My crickets dont live long after purchase

[nighttowl]

My crickets seem to die off about 4 days after I buy them for my vield chameleon.

I have them in a large sized plastic cricket keeper and usually buy betwen 20-30 at a time:
https://www.petsmart.com/reptile/fe...e/all-living-things-kricket-keeper-20358.html

Im feeding them Repashy superload with flukers cricket quencher.

any idea why this is happening?
im kind of thinking therre is not enough air movement.

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

Probably not enough ventilation. They need alot. And those containers dont have enough. I went threw same problem until i made one from tote and gave them a heat source. And do the paper towl thin for water works better. And i make my own gutload. You can YouTube be how to do it all. And now my crickets last alot longer.

 

[absolutbill]

Also, do the crickets have something to crawl on, like a paper towel roll, or a cardboard egg crate? They can crush each other by walking on each other constantly. Also give the crickets some fresh veggies and you won't have to bother with the cricket quencher - it's garbage anyway.

 

[nighttowl]

thanks for the replies - Ill try them out.

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

Also, do the crickets have something to crawl on, like a paper towel roll, or a cardboard egg crate? They can crush each other by walking on each other constantly. Also give the crickets some fresh veggies and you won't have to bother with the cricket quencher - it's garbage anyway.

Yeah forgot got the cardboard and stuff. And yeah that stuff is garbage

 

[insectovore]

Anytime I've had crickets die off it's been related to too much moisture and not enough ventilation. Make sure the top of the cricket holder is screen ventilated and don't let excess moisture build up. They need access to moisture through wet food, crystals, or paper towel in a bowl of water, but they need the rest of the area to be dry. Any moisture source should be changed often and bowls kept clean. Clean the bin between rounds of crickets and make sure they have plenty of cardboard egg crates/paper towel tubes to hide in and you should have very few deaths if you're getting healthy crix

 

[JoshD49]

For food I use bug burger made to a patty then sprinkled with super load. Also use 2 dishes with quencher and 2 pieces of egg crate in a cricket keeper .I buy about 60 and lose maybe 10 in a week.

 

[andrearamirezo91]

Probably not enough ventilation. They need alot. And those containers dont have enough. I went threw same problem until i made one from tote and gave them a heat source. And do the paper towl thin for water works better. And i make my own gutload. You can YouTube be how to do it all. And now my crickets last alot longer.

When you talk about "those containers", do you mean these? That's where I have my crickets and they stay dying as well. Is this not enough ventilation?

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

When you talk about "those containers", do you mean these? That's where I have my crickets and they stay dying as well. Is this not enough ventilation?

Yep i used to use one those and they keep dying. Now i usea tote and cut hole as big as i could on lid. I buy 1000 at a time and only lost 30

 

[nighttowl]

Yep i used to use one those and they keep dying. Now i usea tote and cut hole as big as i could on lid. I buy 1000 at a time and only lost 30

what do you mean tote?
picture or link?

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

Hereis mine. But many videos on internet and youtube.

 

[Char333p]

Ive had the same problem.... the cricket keeper is only good for 24 hours in my experience then they start dying... its quite pathetic actually...m but doing a bin is best way to go

Its all trial and error... i just made a bin and put vermiculite and dirt on the bottom... and to my surprise they bred... i didnt even have heat on them.. now theres like 100 or more babies which is a relief buying crickets gets annoying and expensive

 

[RobTheChameleonLover]

Ive had the same problem.... the cricket keeper is only good for 24 hours in my experience then they start dying... its quite pathetic actually...m but doing a bin is best way to go

Its all trial and error... i just made a bin and put vermiculite and dirt on the bottom... and to my surprise they bred... i didnt even have heat on them.. now theres like 100 or more babies which is a relief buying crickets gets annoying and expensive

I work at a hardware store and i get it from our bait supplier. He sells them for the zoo where i live. Get 500 for 9.50

 

[Char333p]

I work at a hardware store and i get it from our bait supplier. He sells them for the zoo where i live. Get 500 for 9.50

Thats pretty awesome then...

 

[nighttowl]

Last weekend I made my own cricket cage - and Im happy to post that the mass die offs have stopped.
i havent had to buy crickets for a week now.

 

[JoshD49]

I need to get a better bin and soon since I may need to increase my chances output . I will be building a new bin but I like where yours is going. Thanks for the update. Do you plan to breed them? You will need more egg crate and paper towel rolls but I'm sure you know that. My brother and I are getting ready to start a colony so I will keep tabs on your progress .

 

[cyberlocc]

1 word,

"Roaches"

.

 

[JoshD49]

1 word,

"Roaches"

.

Honestly I would but my Cham doesn't like Dubia much since they sit still. I would only consider orange heads and Dubia for all the upsides to them but I know he would like red runners best but I won't touch those since the infest chances are so high.

 

[angeloreyes]

I use a big gold fish plastic tub which the top is fully meshed and vented..... I gave my crickets gelatin water, since i started giving them that and the regular gut loading they last 3 times as long

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Your source makes a big difference too, maybe try another?