dakotakleiner
New Member
I keep my crickets in a small tuberware container that I put their food in the corner and their egg carton in the other after a few days it gets all nasty it their. Does any one else have any different strateigies?
proper cricket keeping??
- Thread starter dakotakleiner
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jeanjacket812
New Member
I use a large tote from walmart with no lid. Gives them plenty of room and keeps the smell down.
dragongoddess
Established Member
May sound like a bit much but I hate the smell too.
I use three tier plastic drawer. Every week I move them to a clean drawer and wash out the old. It's a bit of work but I keep them in my room, so it's a must.
I use three tier plastic drawer. Every week I move them to a clean drawer and wash out the old. It's a bit of work but I keep them in my room, so it's a must.
ijmccollum
New Member
I use modified plastic totes. The lid has been cut and replaced with screen for ventilation. Egg crates are placed on side so it allowes for housing with feces dropping to bottom. The bottom is vermiculite and easily swapped out. Food is offered as cut or in dishes. I have seen a nice set up in the forum where someone also cut and applied screen to the bottom of the tote for ease of fecal removal. I have yet to try that but intend to do so when time allows. I go through a boat load of crickets so I am always looking for ways to make it easier. The smell, that is just crickets -- no matter how clean you think you keep them.
dakotakleiner
New Member
the screen
im glad you said that about the screen and the fecal matter because thats pretty much my problem that i cant stand because i pour the crickets from my tubber ware container into a cup then into a bag and theres always feces getting in the calcium bag and eventually into my cham. one way or another i was thinking of the screen idea before i posted this but havnt quiet figured it out yet because it does seem like the feces would fall right through the screen
im glad you said that about the screen and the fecal matter because thats pretty much my problem that i cant stand because i pour the crickets from my tubber ware container into a cup then into a bag and theres always feces getting in the calcium bag and eventually into my cham. one way or another i was thinking of the screen idea before i posted this but havnt quiet figured it out yet because it does seem like the feces would fall right through the screen
I use modified plastic totes. The lid has been cut and replaced with screen for ventilation. Egg crates are placed on side so it allowes for housing with feces dropping to bottom. The bottom is vermiculite and easily swapped out. Food is offered as cut or in dishes. I have seen a nice set up in the forum where someone also cut and applied screen to the bottom of the tote for ease of fecal removal. I have yet to try that but intend to do so when time allows. I go through a boat load of crickets so I am always looking for ways to make it easier. The smell, that is just crickets -- no matter how clean you think you keep them.
ijmccollum
New Member
Yeah, I've wondered about the screen size myself. I know when I get crickets shipped in they come with screened sides for ventilitation. The poo does shake out through those, don't know if all of it would -- and there is the sheds and deads to deal with. I will have to check the guage next time.
As far as applying? I am thinking dremel and glue gun.
KYchamguy
New Member
I use a wooden screened cricket bin with a low watt household bulb mounted on the inside. It has a hinged top and allows for easy access and the crickets love the warmth from the light bulb. The bulb also keeps everything dry inside, along with the screened sides, so the smell stays down to a minimum..... I learned this from a local bait shop where they keep crickets for a long period of time, and they always have the fattest crickets I have ever seen!
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
Why not just pick up the crickets from your bucket and place into the other container/calcium?
Clean out the cricket container every other day, and the smell and fecal content will be reduced.
AReptile
New Member
I used to keep them in a butter container and put egg carton pieces in there for them but they die wayy too fast in there in the summer when it's hot out/ I changed that and actually got a small plastic tank for them and it seems to be working for the moment. Then again I only get 10-20 crickets at a time.
dtown
New Member
Pic please
Can you provide a pic of your cricket setup?? It would be greatly appreciated!!
Can you provide a pic of your cricket setup?? It would be greatly appreciated!!
ijmccollum
New Member
Yeah, I'd like to see a pic too! I order 500--1000 at a time. They last about 2--3 weeks and I would like to stay on top of their health/maintence since they are ultimately sustience to others.
What about silk or horn worms?
What about silk or horn worms?
dakotakleiner
New Member
i like to feed my veiled horned worms once a week as he loves them also i do not know how to keep them though since i cant have really big ones the petstore owner said i can put them in the fridge for a day or two at a time before bringing them out and letting them warm up for a day, but i believe they eat most the same stuff as crickets. I have not came across any silk worms though
You are close to Greatlakeshornworm.com, Rob can sell them to you small. They eat a chow you can cook up, and can survive (not thrive) on carrots and bell peppers.
Nick
It is recommended that to slow Horn Worm growth you can put them for one day in the refrigerator and 2 days out, and I have also kept them at 62 degrees for many days which slows the eating and growth. Refrigerators have different temperature settings, and different temperatures in different areas, so the 1 day in the refrigerator and 2 days out may work for me, and others will have dead beasties....
Nick
Cricket waste stinks, and the screen bottom (I use hardware cloth) works the best, you just have to land the container over a catch container or tray.
If you don't dump the tray, you only move the smell down 2 inches.
The nastiest smells in cricket keeping come from dead crickets, the gas is, well....... beyond wrong.
Water cubes (make them yourself from crystals-not "Cricket Cubes") will also stop crickets from drowning in a water source. The sponge/cotton is a nasty smell catcher too.
Sandra has it right, shake your crickets into the dusting cup, don't pour them in and you will not have the waste,dead crickets and uneaten food in your chams mouth.
Nick
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