Feeder insect prices: how to feed a reptile without going broke?
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
Feeding an insectivorous reptile costs 15 to 60 € per month depending on the species and where you buy: a box of 40 crickets runs 4 to 6 € in-store, half that online in bulk. Between group orders, the right feeder species and a mini-colony, the bill can be halved without sacrificing an ounce of quality.
Contents · 5 sections
What do feeder insects really cost?
In-store, expect 4 to 6 € for a box of crickets or roaches (30 to 40 head), 3 to 5 € for mealworms, 5 to 8 € for superworms or silkworms. Online, a bag of 500 crickets drops to 12 to 20 €, shipping included above a certain order value. For an adult leopard gecko, that means 10 to 15 € per month online versus 25 to 30 € retail; for a young bearded dragon, the gap runs into tens of euros — see our bearded dragon monthly budget.
How do you pay less for your feeders?
- Buy in bulk online: the unit price drops 50 to 70 % from 500 insects up;
- Pool orders with fellow keepers to spread the shipping costs;
- Choose feeders that keep: dubia roaches and superworms live for weeks, unlike crickets, which die off fast;
- Keep the feeders alive: a ventilated box, a layer of bran and some vegetable peelings stop half the bag going to waste;
- Start a mini-colony: 20 to 40 € of dubia roach starter stock then produces near-free feeders.
Are cheap feeders less nutritious?
Price does not set nutritional value: gut-loading does. An 8-cent cricket fed vegetables and bran for 48 hours beats an expensive feeder with an empty stomach. Beware also of an all-mealworm diet — economical but fatty and low in calcium: vary the species. As a fallback, compare live versus freeze-dried before filling the cupboard with tubs of dried prey.
Should you collect insects from the garden?
Best avoided: pesticides, parasites and toxic species (fireflies, certain caterpillars) pose real risks. Moreover, collecting some species from the wild is restricted by regulation. Stick to farmed feeders, whose traceability protects your animal — all our guidelines are in the reptile food section.
Frequently asked questions
Which feeder offers the best value for money?
The dubia roach: nutritious, nearly odourless, easy to keep and to breed. Its only flaw is a slightly higher initial price than the cricket.
How long do live insects keep?
Crickets: one to two weeks. Roaches and superworms: several weeks, even months, in a ventilated box at 20 to 25 °C with dry food and a moisture source.
Are home-frozen insects an option?
Yes: freezing surplus live feeders yourself preserves nutrients better than industrial freeze-drying. Serve them thawed, from feeding tongs, alongside live prey.
In our shop, for this use: Ventilated clear box for feeder insects, transport and quarantine, 19 cm (€17.90) · the whole shop
This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Reptiles universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.
