Cricket Keeper

[LAD]

I was just wondering, does anyone use the "cricket keeper" sold in pet stores? I've been having trouble with mine lately. I keep medium sized crickets in the holder with no egg carton but they still manage to get out through the little holes. Anyone have a solution?

 

[MdngtRain]

I've had the same problems. They climb out using the tubes. I'd say return it if you can, and jst get a plain kritter keeper, or a tupperware box with a hole in the top & screen glued over teh hole to prevent escapes.

 

[Kam808]

I am having problems with mine as well, but I really like the idea of the tubes. Makes it easy to capture them and feed 1 at a time. I'm thinking of using a tupperware or plastic storage box with pvc pipe as a replacement.

 

[DkRhodes]

how does the tube help you catch them, i've been wondering ?

 

[quikksilver8]

How do they climb out? Which cricket keeper do you have the large or small one? I have the large one and they have never gotten out. I'm not sure how they could.

 

[Scooter]

I use a small cricket keeper, and they dont get out, and I'm keeping small crickets in there. Hint. keep the black tubes in the holes, and the clear cap on the outside end. I put one egg cuppy in there, and a small food dish with carrots/vegies and cricket jello stuff.

 

[Red Bishop]

I have the small one right now. No problems with crickets getting out.

 

[Kam808]

Many ways to catch them with the tube. If you put it all the way in the keeper they just find there way into it but usually a lot of them do. I usually just shove the tube into one of the egg crate indentures and they run in the tube. Another way is to corner them with the tube til one runs in it. Feeding them from the tube is nice because you can sort of place them in certain spots of the enclosure, like branches or limbs. I use a chopstick to help them on their way.

I have a small one as well but I keep large crix. They have definitely managed to get out of that little hole where you secure that very insecure flap/cap to cover the hole (not the big hole itself). Watched them jump to the top air vents, then find the flaws. I noticed that they always get out if you just use that flap to cover the hole...that thing is pointless imo.

Now I just have taped over the holes and dont use them. Just open the top and work from there.

 

[ReptileGirl111]

Cricket keepers are 100% useless, when I first got my bearded dragon I had one, and that thing does not work for crap it's easier just to pick them up and throw them in the cage! So now I just have a regular cricket keeper that opens normal lol

 

[John33871]

ive had one, again also no problems with them getting out. the only holes i think i can understand are the holes that the tubes go in. what i did was just tape the holes i wasnt using with the tube. anyways not a bad product if you are working on a small scale. i would recommend a big plastic tube so you can hold a few thousand crickets at a time. i got mine full right now, i just need a way to catch them, lol.

 

[quikksilver8]

Guess i just buy dumb crickets cuz i've never seen them on the top or even close to getting out. Did you guys put other stuff in there with all the tubes. Maybe that helped them climb up, cuz i dont use anything but the tubes and they cant seem to walk up them.

 

[Kam808]

I just put the egg crate in there with the gut load, not high enough for them to cruise to the top.

 

[quikksilver8]

Ya but it might be just high enough to help them get to that top mesh and they can hang on to that, then make their escape. Just a thought. like i said the've never got out of mine when i keep it with just the tubes

 

[royden]

I freakin love my keeper!

I don't even have to pull the keeper down off the shelf, I just pull out a tube, shake it into the bottom of the cage and replace it. It works beautifully imo. I'm thinking of buying the large one, since I'm always taking the small keeper down to the big cricket farm in my basement.

And those tubes are practically cricket vacuums! You hold it over them and they just walk right in up.

 

[LAD]

"I have a small one as well but I keep large crix. They have definitely managed to get out of that little hole where you secure that very insecure flap/cap to cover the hole (not the big hole itself). Watched them jump to the top air vents, then find the flaws. I noticed that they always get out if you just use that flap to cover the hole...that thing is pointless imo."

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

[fliver]

we just got the large cricket keeper.
and since everyone was saying how they get out of those little holes where the covers come down, we hot glued the hole just enough so that the flap can still move but there isn't a huge gap.

 

[ColorCham427]

Just take out the tubes. Keep the 4 hole's shutters shut. Pick crickets up individually and add supplement and there ya go...

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

Here's a photo from a few years ago of how I keep my crickets. Most of the crix hide under the egg crate cups. Just lift out a cup and shake it into a deep plastic cup where they can be lightly dusted and then tossed in for feeding. I recommend changing the egg crate before it gets as dirty as the ones in this old photo .

 

[jesseesperto]

that thing is a piece of junk. and it is even made from crap plastic. save your papper towel tubes and toilet papper tubes from now on. there are lots of containers to keep them in. even a big tupper ware container is fine and punch some small holes for air.