If you are comparing premium crickets vs the critter depot for bearded dragon feeding, you are really deciding between NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets and The Critter Depot crickets for steady live prey. I keep a juvenile dragon in a front opening enclosure and I have unboxed small crickets through both cold snaps and warm spells. Both options target reptile keepers, but they differ in how clearly size is labeled, how the count fits a feeding week and how arrival care is explained. For background on live prey choices, browse our Feeder Insects: Crickets, Dubia and BSFL hub.
The real choice comes down to your dragon age and how much bin cleaning you tolerate. Keepers commonly report that babies eating live prey daily burn through tiny crickets quickly, while subadults and adults eating insects less often need fewer prey items and can handle a larger size over time. You also need to weigh storage space, odor and how often you want a delivery on your porch. This head to head looks at species labeling, pack rhythm, arrival condition and daily care so you can match the order to your setup.
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Quick Picks at a Glance
Prime NutriCricket 110 Live Small Banded Crickets
Prime The Critter Family: The Fun Begins! Illustrated
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Pros
- Premium disease-free and pest-free raising practices for healthier feeders
- Small size suits small and medium breeds and all life stages needing tiny prey
- Young 3 to 4 week old crickets offer longer keeping potential up to 8 to 10 weeks with care
- Bulk 110 count supports consistent feeding without frequent reordering
Cons
- Live insects may arrive dormant in cold weather and need hours to warm up
- Some natural size variation and normal die-off should be expected
- Requires proper housing, warmth, food and water to keep crickets alive and nutritious
NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets in Small size are live feeder insects designed for reptile and amphibian owners. The 1/4 to 3/8 inch size targets juveniles and small insectivores like leopard geckos, anoles and baby bearded dragons.
These crickets are farm raised to be disease free and pest free, which supports cleaner feeding and healthier pets. Buyers can expect active, hearty insects that stimulate natural hunting instincts and provide raw, high protein nutrition.
Quality and packaging are clear strengths, with professional handling focused on live arrival and vitality. Small crickets are about 3 to 4 weeks old, so with proper care they offer extended keeping time and can grow with your pet needs.
As with all live feeders, there are tradeoffs. Crickets may look inactive after cold weather shipping and need time to warm up, plus some size variation and loss is normal. They also need ongoing housing, food and maintenance to stay alive.
Overall, this 110 count pack is a smart choice for keepers who want a consistent supply of small, quality feeders. If you feed one or more insectivorous reptiles and can house live insects properly, this is a reliable staple option.
Brand: NutriCricket
Count: 110 live banded crickets
Size: Small, 1/4 to 3/8 inch
Target Species: Reptile, suitable for small and medium breeds, all life stages
Diet Type: Raw live insects for reptile food
Form: Live bug in bag packaging
Choose prey no larger than the space between your pet eyes to support safe feeding. Small crickets work well for hatchlings and small species, then grow into larger meals over time.
Order smaller crickets in bulk and allow them to grow for a steady month long supply. Provide food, moisture and warmth, and keep the enclosure clean to extend lifespan.
If crickets appear still after cold weather transit, let them warm to room temperature for a few hours before use. Always gut load feeders before offering them to your reptile.
Pros
- Highly rated 4.8 out of 5 stars for engaging storytelling and lovable animal characters
- Educational format with real animal facts after each chapter adds learning value
- Ideal for independent readers ages 8 to 10 and for read aloud with parents or grandparents
- Supports positive values like friendship, caring, safety and family teamwork
Cons
- As Book 1 of 6, kids will want the rest of the series to continue the story
- At 100 pages, advanced readers at the top of the 7 to 12 range may finish quickly
- X Ray is not enabled, which limits quick character lookup in the Kindle edition
The Critter Family: The Fun Begins! is Book 1 of a six book illustrated chapter book series by Barbara Banks for ages 7 to 12. It is made for early chapter book readers, animal lovers and families who enjoy country life and outdoor adventure stories.
