Most experts recommend giving axolotls only a small amount of crickets as a treat. Crickets are nutritious but not enough for your pet’s axolotl.
Axolotl owners often feed them brine shrimp or bloodworms, which are cheaper. Unfortunately, feeding your axolotl either of these foods can be messy.
Yes, axolotls can eat crickets! I’ve seen it myself. My brother had an axolotl named Mochi, and he would feed his crickets every week. She would gobble them up enthusiastically, then look around for more. It was pretty funny to watch.
Mochi’s diet also included pellets, worms, and other aquatic invertebrates, but the crickets were her favorite. Whenever we took her out of the tank to handle her, she’d get excited if we had a cricket in our hand. She knew what was coming next!
Overall, axolotls are great at catching and eating crickets – make sure you don’t overfeed them so they stay healthy and happy!
Can Axolotls Eat Crickets?
Crickets are not the most nutritious food for axolotls. Thus, feeding crickets as a treat rather than a staple is best.
Axolotls can eat crickets and other insects and larvae. Earthworms, mealworms, hornworms, and Dendrobaena worms are examples.
Crickets contain chitin, which axolotls may have trouble digesting. Their hard exoskeleton may also cause digestive issues for your axolotl.
Buy crickets from a reputable source to feed your axolotl. Bait shops and wild catches may have parasites and toxins that could harm your axolotl.
Nutritional Content of Crickets
Crickets are a good protein source. They contain more protein than animal-based sources like chicken, beef, and pork.
They contain minerals and B vitamins. They contain high levels of iron and vitamin B12, which are rare in plant foods.
Entomophagy, or insect-eating, has been practiced worldwide for thousands of years. It’s more common in Africa and Asia but is becoming more accepted in Western societies.
Health Benefits and Risks of Crickets
Axolotls eat meat, insects, and small fish because they’re carnivores. Earthworms, nightcrawlers, daphnia, bloodworms, and brine shrimp are popular foods.
Axolotl owners often feed their pets crickets, but they shouldn’t be the main source of nutrition. Crickets lack essential vitamins and minerals, so feed them occasionally or supplement a pelleted diet.
Crickets may cause digestive issues in axolotls because they lack nutrients. Avoid feeding axolotl mealworms or other insects with hard exoskeletons because their digestive systems are not designed to process warm-blooded animal meat.
Other Alternatives to Crickets
Mealworms may be a good alternative to crickets for your axolotl.
Because of their high protein content, these insects can be found in many pet stores as a healthier alternative to crickets.
Folic acid and potassium are found in these insects. Their iron and zinc supplies are also impressive. These nutrients boost immunity and reduce chronic disease risk.
Conclusion about Eating Crickets
Axolotls eat insects, worms, snails, mosquito larvae, frog tadpoles, small fish, plants, and roots.
Axolotls in the wild find food by smell. They then use their “functional fewer teeth” to vacuum-snap prey.
Live foods like worms will encourage baby axolotls to eat and swallow them.
Buying crickets from a reliable source is important because some may contain pesticides and herbicides that could harm your axolotl. They also need a variety of foods to avoid becoming too dependent on crickets.
