Shanghai Cricket Market

On previous trips we've walked around the bird market...really more of an narrow city alley functioning as a pet store. Not much tourist traffic here, mostly all locals, and we've gotten some "what are you doing here" looks from the animal dealers as we've walked around. This time there was a change of merchandise - not a lot of birds, because we hit right in the middle of cricket season. Even on the sidewalks surrounding the market, dozens of guys were laying out tarps and setting out the rows of little tuna-cans of crickets for sale, as well as the associated accessories that no cricket should be without, including tiny little porcelain food and water dishes for them

These cricket's destiny is to be more than just a pet though...these are fighting crickets, and crowds would gather around shopkeepers who would use a piece of straw to tickle the back feelers on these tiny brawlers to get them agitated.

I never really saw a cricket fight, and I can't imagine that they can do much damage to each other. What could they do except maybe hop all over each other? Probably a lot of trash talk and posturing, and not a lot of legitimate action...like pro wrestling for insects