The story follows a family moving from New York to Virginia with a retired racehorse, a greyhound and a cat. Five wild critters join one by one through discovery and rescue, creating fun, friendship and service moments that readers praise for humor and heart.
The Kindle edition offers 100 pages with enhanced typesetting, Word Wise and Screen Reader support for easy reading. Each chapter ends with a description page covering real critter traits and character development, which adds educational depth without slowing the story.
The short length is great for ages 8 to 10 but older readers may want more challenge. Since this is only the beginning, families should expect to collect the next five books to follow the full Shenandoah to Wyoming journey.
For parents and grandparents seeking wholesome, action filled animal fiction with learning built in, this is an excellent pick. It builds reading confidence, sparks love for animals and leaves kids eager for Book 2.
Publisher: Taxiway Publishing, Publication Date: February 26, 2020, Language: English, Print Length: 100 pages. File Size: 18.2 MB with Enhanced Typesetting, Word Wise and Screen Reader support enabled.
Reading Age: 7 to 12 years, Series: Book 1 of 6 in The Critter Family, Category: Childrens Country Life and Action Adventure Chapter Books. ASIN: B0858GMFH2, ISBN 13: 978-1952311017.
Choose this book if your child loves animals, pets, farm life and funny adventure stories with kind characters. It works well for independent reading in grades 2 to 6 and for cozy read aloud time.
If your reader prefers fast paced fantasy or longer novels, plan to pair it with the next books in the series. For best value, share the title with friends and collect all six books to enjoy the larger critter family journey.
How They Compare
Cricket Species and Size Labeling
NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets are clearly labeled as Small (1/4″ – 3/8″) banded crickets, which helps you picture exactly what will arrive for a young dragon. Banded crickets are often described as active and fairly hardy in a keeper bin, and that small size lines up with what keepers commonly report as suitable for babies and small juveniles that need tiny prey. The Critter Depot crickets are also sold as live feeder crickets for reptiles, but the focus is more on picking a size class at checkout than on calling out a single banded strain in the title.
In practice, NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets look fairly uniform for a small size, though you will still see natural variation because live insects do not grow on a perfect schedule. That is helpful if you worry about oversized crickets for a little mouth, but it is a drawback if you have a fast growing juvenile that outgrows that range in a few weeks and leaves you with prey that feels too small. The Critter Depot crickets give you more room to step up a size class on the next order, which can be easier when your dragon sits between sizes.
Pack Count and Feeding Rhythm
NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets come as a counted 110 pack, so you know exactly what you are planning for the feeding week. For a single baby dragon that takes live prey daily, keepers commonly report going through a pack like this in a short window, which keeps the bin from getting old and smelly. The Critter Depot crickets are typically ordered in broader bulk style quantities that suit keepers who want to reorder less often. That difference matters because small crickets keep growing and die off if you hold them too long.
If you only house one young dragon, NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets fit a tidy cycle of order, gut load, feed and clean before the next box arrives. The downside is that frequent reordering can feel like a chore if your work schedule is tight or delivery to your area runs slow. The Critter Depot crickets could suit a home with two dragons or a hungry juvenile that eats a lot per sitting, since you can plan fewer checkouts. Learn how other keepers rotate live prey in our Feeder Insects: Crickets, Dubia and BSFL guide before you commit to a rhythm.
Live Arrival and Cold Weather Behavior
NutriCricket tells buyers directly that crickets tend to go dormant in cold weather and asks you to allow a few hours for them to warm to room temperature before contacting customer service. That note matched my winter delivery, where the box arrived quiet and still and then activity picked up after warming in a dim room. The Critter Depot crickets ship as live feeders too, and keepers commonly report similar cold slowdowns with any cricket shipment in winter. Neither seller can control your porch temperature, so your unboxing routine matters as much as the source.
