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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Combat Advantage" data-source="post: 176862" data-attributes="member: 33095">I agree Casey.I've kept/raised thousands of feeders and can attest to that. It's hard unpleasant work, I have to admit. I often supplement and use the highest quality concentrated nutrient dense feeds. The little extra cost is worth it for happy healthy critters. The feed will not live long, but should enjoy their short life with that purpose in mind. I hate suffering. My little friends I should treat with kindness too. I just wish that my experiences with cricket wholesalers and retailers were positive. I have lab equipment, but don't go through the trouble of testing and identifying bacterial growth and parasites.  I buy crickets and usually my built in high tech equipment tells me there's a high level of bacteria present on the bugs. You have that equipment too. Eyes and a nose.  It doesn't matter if its from Cricket Farm, Petco, (refuse to buy from the Exotic Jungle), or wherever. Often they smell bad. They sometimes start eating each other before I get home. Their lives are shorter than they should be. I am concerned for my girls. That's why I give the feeders fresh feed, not just for gut fill, but to clean them out.I think we're on the same page Casey. I think that we care about our little girls and boys. Unfortunately, it seems like most of the commercial providers are just interested in the bottom line.</blockquote>