Crickets keep dying

tdotcham

tdotcham

New Member
I'm having an issue with my crickets constantly dying. I'm purchasing them from the same pet shop as my buddies, and there's are fine. I'm housing them in a cylinder shaped container about 8" tall and 6" wide. it has ventilation holes going around the top rim of the container and none in the lid. I've been purchasing 50 at a time and after 2 days they are all dead which isnt very ideal for feeding

I've been gutloading them with kale, dandelion greens, red pepper, and carrot. I purchased the water gel crystals as well and have put those in there. I also put in a toilet paper roll and 2 squares of 4 egg carton.

what am i doing wrong here??? is it the container itself?? I figure there might not be enough air. I'm in the process of finishing a new container with a mesh top that is about 12" long and 6" high
 
You might have better luck with your new (larger) container--Make sure they have ample room to hide. What is the temperature like where you store them? The heat can kill them.
 
I don't think your container has enough ventilation. What do you put inside the container for the crickets to hide in? Does any mold build up in there?
How do your buddies keep theirs that differs from how you keep yours??
 
Are you keeping anything in the cage uncleaned between cleanings? I would make sure to get rid of any possibly contaminated items.
 
KingJulien makes a good point. Between "housings" it's important to really clean that container. If I'm confident that the previous crickets were healthy, I still do a full scrub with an antimacrobial soap. If I suspect that the previous crickets had "the virus" I soak everything in water with bleach.

It's always important to let the keeper dry completely before putting new crickets in.
 
still question but is it a clean container? Not an old bleach bottle, and do you smoke around the crickets? also do the crickets have anything to eat?
 
First, I would ditch the water gel. If it is not changed on a daily basis and consumed by the crickets, they will pass along a bacteria that can be very harmful to your cham(s). Other than that, your food selection is fine.

The larger enclosure should definitely minimize your number of casualties.

Good luck.
 
bighutch917 said:
First, I would ditch the water gel. If it is not changed on a daily basis and consumed by the crickets, they will pass along a bacteria that can be very harmful to your cham(s). Other than that, your food selection is fine.

The larger enclosure should definitely minimize your number of casualties.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

You change the water gel daily? oops I have not been doing this.

If you don't use water gel, what do you use instead?

I'm having cricket issues as well, I've switched to dubias temporarily for variety and they've been hardier lately.
 
Well if you give them fresh veggies every day that arent all dried out,
they should get moisture from that.
Or a piece of potatoe but the crickets tend to eat the potatoe more than
the other veggies :/
and its not the best for gut loading
 
PedroANDAshley said:
Well if you give them fresh veggies every day that arent all dried out,
they should get moisture from that.
Or a piece of potatoe but the crickets tend to eat the potatoe more than
the other veggies :/
and its not the best for gut loading
Click to expand...

Ah ok so the fresh veggies can take the place of quencher? I didn't know that, thanks. For gut loading I've been separating the few I'm going to feed him the night before, feeding them the monster-gut-load I was given when I was given the chameleon. But for keeping the other ones alive I thought I needed quencher.

Sweet, I'd rather do the fresh food anyhow, its nutritious.
 
I think you need more air to flow in the container. When I first started keeping crickets they were dying to because I did the same. some holes in the lid. but know I have a screen in top and the air flows better. Also this helps to maintain the odor away. Try to keep it as clean as possible and for example if one cricket dies take it out because they start dying.

KEEP THEM HYDRATE ALL THE TIME !!

hope you do better next time!!
good luck
 
What I house them in is in the original post. toilet paper rolls and the egg squares. I don't see a problem with "the virus" as my buddies are all getting from the same store that is reputable.

what should i use instead of water gels?? i heard this is the only way to prevent drowning them. i finally found my glue gun so ill be glue'ing the mesh on the new container tomorrow.

so far ive done the same with this new batch of crickets i purchased from a different shop in a much much smaller container they came in (but with a mesh lid) and they have been fine. i think it may just be ventilation causing the issue.

however, if people have discovered optimal ways to keep crickets... id love to hear it! will only benefit the members on this forum and all the chams
 
Someone suggested to me that I take cotton balls and get them nice and wet. Putting those in a lid is a nice alternative to gel water. Or if you have a smaller batch a lid full of fresh water works. ( mine seem to treat it more like a swimming pool though)
 
I use water gels and I keep crickets alive for as long as I need them, if they are healthy. I put the water gels in a "jar lid" so that they don't go all over the place. I would not recommend open water because that's an invitation to drown (and, they will take it).

I keep mine in a dark place. I don't know if that's an issue, I'm just tossing it out there.
 
Right now my cham does not eat crickets so I am about done with them but I still have some and they last for weeks and weeks. Some die off but not much. I use a 10 gallon fish tank with a screen lid. Are u using a light for warmth?. The cricket breeder told me the ideal temp for them is about 90degrees. I have the advantage of living in florida and never had to use a light so I just keep them on my patio and it is warm enough out there. i use orange slices for hydration and gutload with basically what you are doing.
 
I also heard too soak cotton wool balls for moisture. To be honest I hardly do anything with my crickets (just feed them) and they live ages.

It's not too hot in the room and the box has lot's of ventilation. So I honestly think ventilation is the trick.
 
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