Keeping crickets/living quarters

[Big Gulp]

I just bought me first cham this weekend (Veiled). I already have a crested gecko, a leachie gecko and 3 red-eyed tree frogs.

The frogs get crickets, but don't eat a ton, so I usually go to the pet store once a week and get a few dozen. I keep them in a large Kritter Keeper. The geckos get the crested gecko diet, with crickets or roaches once in a while.

Well, at NARBC Tinley (where I got the cham), I also bought 1,000 crickets because I know they eat a lot every day. Holy man, I didn't realize what 1,000 crickets looked like!

So, I bought a Sterelite tub to put them in. It's the clear/opaque surface that seems slicker than the colored tubs, so I'm assuming I don't need to use the tape trick on this inside to keep them from climbing?

I know they need better ventilation, so what's the best way of cutting out an opening on the lid? And I suppose you just glue a screen over that opening?

How do you guys/gals keep your crickets?

Also, what if I just wanted to do all dubia and reptiworms, is that possible? No crickets at all?

Thanks much!

 

[camimom]

I only feed roaches, I haven't fed crickets in almost 6months.

I hate crickets, they smell, jump, and are just obnoxious.

I sometimes buy some crickets here or there when my colony needs to revamp, or I feel like switching it up a bit, but for the most part, I feed roaches.

 

[Big Gulp]

Thanks. I may end up doing that eventually.

Right now I have to keep my crickets in my bedroom closet, so I do smell them a little (not too bad). I'm curious if the toxins from their poop is unhealthy for humans. I know it may sound silly, but I remember reading on another forum that someone got some sort of lung disease from being around crickets all the time.

 

[camimom]

Well anyone who has breathing problems can sometimes have allergies to the frass the crickets create.

I know I would sometimes break out in hives on my arms after dealing with my cricket bins.

 

[ellbodavis]

I do breed crickets for my chameleon, leopard gecko and beardie. If you keep the humidity low, remove old food, and remove waste, the smell can be reduced. I keep mine in my basement so I do not smell them unless I am right on top of the bins. I think I'd rather deal with crickets than roaches and I think my husband would divorce me if I intentionally brought roaches into our house.

 

[Psychobunny]

I dont know about the cricket poop, but when I clean out the dubia bin, I have to ware a dust mask or I will get terrible lung congestion for days!!

It could just be an allergy !

 

[captdan]

So do most people just buy from local source weekly? I'm thinking about getting a panther soon and want to know as well?

 

[Gpez]

So I'm getting my first cham next week but I already have his setup ready, including tank with crickets... I'm keeping the crickets in my room, are these things going to start smelling?

 

[junglefries]

If you properly maintain your crickets, they really don't start to smell for 3-4 days. you need to remove old food, change out egg cartons, scrape the flooring with like a putty knife (which helps scoop up poop and deads also, daily). Proper ventilation is a must also. i divide a 1000 box into 3 10g Critter Cages (tops secure better to keep ANY from escaping). People who walk into my living room can hear them but not smell them. actually, i don't hear them anymore. they have become just ambient noise.

 

[nightanole]

Crickets shouldnt stink if you have 5 outa the six walls of the tub covered in screen with good air flow. its only when you have an aquarium tank setup that they start to stink and literally fart themselves to death.

I have 500 right next to me in the computer room, i cant smell them and i just have 2 sides and the top of the tub covered in screen.

You just got to learn to dry the frass out.

 

[Big Gulp]

If I were to cut sections out of the Sterelite tubs I use for the crickets, and put screen on, will the fiberglass screening work? Or could they chew thru it if they got on it?

 

[coldbloodedAL]

If I were to cut sections out of the Sterelite tubs I use for the crickets, and put screen on, will the fiberglass screening work? Or could they chew thru it if they got on it?

They can, and will chew through the fiberglass screen. Trust me! My first thousand crickets ended up all over my house!

I find aluminum screen to work best.