# Jerusalem Crickets



## Dark (Jun 17, 2012)

Hey everyone, I was flipping a few rocks in California because I figured it was worth a shot even though I didn't think I'd find anything when all of a sudden I spotted something awesome. I immediately scooped it up with an inch of the surrounding soil, a few rotten twigs and dried up leaves nearby and put it in a jar. After 15 more minutes of checking I found a second one, smaller then the first with slightly different proportions. At first I figured I'd put it in the same jar as the other one but then it occurred to me that perhaps this species was not communal and since I had another spare jar, I did the same thing with the first one and scooped up some soil and the bug and put it in it's own container. I would have stayed in the area longer but the heat was unbearable and I was worried I would forget how to get back to where I am staying. The place was a 30 minute walk from where I am staying and I don't have a car so I just decided I'd go back to my room and maybe walk back there again later. I knew the second I spotted them that they were Jerusalem crickets and I have always wanted one but I don't really know much about how to care for them. I did a few google searches and skimmed the arachnoboards database and have heard that they are relatively easy to keep, like deep soil, are not communal (very glad I kept them apart), and eat a large variety of foods such as dog food, cat food, fish food, carrots, potatoes, roots, and other insects.

Is the information I read correct? What do they eat if not? How long do they live? If one is a male and one is a female should I put them together under close supervision and see if I can breed them? Should I mist the container, add a water dish or keep it dry as bone? Is washing all fruits I feed them under tap water enough to prevent poisoning them? Will they survive in shallow soil for the six weeks I am visiting California or do I need to get them a deep container of soil to burrow in immediately?

I also accidentally dropped the first one I found 2.5 feet off the ground onto the carpet . Scared the crap out of me cause I was extremely afraid that I may have caused it to die but it seemed unharmed and walked around exactly the same after I scooped it up and inspected it for injury. Will it be okay? The only reason it fell was because they are much faster then I thought they were and it ran off my hand. Here are some pictures of both specimens, their containers, and a video will be added soon of both of them separately. If there is something wrong with the container or I need to put food in there immediately, please let me know as soon as possible. The room I am in also has air conditioning, can they tolerate it? I am keeping them away from it just in case but the whole room is probably a lot cooler then outside. Are the air holes adequate? 

I appreciate all responses and helpful care advice

Eric





First two images on the left are the smaller one, the one on the top right is the bigger one. The bottom one on the left is the bigger one too, the size difference can be seen in the container pic.

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## cantthinkofone (Jun 17, 2012)

i wouldnt hold them. NASTY BITE!!! besides that it sounds like they are in nice hands and u have great setups.

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## Dark (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks man, I've been bitten by tarantulas, stung by scorpions, and even bitten by a guinea pig. I'll be careful anyway though . Very glad to hear they are in good hands, I hope they do well and thrive.

Thanks again for the reply.

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmmFIwVP7Z0&feature=youtu.be 
The guy I accidentally dropped is the first one and the video was taken after I dropped him, he seems okay I think, I sure hope he is okay. or She. If anyone can tell if they are different genders, I would be very interested to find out.

Eric


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## AmysAnimals (Jun 17, 2012)

Those things are cool! My ex best friend lived in cabazon, ca and she had one of those preserved in a jar.  I never knew what it was but now I do! Lol. She Also had a scorpion preserved and a tarantula hawk.  

I've never see one of those alive though.  Pretty cool.

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## Tenodera (Jun 17, 2012)

I will be following this with eagerness because I've always wanted some of these! 
About sexing, the females' ovipositors aren't readily visible, but I believe I read that the males have copulatory hooks on the cerci.

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## Dark (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks guys, yea they are pretty awesome. My rooms pretty freezing and I just poured some water on them to make sure they are hydrated and they seemed very unpleased with my decision. I hope they do not die because of the cold and exposure to a bottle cap equivalent of water. I am a worrier and a paranoid person so I might just be overreacting and should just leave them alone for a day or so. 

Eric


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## cantthinkofone (Jun 19, 2012)

i am paranoid about my animals to. once i went on vacation and had my friend watch over things. i almost had no fun because i was so worried. only a couple things died.. crickets!!! lol i prob. got you there. umm the cold you might want to fix and the water they will survive. good luck

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## Dark (Jun 20, 2012)

Glad your stuff survived the trip, all specimens are doing great and the food keeps getting holes in it so I assume they are eating, Thanks though.

