😊Escape proof cricket bin😊 - well almost.. hehe

[Camiezone]

Hey everyone,
As I was getting my cricket bin setup ready here tonight, I remembered when I started caretaking for chameleons. BOY O BOY, there's so much to learn, still is, always will be!! Anyways, I wanted to share with anyone interested a suggestion on establishing a cricket bin, and keeping them in it, lol. Disclaimer; This method isn't 100% and is just a friendly suggestion
1. Get a huge tub, Preferred in black.
(Home depot/walmart/amazon etc) depending on how many crickets you have at a time, mine is based on 1000 crickets a week.
2. Pre-order crickets either online thru numerous different sites, I highly recommend the sponsors to this site. If I walk into a reptile store, I can expect to pay about $ 30.- for 500 large crickets (way more at Petco/Petsmart) If I pre-order from that same reptile store, I get 1000 large crickets for $ 30.-
3. Add packaging tape about midway up the ENTIRE SIDES inside the box. (Crickets can't climb on the tape, or get a grip)
4. Plenty of egg crate.
5. High nutritional gutload food, personally I really like to use Anything Repashy their bug burger or gutload is great, but I also use natural products, ie carrots, bee pollen granules dissolved in water, mandarins in a cup are great for hydration, instead of the crap they sell in petstores. New product I really liking is called Devour, awesome stuff.
6. Papertowel saturated with water.
7. Keep box without a lid, if your concerned about escapees, you can drape mesh on the top. (No lid=ALOT LESS NASTY SMELL) I also tape a few fabreze on OUTSIDE of the box.
8. Keep box in a warm climate, my bin is in chameleon room.
9. Daily replace food and water.
10. Remove ALL dead crickets daily.
11. Throughly clean box in between batches, I use wipeout (reptile enclosure cleaning spray) after washing the bin. (Crickets release something that encourages the others to die or something sneaky like that)
REMEMBER what your crickets eat, your chameleons eat!!!
N THATS IT
I hope this rant can help someone outthere.
Take care and spoil your chameleons with top shelf food and supplements.
Your all they have.
(Gosh, I wish I had a chameleon emoji)
Camilla

 

[Jodieflower]

I know when a locust or cricket escapes because my cat immediately catches it and runs off with it to play with it

I just use a big plastic storage box for mine and put everything in there, very cheap and very easy! My parents always have fruits and veg in the fridge too so they get those sometimes as well as their food from the shop and some oats (although I’ve never seen them touch the oats yet so not sure if they even eat them as it’s more for my Dubai roaches)

My parents think the bugs don’t need nice food and stuff but I always tell them what they eat, my frogs eat! (And hopefully my future chameleon!!)

I hate having to do all the stuff with locusts and crickets and all that and dubia roaches really creep me out but you gotta do what you gotta do for your animals

 

[nightanole]

I cant go topless if i have 500-1000. The little guys just fart themselves to death. I have to have at least 2 sides with aluminum screen to keep everyone happy. I guess you could go topless if you have a wee fan blowing down on one side.

 

[Shauna_T]

Hey everyone,
As I was getting my cricket bin setup ready here tonight, I remembered when I started caretaking for chameleons. BOY O BOY, there's so much to learn, still is, always will be!! Anyways, I wanted to share with anyone interested a suggestion on establishing a cricket bin, and keeping them in it, lol. Disclaimer; This method isn't 100% and is just a friendly suggestion
1. Get a huge tub, Preferred in black.
(Home depot/walmart/amazon etc) depending on how many crickets you have at a time, mine is based on 1000 crickets a week.
2. Pre-order crickets either online thru numerous different sites, I highly recommend the sponsors to this site. If I walk into a reptile store, I can expect to pay about $ 30.- for 500 large crickets (way more at Petco/Petsmart) If I pre-order from that same reptile store, I get 1000 large crickets for $ 30.-
3. Add packaging tape about midway up the ENTIRE SIDES inside the box. (Crickets can't climb on the tape, or get a grip)
4. Plenty of egg crate.
5. High nutritional gutload food, personally I really like to use Anything Repashy their bug burger or gutload is great, but I also use natural products, ie carrots, bee pollen granules dissolved in water, mandarins in a cup are great for hydration, instead of the crap they sell in petstores. New product I really liking is called Devour, awesome stuff.
6. Papertowel saturated with water.
7. Keep box without a lid, if your concerned about escapees, you can drape mesh on the top. (No lid=ALOT LESS NASTY SMELL) I also tape a few fabreze on OUTSIDE of the box.
8. Keep box in a warm climate, my bin is in chameleon room.
9. Daily replace food and water.
10. Remove ALL dead crickets daily.
11. Throughly clean box in between batches, I use wipeout (reptile enclosure cleaning spray) after washing the bin. (Crickets release something that encourages the others to die or something sneaky like that)
REMEMBER what your crickets eat, your chameleons eat!!!
N THATS IT
I hope this rant can help someone outthere.
Take care and spoil your chameleons with top shelf food and supplements.
Your all they have.
(Gosh, I wish I had a chameleon emoji)
Camilla

I have to say I am not looking forward to dealing with crickets they creep me out. I would rather mess with my dubia any day. I just made my first order of crickets. I ordered two different sizes 250 each. Does it really matter if I mix them in the same enclosure? Also I read that the banded crickets aren't as smelly or as loud is that true? I was also wondering can I just feed them the same way I am feeding my dubia or do I have to get cricket food?