Mulberry crickets

[clarkrw3]

http://www.geckotime.com/jamaican-field-cricket-gryllus-assimili/

I read that article before. But after working with them for more than 6 mo the benefits FAR outweigh the risks. The only time they are that "killer" is when they are starved for food or water. If you are gutloading them well they are no more killer than any normal brown. Granted I try to not take chances and will always place a carrot in the cage if I am free ranging them, and don't leave large ones in with my geckos. There are sooooo many positives to these guys I think if I wasn't working with them I wouldn't work with crickets at all.

I have been keeping, feeding, and breeding these guys for most of the year.

 

[im faster]

sorry but this a risk im not willing to take. and i know people that gut load and water there crickets just fine. and are still suffering effects..

what benefits are there?

 

[clarkrw3]

sorry but this a risk im not willing to take. and i know people that gut load and water there crickets just fine. and are still suffering effects..

what benefits are there?

If you are not willing to "risk" it I would think the benefits are pointless.

1. They grow much bigger
2. They gutload like nothing you have ever seen (blow up like balloons)
3. Breed really easy (lay easy, hatch easy, pins grow easy) I don't even use heat
4. No cricket virus
5. Really hardy I have kept some adults alive for 4-5 mo
6. Less stinky (very subjective)
7. chirps are much quieter
8. very little die off


I have been feeding them to 4 chams and 8 crested geckos for most of the year. I started with 100 adult crickets from Mulberry back at the beginning of March and without buying more I am at my lowest level of the year because I haven't had any lay for 3 mo and I have 350 or so with 25 females laying right now.

To each there own I guess but for me they are worth it!! I guess I can see having problems if you throw a bunch in (say to feed for 4-7 days) at once and then ignore you animals...but I never do that. These guys EAT a lot so if you have a bunch in a cage without food for a few days they will start eating whatever they can (each other or your animal).

 

[im faster]

Yeah those are pretty minor benefits..

if i only fed Chams i may do it.
but .. i have lots of geckos.. and the risk is NOT worth it.

 

[KarmaChameleon1337]

Just don't free range black ones. I handfeed.

 

[Elizadolots]

I've been told that the black crickets are not approved for interstate shipments, meaning that unless you live in the state of the farm, it will be brown crickets.

I do know that some companies are not overly beholden to legalities...so, can't say that's a guarantee....

 

[Escalade]

I heard the black ones don't climb and jump as much, is this true? I might get some but I wouldn't want these assassins crawling around my room ready to bite unsuspecting victims

 

[clarkrw3]

I heard the black ones don't climb and jump as much, is this true? I might get some but I wouldn't want these assassins crawling around my room ready to bite unsuspecting victims

That's pretty subjective but I would say that would be accurate. However, (and I am sure this will not help my case) but I have had some fly LOL. I know what you are thinking but when I say fly I mean like grasshoppers fly....The chams LOVED them!!! It seems they only do that right after they do the final molt into adults and it only lasts a few days and it's over.

The other thing is these guys are HUGE!! I know I have mentioned that before but it is seriously shocking how much bigger they are so I can see with geckos they might get too large for the gecko, they do grow fast!!