I just wanted to make sure


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## LizardGirl (Aug 25, 2008)

It doesn't matter.  Just keep in mind that the canned ones can smell pretty awful, and I believe they go bad after a certain period of time. Live ones, you actually have to kill before feeding (they hop everywhere and a hedgie would have a really difficult time catching one, as well as you trying to keep them contained while the hedgie attempts. :lol: ). You would buy a few live ones, feed them some fresh fruits or veggies for a day or so, then toss them all in a bag in the freezer for 1/2 an hour. After that, at any time you can take one or a few out and thaw them in dish, and feed shortly after. Keep in mind that the longer they sit out the more they are rotting, so throw them out quickly if your hedgie doesn't eat them.

The 1/2 hour before taking them out and thawing is to make sure they are dead. Any time before then, they may still be alive and they'll start twitching and moving around as they thaw. :shock:


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## dancetinadance (Jul 14, 2010)

:idea: OH! I didn't even think about freezing and thawing them. I figured it didn't make much sense to feed her live ones since they would be all over the place and difficult for her to catch.
Well, I guess this makes it all pretty easy...I buy crickets anyway for a crested gecko I own so catching a couple a putting them in the freezer isn't a big deal at all :lol:


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