Cricket Keeper Help

[bigdog100]

Hi,

I have ordered crickets from many different places and in all different quantities. The problem I face in a week most of them are dead. Can you look at my keeper and see what I am missing. They have plenty of chow, water and fresh veggies. I even tried all egg cartons but they still die. Thanks

 

[Brodybreaux25]

What kind of chow?
How are you watering?
How big are the crickets?
What species?
Do you get them online or a pet store?
What temp is your keeper kept at?

 

[bigdog100]

What kind of chow? https://www.amazon.com/Dubia-Roach-...TF8&qid=1534953745&sr=8-5&keywords=dubia+chow
How are you watering? water crystals
How big are the crickets? 5 week old
What species? Banded
Do you get them online or a pet store? Fluckers and Joshfrogs
What temp is your keeper kept at? 78

 

[JacksJill]

Ventilation seems to be the biggest problem with keeping crickets alive.

 

[Char333p]

Get medium ones only so they have time to grow... large ones are at end of life cycle...cunfortunately tho i had same problem.. it takes a bit of trial and error... try throwing some clean soil on the bottom so they can potentially breed

 

[bigdog100]

what kind of soil, can i get at home depot?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

In my opinion water crystals are useless. Your crickets should be getting all the moisture they need from the food you are providing. I mix water into my cricket crack and I have zero issues with die offs. Maybe try a new supplier too, highly recommend Armstrong Crickets.

 

[jay_linne]

I am no pro but it could be the amount of crickets in there and there feces. I normally only lose 1-2 cricket. I buy a bucket of 100 split the bucket in half (pull one of the cardboards out and put it in a bin I have from last batch after it has been cleaned) and put a pretzel inside each one. No idea why I thought they would like it but they eat it. If Im eating a apple I will also put a little piece inside the bins. during feeding I just take my cham out and put him in front of the bucket and he eats it right out of the bucket. If i want to throw some into his enclosure i pick up the piece of cardboard and just swing it so some come flying out. I change the cardboard and clean the bin if it looks like it needs to be changed and use the other bucket to transport the cardboard with the crickets so they are all in one and clean one then do the same to the other. Also I found when I first got them if they were not in the shade or a cool area they would die from moisture.

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

Hi,

I have ordered crickets from many different places and in all different quantities. The problem I face in a week most of them are dead. Can you look at my keeper and see what I am missing. They have plenty of chow, water and fresh veggies. I even tried all egg cartons but they still die. Thanks

Looks like what some have said. Not enough ventilation. Need much more of open screen. Need to cut it out bigger and i used hot glue to keep it on.

 

[insectovore]

Ventilation is a big deal for sure, moisture buildup and crickets are a bad combo. They have to have moisture to drink but anything beyond that is going to allow disease to have a chance to strike. I also clean out my bins pretty well and wash them out between loads of crix. Can't comment on the two places you ordered from I've been using 5 points crickets and bassets, I order 2 weeks worth at a time and I hardly see a dead cricket in the bin.

 

[zygodactylenvy]

So glad I found this thread. Made the mistake of ordering 1000 and I've lost 2/3 within days.
I was going to move to a spare tank I have with a screen lid. Anyone know if the glass would be ok rather than the plastic tote? If not, guess I'm going shopping but would rather use what I have if I can.
Thanks!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Doesn’t matter if it’s glass or plastic.

 

[Johnnyjames572]

So glad I found this thread. Made the mistake of ordering 1000 and I've lost 2/3 within days.
I was going to move to a spare tank I have with a screen lid. Anyone know if the glass would be ok rather than the plastic tote? If not, guess I'm going shopping but would rather use what I have if I can.
Thanks!

If it's a plastic tote bin then cut ventilation holes in both side and cover it with screen mesh. I had the same problem. After I put ventilation holes in the sides I haven't had any issues.

 

[Darthroastcoffee]

No water. fresh greens, kale, mustard greens,
and dandelion greens. That knocks out most of your gutload and all the hydration you need. And if you want to breed mix some dirt with a little water not much or you will get mold put it in a small container and sit it in where they can climb on and off. That way you don’t mess up your cricket bin. Then you can put the container of dirt in a separate bin for when they start to hatch, usually about 2-3 weeks after putting the container of dirt in. I usually sit it in for a week then take it out.

 

[NickTide]

You are going to loose some. I seldom use crickets but back when i had no other choice (many years ago), I would buy 500 crickets, put them in a 10 gallon with egg crate and a small desk lamp for heat. I fed them carrots as a base. Then added veggie scraps and apple cores. If iever used water (dont think i did) it would have been a sponge in a dish. Crystals didnt exist. It took me about 1) days to use them up and there was probably 100 deads.

Whe n i get small quantities these days, i use a heat pad and apple. I loose some but no big deal.

 

[Angelwolf]

No water. fresh greens, kale, mustard greens,
and dandelion greens. That knocks out most of your gutload and all the hydration you need. And if you want to breed mix some dirt with a little water not much or you will get mold put it in a small container and sit it in where they can climb on and off. That way you don’t mess up your cricket bin. Then you can put the container of dirt in a separate bin for when they start to hatch, usually about 2-3 weeks after putting the container of dirt in. I usually sit it in for a week then take it out.

Do you retain the moisture in the dirt container after you remove it? I had no idea it was that simple to breed crickets!

 

[yodathepanther]

In my opinion water crystals are useless. Your crickets should be getting all the moisture they need from the food you are providing. I mix water into my cricket crack and I have zero issues with die offs. Maybe try a new supplier too, highly recommend Armstrong Crickets.

So i was gonna order some from armstrong crickets! is the cricket food any good its 16$ for 4 tubs ?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Couldn’t tell you. I just discovered them 6mo ago when I found out the had a farm in Louisiana, never tried their food. Give it a shot and let us know.

 

[yodathepanther]

Sounds good is there anyway to tell if the food is working good for them and the cham? Besides the die off count.

 

[JacksJill]

Make sure it doesn't contain any animal products.