# Weird little worm things in my cricket enclosure. Safe to use or toss the batch?



## WoofSpider (Aug 31, 2017)

I was cleaning out my cricket enclosure while picking out ones to feed to my Ts and I noticed these creepy-crawlies. I'm pretty sure they crawled out of the dead one I pulled out. Are the rest of the crickets safe to feed off or should I dump them and get new ones?






Disregard the audio. Didn't think it would pick up my T.V. lol.


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## darkness975 (Aug 31, 2017)

I am not an expert by any means but I would eliminate the specimens in your cricket Enclosure and purchase a new batch.  Do not feed any of your Spiders from that batch of Crickets, they will be fine without food for a day or two. 

I can't tell if those are Silverfish or some kind of actual parasite but you do not want to take any chances.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Venom1080 (Aug 31, 2017)

I find those sometimes with big cricket orders. Get them with my mealworms too. Nothing wrong with them . They turn into small annoying moths. 

I can't see too well from the video, but are they fuzzy?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## WoofSpider (Aug 31, 2017)

Venom1080 said:


> I find those sometimes with big cricket orders. Get them with my mealworms too. Nothing wrong with them . They turn into small annoying moths.
> 
> I can't see too well from the video, but are they fuzzy?


They are not fuzzy. They look like tiny beige millipedes. Sorry for the shoddy camera work. They are too small to photograph well and I'm no good at taking video, but I thought people might be able to get a better idea if they can see how they move.


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## Venom1080 (Aug 31, 2017)

WoofSpider said:


> They are not fuzzy. They look like tiny beige millipedes. Sorry for the shoddy camera work. They are too small to photograph well and I'm no good at taking video, but I thought people might be able to get a better idea if they can see how they move.


Yeah, sounds like what I see sometimes. Just little catapillars. I've even used them as feeders to babies.

The adults piss my spiders off. They'll fly by the regalis cage and she'll charge lol


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## WoofSpider (Aug 31, 2017)

Venom1080 said:


> Yeah, sounds like what I see sometimes. Just little catapillars. I've even used them as feeders to babies.
> 
> The adults piss my spiders off. They'll fly by the regalis cage and she'll charge lol


Great. Well, I think I may have caught them before they had a chance to get established anyway. I don't see any elsewhere in with the crickets and the one I took out was the only dead one.


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## hamhock 74 (Sep 1, 2017)

They're harmless scavengers that eats dead crickets and maybe the poop? Either way they won't harm the crickets or your tarantulas.


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## The Grym Reaper (Sep 1, 2017)

They're Dermestid Beetle larvae, they basically eat any dead organic matter they can find so cricket breeders use them as a clean up crew, they're also used by taxidermists to clean up animal skulls etc.

They won't harm your crickets but they are considered a household pest (because they'll pretty much eat almost anything) so don't let any escape, (I used to just remove and kill them all when transferring my crickets to their enclosure)

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2 | Helpful 3


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## Ellenantula (Sep 1, 2017)

The Grym Reaper said:


> They're Dermestid Beetle larvae, they basically eat any dead organic matter they can find so cricket breeders use them as a clean up crew, they're also used by taxidermists to clean up animal skulls etc.


Had to google -- I've always received Dermestids in a larger nymph stage -- fuzzier.  I think you're right -- this could well be an immature stage.  Cool!


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## Sniper wolf (Aug 16, 2021)

I personally wouldn't risk it. I'd throw the whole batch away and start a new! I just had the same issue happen with me yesterday but it was in my Ts cage! I cleaned the whole cage out just incase. I threw all the crickets out and won't be giving them crickets anymore just because I'm now very paranoid! From here on out she will only eat superworms and dubia roaches

Reactions: Disagree 2


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## The Grym Reaper (Aug 16, 2021)

Sniper wolf said:


> I personally wouldn't risk it. I'd throw the whole batch away and start a new! I just had the same issue happen with me yesterday but it was in my Ts cage! I cleaned the whole cage out just incase. I threw all the crickets out and won't be giving them crickets anymore just because I'm now very paranoid! From here on out she will only eat superworms and dubia roaches


4 year old thread, OP hasn't logged in for 2 years, throwing away an entire batch of crickets because of dermestid beetle larvae (which are used as clean up crew for cricket farms) is dumb as hell. Crickets are fine as feeders, they've been a staple feeder for decades, people on here have used them for decades without issue.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Sniper wolf (Aug 16, 2021)

The Grym Reaper said:


> 4 year old thread, OP hasn't logged in for 2 years, throwing away an entire batch of crickets because of dermestid beetle larvae (which are used as clean up crew for cricket farms) is dumb as hell. Crickets are fine as feeders, they've been a staple feeder for decades, people on here have used them for decades without issue.


Ok well my bad


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