Too Much DOA?

[camshaft]

I've only gotten feeder crickets in packs of 250-500 a few times and neither of those times did I have as much DOA as I did with a 500 pack that I recieved today. Does this look like too much DOA to you guys? Additionally, there were NO adults in this pack of 500. These are supposed to be 5/8 - 3/4" crickets, and there were some smaller, but NO larger! I'm concerned that this pack may have the cricket virus and won't last long. There were quite a few twichy dying ones as well.

 

[Chase]

What are the temperatures like where you are? Also, were you home when they were delivered or did they sit on the porch for some time?

 

[camshaft]

I'm in nothern Virginia, so temps were in the 50's. My wife was home and brought them in immediately. They stayed in their box for several hours until I got home and unpacked them.

I orginally thought it MAY be the temps, but it wasn't that cold here and the lack of ANY adults in a box of 500 seems a bit odd as well.

 

[Chase]

I'm in nothern Virginia, so temps were in the 50's. My wife was home and brought them in immediately. They stayed in their box for several hours until I got home and unpacked them.

I orginally thought it MAY be the temps, but it wasn't that cold here and the lack of ANY adults in a box of 500 seems a bit odd as well.

To me, the ones in the pictures looks like 5/8"-3/4". How long was the shipping time?

 

[camshaft]

They are the right size (mostly), but I usually get some smaller and some bigger than specified. In this box, there were some smaller ones, but NO adults. That, plus the large die-off has me concerned that these crickets may have that cricket virus that kills that 3 weeks of age.

The shipping time was 2 days by UPS ground.

 

[SSimsswiSS]

Can you tell us who the supplier was? Or me PM this info.

 

[camshaft]

It's large provider. I'll PM you the name, but I don't want to talk badly about a provider if they didn't do anything wrong.

I had quite a bit of die off over night as well. I spent 1/2 an hour cleaning out dead crickets, and I know the difference between a shed and a dead cricket.

A few crickets did shed into adults today (they were all nice and white) but their wings looked funky.

Is this odd or am I just crazy?

I've kept crickets for almost a year now and never experienced a die off like this.

 

[luevelvet]

In my honest opinion, that is too much die off for me to be comfortable with it. But with that said, it does happen. I buy 2000 crickets a week and every so often we will encounter a box in a similar position. More often than not a polite phone call to the provider will result in a replacement box.

Luis

 

[aman3066]

In my honest opinion, that is too much die off for me to be comfortable with it. But with that said, it does happen. I buy 2000 crickets a week and every so often we will encounter a box in a similar position. More often than not a polite phone call to the provider will result in a replacement box.

Luis

I agree, I would give them a call. I will sometimes get a lot of DOA on shipments, it is usually when they put big potatoes in the box and the crickets get smashed. I am going to request in the future that they remove the potatoes since it takes less than 24 hours to get to my door.

 

[Elizadolots]

Doesn't this sound like the evil cricket virus?

 

[camshaft]

thats what I'm concerned about Elizidolts.

I had quite a few more deaths overnight. This little colony is going down fast.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Buy from Ghanns and you will not have this problem.

 

[camshaft]

Ghann's is twice as much because i have to pay shipping, which is almost as much as the crickets.

 

[Ryan Jarosek]

Ghann's is twice as much because i have to pay shipping, which is almost as much as the crickets.

So you would rather pay half as much for dead crickets?

 

[jessica]

Buy from Ghanns and you will not have this problem.

Ghanns is well worth it! They are quick, friendly, and reliable. When I order crickets they arrive in tip top shape

 

[camshaft]

As I've said before, this is the first out 3 shipments that have had this problem and I wanted to know if you guys thought that this was excessive dead loss. I think I'll contact the supplier. Thank you all!

 

[Elizadolots]

Definitely do that....and hopefully report back what you hear. I can't stomach the shipping fees either so try to deal locally and as this is, apparently, "ground zero"...it's tough. The best option would be to buy feeders 24 to 48 hours before feeding, take them home with the good gutload and then send them to their doom...so, 3/4 times a week...but that's not easy when there are a lot of family members to schedule.

I usually buy crickets every 2 weeks and then care for them (they are always fed and watered) before taking them aside for the gutload experience ("wow! the food here is so much better!!!") and then the death experience ("hey that's a big thing......crap")

But now...2 weeks is too long. I get a lot of die off.