Help, my crickets are dying.

[MissKitty]

I know this isn't really a tarantula question but since we have to feed them crickets I wanted to address this every time for the past 3 times that I've got crickets and the last time I bought them from a different place than I had the last 2 times I keep getting dead crickets now there's a picture and on here and it shows one I'm keeping them in they've got air they've got food to eat I give them apples and carrots and I have a water sponge in there for them and every day there's like one are 2 dead and I just don't know what the heck's going on and what I'm doing wrong it's not that hot where I keep them there's a nice breeze on well actually not a breeze but I have my fan on so there's air circulating all the time so I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

 

[nedaK]

Mine die too... I think it’s just crickets suck lol. I give them everything they need, whenever I give them food and water they just die anyway. Then instead of eating the food I gave them, they cannibalize the bodies of the crickets that already died, which have zero nutrients because they didn’t eat the food. Crickets are screwed up in the brain, that’s all I can think of...

 

[nedaK]

I know this isn't really a tarantula question but since we have to feed them crickets I wanted to address this every time for the past 3 times that I've got crickets and the last time I bought them from a different place than I had the last 2 times I keep getting dead crickets now there's a picture and on here and it shows one I'm keeping them in they've got air they've got food to eat I give them apples and carrots and I have a water sponge in there for them and every day there's like one are 2 dead and I just don't know what the heck's going on and what I'm doing wrong it's not that hot where I keep them there's a nice breeze on well actually not a breeze but I have my fan on so there's air circulating all the time so I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

You’re not doing anything wrong... I don’t know why they are dying, mine are the same way.

 

[Mr. P]

Crickets have a life cycle of 8-12 weeks from egg to death so they don't last long once you get them unless you start a colony and breed them. Roaches on the other hand can go one to two years depending on the species.

 

[spodermin]

Yeah switch to roaches if at all feasable.

 

[spodermin]

The trick to crickets is like fresh produce, only buy what you're going to use to avoid waste. Crickets die in droves. They stink, they bite, they jump, they drop legs, they are just the worst in almost every way

 

[MissKitty]

The trick to crickets is like fresh produce, only buy what you're going to use to avoid waste. Crickets die in droves. They stink, they bite, they jump, they drop legs, they are just the worst in almost every way

I was told by a friend that I get my pinheads from that crickets only have a lifespan of 2-3 weeks,so, I guess that explains it!!!!!

 

[Tortoise Tom]

I was told by a friend that I get my pinheads from that crickets only have a lifespan of 2-3 weeks,so, I guess that explains it!!!!!

This is not correct. The temperature determines how quickly they hatch and reach maturity, but its usually a few weeks. Then, they can live another 90 days as adults.


Crickets are known to all drop dead for no reason. Years ago it was said there was a "virus" killing them all off. Don't know if that was true or not, but they have a habit of dying, and everyone knows it. I stopped keeping insectivores for years because of my dislike of crickets. The noise, the escapees, the stink, the ability to damage your animals if left over night, and of course, the mass die-offs. Roaches are better in every way. No noise, no stink, no escapees colonizing your house, more nutritious, easy to breed, easy to feed, safe for your pets, long lifespan, more nutritious, and no mass die-offs for no damn reason. Make the switch. You'll be glad you did.

 

[MassExodus]

Cant say it better than that. Lose the roach stigma, and profit!

 

[MissKitty]

This is not correct. The temperature determines how quickly they hatch and reach maturity, but its usually a few weeks. Then, they can live another 90 days as adults.


Crickets are known to all drop dead for no reason. Years ago it was said there was a "virus" killing them all off. Don't know if that was true or not, but they have a habit of dying, and everyone knows it. I stopped keeping insectivores for years because of my dislike of crickets. The noise, the escapees, the stink, the ability to damage your animals if left over night, and of course, the mass die-offs. Roaches are better in every way. No noise, no stink, no escapees colonizing your house, more nutritious, easy to breed, easy to feed, safe for your pets, long lifespan, more nutritious, and no mass die-offs for no damn reason. Make the switch. You'll be glad you did.

My spiders won't eat roaches and I don't like them coz they burrow in the substrate

 

[nedaK]

My spiders won't eat roaches and I don't like them coz they burrow in the substrate

There are other roaches that don’t burrow like B. lateris, you are probably just thinking of dubias.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Crickets always self destruct in my opinion. I try to feed them off within 48 hours or sooner. Since I have both a T stirmi and L klugi, disposing of any excess left overs is not a problem. Usually one box of crickets is just right for my collection. The pokies prefer crickets.

Roaches are much easier to keep. Just make sure they don't dehydrate. Cricket chow is fine for roaches. Some people even use dry cat food, but my cat would never forgive me for that!!

 

[Turtlynne]

...who is it that labeled crickets "devil spawn'? i gave up on them about 2 years ago...happily growing b. lateralis colony...they are very easy to keep and my Ts love them...AND catching them is good for your manual dexterity! LOL

 

[Nunua]

My spiders won't eat roaches and I don't like them coz they burrow in the substrate

I just crush their head with forceps. They can burrow no longer but keep moving and twitch a lot. Cruel? Maybe. But plentiful movements excites all of my Ts and they kill the prey fast.