Mole cricket? Can they be used as feeder?

[Dart401]

My dad is currently staying on a camp site that is covered in mole crickets. He offered to bring me some home to feed my Chameleon but I have no idea if these are safe to use as feeders. Also can they be gut loaded like normal crickets??
I can’t seem to find much about mole crickets being used as feeders, so I’m hoping someone could give me some insight.
These mole crickets are the size of a large normal cricket and look like they would be very meaty.
I’ll provide a stock photo of what a mole cricket is below.
I have a two year old male Panther Chameleon btw.

 

[nightanole]

You are fine. Its a very crunchy treat. 1-3 in a feeding is fine, but dont feed like a dozen like a normal cricket. I would not leave them unsupervised as its a very big cricket, and they have a habit of nibbling on the cham while it sleeps. But that is true for all crickets.

 

[AmandaS]

That's a gnarly looking cricket!

 

[Beman]

That's a gnarly looking cricket!

RIght! like uh nope.

 

[nightanole]

and you thought a super trying to dig between your fingers was bad

Also some of these can get adult dubia lengths....

 

[Mrjamwin]

What the heck. That thing is beastly looking.

 

[Dart401]

You are fine. Its a very crunchy treat. 1-3 in a feeding is fine, but dont feed like a dozen like a normal cricket. I would not leave them unsupervised as its a very big cricket, and they have a habit of nibbling on the cham while it sleeps. But that is true for all crickets.

Thanks that’s great to know that I can use these as a treat for him!
I’ll probably start with putting one in his feeding cup for now and see if he will even go for it!

 

[Pearl Fields]

Did yall know about the Jerusalem Cricket? We went on vaca once and we saw one, named him George the gross cricket. my dad read up on them "strong mandibles can deliver a painful bite"

 

[kinyonga]

Scary critters.

 

[Mrjamwin]

Did yall know about the Jerusalem Cricket? We went on vaca once and we saw one, named him George the gross cricket. my dad read up on them "strong mandibles can deliver a painful bite"

I just Googled it and all I can say is Heck no!

 

[AmandaS]

 

[Mrjamwin]

@AmandaS it looks like it wants to kick someones butt.

 

[AmandaS]

@AmandaS it looks like it wants to kick someones butt.

Looks like a cricket got stung by a bee

 

[Beman]

View attachment 284385

OMG I can not un see that Amanda!!!!!!

 

[Highway61]

OMG I can not un see that Amanda!!!!!!

I grew up in a suburb of L.A. and as kids, playing in dirt like good little boys, we would come accross these hideous beasts (Jerusalem Cricket). We called them "potato bugs" for some reason but to this day, just looking at photos of them still gives me the willies!

 

[Beman]

I grew up in a suburb of L.A. and as kids, playing in dirt like good little boys, we would come accross these hideous beasts. We called them "potato bugs" for some reason but to this day, just looking at photos of them still gives me the willies!

I dunno if I would call that a potato bug. That name implies to me that it is harmless... This thing looks like godzilla. Not what you want making its way into your bed with you. The thing my nightmares are made of

 

[Mrjamwin]

Suburb of L.A.. Well then, that's Jiminiy Cricket's badass cousin.

 

[Ramrod]

View attachment 284385

Now that's a 4 course meal with legs

 

[Highway61]

I dunno if I would call that a potato bug. That name implies to me that it is harmless... This thing looks like godzilla. Not what you want making its way into your bed with you. The thing my nightmares are made of

Unless your bed looks like this, you have nothing to worry about