Eric


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## khil (Jun 26, 2012)

I've seen quite a few of these guys from tiny to large http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCa0uBNg7R8
They can also eat flesh...they will cannibalize and eat small roaches if given the opportunity. Make sure you give them some soil or coco fibre to burrow, the deeper the better


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## ZergFront (Jun 26, 2012)

It's good you're keeping them separate. I learned they are not communal the hard way. The only advice I can give is to never underestimate their strength. I had a juvenile in a deli cup from Taco Bell with ventilation holes all around it. It worked on one hole long enough to make it much larger and escape. No weak plastics for these guys.

 I've handled mine with little trouble but if you do try to actually restrain them, that's when they will bite or kick.


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## Camden (Jun 27, 2012)

Agreed with keeping them separate, very angry little bugs. feed them lots of root veggies. Potatoes, radishes, carrots etc. with the occasional pre-killed cricket, live earthworm or mealworm/superworm thrown in for protein. Lots of room to dig and you should be fine, these guys do live a nice life span in terms of bugs. I think up to 3 years, don't quote me on that though cause I'm really not certain.
The dropped one should be fine, as long as it walked away. As for your trip to Cali, I'd recommend going to wal-mart or a similar supermarket to buy some deeper bins, give them all a good misting and toss some food in before you go, they'll be fine. If you poke holes in the top, mold shouldnt be a problem and they do like to eat rotting food.


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## Dark (Jun 28, 2012)

All of them are doing great and thanks everyone for the information. They are all in their own separate containers, I feed them cut up potato everyday (replacing the old dried up pieces with fresh slices) and I've used a water dropper to add a few sprinkles of water the other day. I'll put in some freshly killed crickets now. I also found them in California where I am currently on my trip. They will only stay in the deli cups until I get home and then I'll give them a nice amount of soil. Thanks again.

Eric


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## cacoseraph (Jul 5, 2012)

you might want to supercontain them if they have any air holes... and maybe even if they don't.  these things have very effective chompers and have chewed their way through plasticware a few times for me.  they will take waffles as a treat pretty readily.  and i definitely n'th keeping them separate... i've only had them eat each other

in southern CA there is a species or locality that gets HUGE... i'm talking ~3" bodylength.  and they are white person skin colored so the first time i saw one i thought it was a dismembered thumb for a second =P

side note: i have a video on youtube of these and it cracks me up how many comments i get that they are crazy poisonous... just today someone said they had a good friend that died instantly from a bite from a CA specimen =P


edit:
also, i played with mine all the time and was never bitten... but i was made to bleed by their kick spikes one or two times =P

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## Dark (Jul 5, 2012)

yea the containers they are in are temporary and I check on them daily to make sure the are still in there. Hopefully next time I go looking for bugs I find one of the giant Jerusalem crickets you were talking about. I tried to find the video of you with it but you got a ton of videos (and you do some crazy stuff might I add). I intend to keep them in glass when I get home. Thanks for the post.

Eric


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## khil (Jul 7, 2012)

ZergFront said:


> It's good you're keeping them separate. I learned they are not communal the hard way. The only advice I can give is to never underestimate their strength. I had a juvenile in a deli cup from Taco Bell with ventilation holes all around it. It worked on one hole long enough to make it much larger and escape. No weak plastics for these guys.
> 
> I've handled mine with little trouble but if you do try to actually restrain them, that's when they will bite or kick.


Dude same, they will chew on holes they can reach and ecape!


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Jul 7, 2012)

Face shot




I think the lower one is probably a male, but I'm not sure.

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## zonbonzovi (Jul 7, 2012)

I think you nailed it:

"adult females are characterized by a pointed, sclerotized, dark ovipositor; adult male Jerusalem crickets are characterized by completely formed hooks"

-_Encyclopedia of Entomology_, John L. Capinera

From:

http://books.google.com/books?id=i9...nepage&q=Stenopelmatidae weissman CAS&f=false

Those "hooks" are located inwards of the cercus but I can't make them out in your bottom photo, so either an immature or the lack of an ovipositor would indicate male.

Good stuff, Bugs!  If only we could get the females to lay eggs.

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## Dark (Jul 8, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies, here's a picture of the bigger one on the left and the smaller one on the right. I think it's a tough call. The bigger one on the left appears to have possible female organs however the one on the right is smaller and has a dark mark where such organs may develop. Then again the head ratio is very different between both specimens but I'm not sure if either of them are adults or matured. Perhaps gender identity doesn't show itself until ultimate molt?


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## zonbonzovi (Jul 10, 2012)

According to the section on Stenopelmatus the naughty bits develop over successive molts so you may have to wait it out until they're more visible.


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## Dark (Jul 12, 2012)

How do I know when they are fully grown / matured?


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## zonbonzovi (Jul 12, 2012)

^Check out the subheading from that Google books link: "Determination of the Adult Stage".

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