Leaving crickets in a terrarium.

Clint526

Clint526

Member
Ok, not trying to start a huge argument here but this is half curiosity and half wondering about the possibility of a myth. I'll start by saying I've had reptiles and amphibians my whole life (at least since I was old enough to remember so let's just say the last 20 years), everything from anoles, geckos, tree and dart frogs, to now a mating pair of panthers. And I personally have always placed a large number of cricks in an encloser at a time, let's say once a week adding a supply. And I have never, ever had an issue with them harming any of my pets in the slightest way. Now I'm not saying anyone who argues the practice is wrong, but is it possible people in different regions are getting a different breed of cricks and somehow the idea of cricks attacking or harming your herps got mainstreamed to have everyone afraid to do so? Like I said I'm not trying to call anyone out or say anyone is wrong, but I personally have never witnessed nor know anyone who has around here. So has this happened to anyone? Also, I read the recent post of the injured veiled that was in an encloser with another a few mins ago. And I do thing that with an open wound cricks would be drawn to it and do more damage just from my experience with cricks. So, what are your thoughts or experiences.
 
Well I personally have had a cham get a chunk taken out of his tail by crickets so yah I can say from bad experience it does happen. I think you have just been real lucky so far. I personally would never leave crickets in an enclosure with your cham while he, or she sleeps. So not a myth plain fact. If you're willing to risk your animals health that's on you, but I'll err on the side of caution.
 
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Like you I've always had reptiles of all verities (helped keeping my mom out of my room when I was young). There is always a few crickets running around in my cages. I've never had issues with it. I'm sure some people may have had issues at one time or another.
 
Are they're different variatys of cricks being sold in different regions of the US, or in other countries? Is it possible only certain species will do it?
 
I think it just depends on how hungry they are. If you are going to leave them in there I would at least leave some food for them to eat rather than your cham.
 
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The thing is... You won't actually know if the cricket is harming your Cham or not...

You can't sit there all night with a flash light watching your Cham sleep.

The crickets move around at night and if one stumbles across your chameleon he's going to have a feast.

The crickets will most likely start with a soft fleshy part like an eye, I've seen numerous cases of this happening.

Why risk the health of your chameleons?

You say you've owned pets your whole life, do you actually care for your pets or do you just like to have them as 'arm candy'?....

Not trying to start a debate here, but it seems like your taking the lazy way out here...

Also, think about how much nutrition the crickets are losing over that week long period, crickets eaten the first day will be more nutritious then crickets eaten on the 7th day.. And who knows what the crickets are eating in your cage before your chameleon ingests them.
 
Just to clarify when say few I mean a few, roamers that get into the plants and hide not just a mass of crickets crawling all over!
 
I'm pretty sure anyone would notice if there was harm to they're pet. And what about juvenile leopard geckos, probally the most vulnerable target for any kind of predator and I've never had an issue. Yes, I do keep cricket cubes and oats in the enclosers also so maybe that's prevented it. But I haven't always and still never had an issue.
 
The only time I have ever had a regular house cricket munch on a chameleon, or any reptile for that matter, is a rescue that I that was paralyzed as it could not feel the crickets biting. It was eerily similar to that situation that is happening currently. Every other reptile I have kept personally or in a zoo setting can feel an insect crawling on or biting them and move to shake it off, awake or asleep.

This is my experience only and not a hard and fast rule and I have not used the more aggressive species of crickets. I always recommend to novice keepers who may not recognize health issues in their pets, to only put in as many crickets as your pet will eat at a sitting to avoid any problems with hungry insects. I do this myself to this day.
 
I rescued three leopard geckos with severe metabolic bone disease. They hadn't been able to eat in weeks, their jaws were so gummy and broken. They also couldn't really move all that well because the bones in their legs and backs had broken and turned to jelly, and their front feet had three layers of shed stuck to them so it looked like they had flippers for hands. (Two died the first week, the third is still recovering and isn't out of the woods yet.)

There had to have been 50 or 60 crickets running around in the cage with them when we went to collect them. The family kept buying them and dumping them in like they had been told by the store. (The store is also one the one who didn't tell them they needed to dust with calcium, but had told them the geckos were skinny but fine, but I digress..) There was cricket poop layered on everything, they had been doing the same thing for so long. While the husbandry took it's toll on the geckos, as far as I could tell there wasn't a single cricket bite or open wound on them.

I have to wonder about the difference in species as well, especially since by all accounts these poor geckos should have been eaten alive. A couple years back most (if not all) suppliers did switch to a different species of cricket that is immune to the virus that had been wiping out the previous kind.
 
wodesorel said:
I rescued three leopard geckos with severe metabolic bone disease. They hadn't been able to eat in weeks, their jaws were so gummy and broken. They also couldn't really move all that well because the bones in their legs and backs had broken and turned to jelly, and their front feet had three layers of shed stuck to them so it looked like they had flippers for hands. (Two died the first week, the third is still recovering and isn't out of the woods yet.)

There had to have been 50 or 60 crickets running around in the cage with them when we went to collect them. The family kept buying them and dumping them in like they had been told by the store. (The store is also one the one who didn't tell them they needed to dust with calcium, but had told them the geckos were skinny but fine, but I digress..) There was cricket poop layered on everything, they had been doing the same thing for so long. While the husbandry took it's toll on the geckos, as far as I could tell there wasn't a single cricket bite or open wound on them.

I have to wonder about the difference in species as well, especially since by all accounts these poor geckos should have been eaten alive. A couple years back most (if not all) suppliers did switch to a different species of cricket that is immune to the virus that had been wiping out the previous kind.
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I agree, if the crickets we are all buying are the aggressive predators people claim they are them geckos should have been dead long before you got them. Sick and young leapord geckos gotta be the easiest target for anything to prey on.
 
Scout said:
You shouldn't. Gut load your chameleons crickets with carrots :/
Carrotanoids are not good for chameleons.
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I've never heard that. Carotenoids are what gives plants the reds and yellow pigments. Chameleons may not be able to convert beta carotene into Vitamin A, but that does not make it harmful.
 
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jajeanpierre said:
I've never heard that. Carotenoids are what gives plants the reds and yellow pigments. Chameleons may not be able to convert beta carotene into Vitamin A, but that does not make it harmful.
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I never said they were harmful...

When there are so many BETTER gut loading options out there, why feed one of the worst ones?..

I would assume it's because they last longer and don't have to be changed out everyday... :/
 
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