Hawaii Experiencing Cricket Shortage

If you are a reptile keeper on Oahu, Hawaii be prepared to find less crickets as the island’s big local breeder ran into a problem and won’t have any crickets for sale until January. However, another local cricket producer does have crickets, but there is only one store that carries them, Pet Hale in Millilani. 

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KITV reports that all pet stores on the island ran out of crickets a few weeks ago as the supplier experienced production problems. The gist of the problem was not disclosed, but for Pet Hale and its supplier, its a mini boom of sorts as they are the only store on the island to still have a steady supply. 

"We have probably quadrupled at least our sale of crickets since the shortage so we've seen a lot of people come in that haven't been here before," Pal Baker, owner of Pet Hale told KITV. During normal times, the store sold about 75 crickets a week, but since the shortage began two weeks ago, the store is selling 75 crickets a day. 

Some resourceful person even has an ad up on Craigslist advertising crickets for sale at $5 for 50 large and $5 for 60 medium-sized crickets. 

Those thinking of buying from a mainland source can’t because of the state’s quarantine laws. So what herps can Hawaiians keep given the strict laws with regard to importing animals? Jackson’s chameleons are probably the most popular pet lizard in the island given that they are widely distributed in the wild. There also are an abundance of green and brown anoles as well as day geckos. 

So, have you had a cricket shortage in your neck of the woods? Leave a comment in the comments below. 

John B. Virata keeps a ball python, two corn snakes, a king snake, and two leopard geckos. His first snake, a California kingsnake, was purchased at the Pet Place in Westminster, CA for $5. His first pet reptile was a green anole that arrived in a small box via mail order. Follow him on Twitter @johnvirata