Fasting increases shelter use in house crickets (Acheta domesticus)

Abstract

Fasting, i.e. depriving the animals of food prior to harvesting, has been practised in the production of house crickets (Acheta domesticus). However, the effectiveness of this method in reducing microbial loads is still unclear. In addition, there may be costs of fasting to the organism, which could compromise product quality and animal welfare. Here, we analysed spontaneous behaviour displayed after 0, 24 or 48 hours of fasting. We show that after 48 hours of fasting, shelter use was increased and the duration spent on the exposed area of the floor was decreased. The same trend was seen after 24 hours fasting. Moreover, in both fasting treatments, a strong reduction in grooming was seen. We conclude that, in the absence of a microbial lowering effect of fasting and considering the current finding that fasting induces behavioural responses in crickets, there is currently no scientific support for using fasting in cricket production.