Huntin’ Wild Crickets

Casket_Case

Casket_Case

Avid Member
Y’all crickets don’t last a week. I don’t know why. I’m supposed to feed Van today but the crickets done bit the dust but there’s black crickets that are out when I walk at night can I feed him those?
 
Can you hop to a store for a few feeders for now, while you wait for an order to come in from a place like Josh's Frogs? The banded crickets they sell last longer than a week. Just keep them in a well ventilated container.

Additionally let me take this moment to encourage you to start a roach colony instead. Once you set it up properly, you'll be set for feeders. Mine was bursting at the seams this summer and I was able to help two people in my area start their own roach colonies.

Breeding crickets is also possible but more challenging IMHO.
 
Chameleoking said:
Don't get me wrong I collect wild grass hoppers and moths. But I make sure they come from a safe area with no pesticides and fertilizers. In the summer my veiled main diet is wild bees and small wild locust or small grass hoppers and moths.
Click to expand...
I live very close to the woods and I’d get them from a road next to the woods. If I go deeper into the woods to collect crickets, grasshoppers & locusts would that be better?
 
bbyoda said:
Can you hop to a store for a few feeders for now, while you wait for an order to come in from a place like Josh's Frogs? The banded crickets they sell last longer than a week. Just keep them in a well ventilated container.

Additionally let me take this moment to encourage you to start a roach colony instead. Once you set it up properly, you'll be set for feeders. Mine was bursting at the seams this summer and I was able to help two people in my area start their own roach colonies.

Breeding crickets is also possible but more challenging IMHO.
Click to expand...
The thing is I’m at work and I get off at five and that’s when the shop closes. Plus I forgot my wallet at home. Also I can’t do roaches, even if I could get over my roach deal my mom would kill me if I considered bringing roaches in the house.
 
Van_&_Alec said:
The thing is I’m at work and I get off at five and that’s when the shop closes. Plus I forgot my wallet at home. Also I can’t do roaches, even if I could get over my roach deal my mom would kill me if I considered bringing roaches in the house.
Click to expand...
Dang...sounds like a rough day. Well, chameleons are hunters and can go a while without food so don't stress. You could try to grab feeders another day. Or go out and catch some safer bugs like @Chameleoking suggested, from a pesticide free area.

Alternatives to roaches in the house include silkworms (also challenging to breed) and depending on where you live, keeping the roach bins in a garage, mud room (that's what I do), or outside. If it gets too cold they won't breed tho. But if roaches aren't your thing I'd say get a bigger, better ventilated bin for the crickets and get banded crickets from a better source, like Josh's.
 
bbyoda said:
Dang...sounds like a rough day. Well, chameleons are hunters and can go a while without food so don't stress. You could try to grab feeders another day. Or go out and catch some safer bugs like @Chameleoking suggested, from a pesticide free area.

Alternatives to roaches in the house include silkworms (also challenging to breed) and depending on where you live, keeping the roach bins in a garage, mud room (that's what I do), or outside. If it gets too cold they won't breed tho. But if roaches aren't your thing I'd say get a bigger, better ventilated bin for the crickets and get banded crickets from a better source, like Josh's.
Click to expand...
I really need to ventilate my cricket jar that’s probably what I did wrong… I’m still learning. And there’s tons of silkworms here! I live in West Georgia and the Southeast is full of silkworms. There’s a nest near my house on a weeping Cherry tree.
 
Yeah if they're not getting lots of fresh air they can stagnate and die quickly. But the source and species matter too!

I used to just use a Home Depot bin and cut a huge hole in the top and glue gunned screen to it so the cover was like one big screen. That worked OK. My roach bin is much bigger - a big storage container - and I did the same thing, cutting a hole in the top and affixing screen with glue on it.

Is your chameleon fully grown or still young? Younger chams need to eat more.

While you're out getting silkworms collect some mulberry leaves so you can feed them as you take care of them. You can also order those online from our forum sponsor sites but sometimes they're out of stock. The risk with wild caught bugs includes pesticide exposure but also parasites. So be sure to do your regular check ups with vets and fecal tests if you go the wild caught route.
 
bbyoda said:
Yeah if they're not getting lots of fresh air they can stagnate and die quickly. But the source and species matter too!

I used to just use a Home Depot bin and cut a huge hole in the top and glue gunned screen to it so the cover was like one big screen. That worked OK. My roach bin is much bigger - a big storage container - and I did the same thing, cutting a hole in the top and affixing screen with glue on it.

Is your chameleon fully grown or still young? Younger chams need to eat more.

While you're out getting silkworms collect some mulberry leaves so you can feed them as you take care of them. You can also order those online from our forum sponsor sites but sometimes they're out of stock. The risk with wild caught bugs includes pesticide exposure but also parasites. So be sure to do your regular check ups with vets and fecal tests if you go the wild caught route.
Click to expand...
Van is 1 1/2 years old :)
 
Hi so with wild caught insects 1 ( as you know ) from an area that you are100 % sure no insecticide/ pesticides also 2 what plants have or whatever have the insects eaten. I can't get too many stores so the majority of what I buy is online and I always buy more than I need. As with your crickets ( maybe a better supplier) I have crickets still in their original container from 2 weeks ago . Which is a takeaway carton. Still alive.
 
Hi! With crickets it’s good to have them in a large tub depending on how many you are getting and to have screen not only in the lid but in the sides of the container as well. They produce a lot of gas believe it or not and they need a lot of ventilation. You’ll need egg crates for them to climb on and you’ll need to remove dead crickets daily. This all helps them last longer as well as buying banded crickets. They last longer to.
 
Van_&_Alec said:
I live very close to the woods and I’d get them from a road next to the woods. If I go deeper into the woods to collect crickets, grasshoppers & locusts would that be better?
Click to expand...
Sure anywhere chemical free. I've been getting them from my yard. But I know all my neighbors and the folks on the next few streets and none of us use fertilizers or pesticides so I'm in a cham safe zone for bugs.
 
When you buy crickets remember the ones with wings are adults and don't live very long. I get 1000 meds every week with few deaths. just an idea... Plus your fella might want some fresh leaves off a safe plant in the yard.
 
What they said large tub screen lid. Moisture source lke a cap with paper towel or cotton balls to prevent drowning or washed greens for moisture ground dry food. They live just fine like that. Red runners are another option but dont let them looose in your house you need to secure them well maybe feed off 12" blunt ended tweezers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

FreeJovan
Should I give my new Cham non gut loaded crickets or skip a feeding for today? Help
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
M&M
M&M
CryptKeeper
Stickbugs
2
Replies
25
Views
818
CryptKeeper
CryptKeeper
Echo98
please help i think she’s dying
Replies
12
Views
717
kinyonga
K
lallalaura
Rescued a chameleon
Replies
5
Views
446
MissSkittles
MissSkittles
Andrew1283
My Crickets Don’t Die
2
Replies
23
Views
2K
elizaann2
elizaann2
Back
Top Bottom