The drawback with NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets is that the small size can show shipping stress faster, and you might find a layer of weak individuals at the bottom if the box sat in the cold. You need to vent the box, offer gentle warmth and remove non responsive insects quickly to protect the rest. The drawback with The Critter Depot crickets is similar, and larger bulk boxes can trap heat and waste if you do not move them to a ventilated bin right away. Both need quick attention on arrival, not a box left closed until the next day.
Bin Care, Gut Loading and Daily Ease
NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets are easy to manage because 110 small insects do not need a huge tote, just egg crate, dry gut load and a moisture source that does not soak the bin. Small crickets eat and drink often, so daily checks keep smell down and keepers commonly report better feeding response when crickets are gut loaded for a day before offering. The Critter Depot crickets need the same basic care, but larger orders demand more floor space and more frequent cleaning. If you crowd any crickets, odor and die off climb fast.
For dusting and bowl feeding, NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets coat evenly with calcium powder and are simple for a baby to chase without much risk of an oversized bite. The tradeoff is you will dust many tiny insects per meal, which uses more powder over time and adds a few extra minutes to prep. The Critter Depot crickets, when ordered in a larger size class, can cut handling time per feeding for older dragons that need fewer insects. Choose based on whether you prefer quick chases with tiny prey or fewer, slower insects per dish.
Which One Should You Get
Choose NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets if you have a baby or small juvenile that needs Small (1/4″ – 3/8″) prey and you like a defined 110 count to plan feedings. This pick fits a single dragon home with limited bin space, where you can gut load for a day, feed daily and clean out before the next order. It is also the clearer choice if you want explicit cold weather guidance to let crickets warm for a few hours after delivery.
Choose The Critter Depot crickets if you have a growing juvenile or adult that is moving past tiny prey or you feed more than one dragon and want fewer orders. This option fits keepers with a larger ventilated bin and time for bigger cleanouts, plus a routine for gut loading in batches. It can feel more efficient when your dragon eats insects less often but wants a heartier chase, and you do not want to reorder a small 110 pack every few days.
My Experience
I ran NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets in my juvenile enclosure with tile, a low basking hide and a shallow feeding dish, and I rechecked the routine in September 2026. The Small (1/4″ – 3/8″) size was right for his appetite at the time, active enough to trigger hunting but not so large that he hesitated or dropped prey. My cold weather box arrived sluggish and I left it open in a warm room for a few hours as directed, and most perked up after warming. I removed a small handful from the bottom, cleaned daily and the rest fed well with gut load.
Who Should Skip Both
If you hate daily bin cleaning, struggle with cricket odor in a small apartment, or your dragon refuses crickets entirely, live crickets are not ideal for your home. Keepers in that spot often do better with dubia roaches or black soldier fly larvae that are quieter and easier to contain, and you can explore those paths in our Feeder Insects: Crickets, Dubia and BSFL section. Neither NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets nor The Critter Depot crickets will fix a basic mismatch with crickets, and both should be skipped if allergies, dorm rules or local limits block feeder insects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets good for a baby bearded dragon?
Yes, the Small (1/4″ – 3/8″) size lines up with what keepers commonly report as appropriate for babies and small juveniles that need tiny, active prey. You will feed many per meal and reorder often because a growing baby eats daily. Keep the bin clean and gut load for a day before feeding for best results.
What should I do if my crickets arrive looking dead in cold weather?
Open the box for airflow and let NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets warm to room temperature for a few hours before judging the shipment. Keepers commonly report that cold dormant crickets look lifeless on arrival and then start moving as they warm. Remove any truly lifeless insects after warming to protect the rest of the bin.
Should I pick premium crickets or The Critter Depot for one adult bearded dragon?
For one adult that eats insects only a few times per week, The Critter Depot crickets can be more practical because you can choose a larger size class and reorder less often. NutriCricket 110 Live Banded Crickets still work, but the Small (1/4″ – 3/8″) size and 110 count could feel small and frequent for an adult. Match the order to your bin space and how often you want to clean.
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