Cave crickets?

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Forgive the common name, I figured many of you would know the species Im talking about, but for those who dont, we have very oddly shaped, large crickets we tend to call cave crickets here and probably many other places, with the other cricket thread going on right now this just popped into my head, figured I would see what you thought.

Just wondering if someone who actually wanted to breed crickets took it a few generations, would these guys make good feeders? The reason I ask is I've seen huge cave crickets and they're always pretty fat. Of course I'm guessing there may be a higher risk due to larger legs on the cave crickets compared to normal crickets.

For the record no I am not considering breeding these things, or feeding wild caught. Just thought someone may be interested in a project. And thought it might be an interesting discussion.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
There would be nothing wrong with feeding a wild caught feeder, so long as you bred them through several generations before feeding. Just be sure that they don't have any poisonous defenses, and you should be good.

Honestly, I'm not sure what you're talking about, but they sound like perfect feeders.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
CeutophilisAlan-e1419982657837-720x400.jpg

This is what I'm talking about for those that don't have this species locally. Obviously much larger than the regular feeder crickets, the big concern I would have is I'd have to remove those jumping legs before a feeding, they look like they could deliver a lucky fatal blow to an abdomen.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Holy crackers.

That's not a feeder. That's an escaped prop from Stranger Things.
 

sschind

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 27, 2005
Messages
358
I used to have them in my basement. I didn't have T's back them but my beardies loved them.


There would be nothing wrong with feeding a wild caught feeder, so long as you bred them through several generations before feeding. Just be sure that they don't have any poisonous defenses, and you should be good.
But if you bred them through several generations they wouldn't be wild caught feeders would they.:D

Just funnin ya. I know what you meant.
 

JumpingSpiderLady

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
342
Caught a female of these in my house once. Named her Betty Sue. Then laughed maniacally as I fed her to my chickens. Sometimes I'm amused by my own evil.
They are also called camel crickets.
In the wild, I've seen them living happily in a wet, sandy cave, so I think damp sand (think the perfect consistency for sand castles) and lots of ventilation would be good for them. The female will poke her ovipositor into the sand to lay her eggs. I believe she'll poke lot of false holes too, to confuse predators. I've heard they have a nasty bite, so as feeders, it would probably be smart to crush the head.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Caught a female of these in my house once. Named her Betty Sue. Then laughed maniacally as I fed her to my chickens. Sometimes I'm amused by my own evil.
They are also called camel crickets.
In the wild, I've seen them living happily in a wet, sandy cave, so I think damp sand (think the perfect consistency for sand castles) and lots of ventilation would be good for them. The female will poke her ovipositor into the sand to lay her eggs. I believe she'll poke lot of false holes too, to confuse predators. I've heard they have a nasty bite, so as feeders, it would probably be smart to crush the head.
To anyone wanting to give it a try I've also heard that putting some screen above the substrate when breeding crickets will prevent them from eating eggs.
 

JumpingSpiderLady

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
342
To anyone wanting to give it a try I've also heard that putting some screen above the substrate when breeding crickets will prevent them from eating eggs.
That's smart! If you had just a fine layer of sand over the screen, they wouldn't know the difference. I don't see them often enough to get a breeding pair, unless I took them out of the cave, but I don't think Dave (the cave director) would approve.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
That's smart! If you had just a fine layer of sand over the screen, they wouldn't know the difference. I don't see them often enough to get a breeding pair, unless I took them out of the cave, but I don't think Dave (the cave director) would approve.
They actually hang out in my basement/garage, if i wanted to I could probably find a male and female, but if they have that much of a bite I personally wouldn't risk breeding them over regular feeder crickets. Especially taking their size into consideration, I'd basically have to prekill every feeding
 

JumpingSpiderLady

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
342
They actually hang out in my basement/garage, if i wanted to I could probably find a male and female, but if they have that much of a bite I personally wouldn't risk breeding them over regular feeder crickets. Especially taking their size into consideration, I'd basically have to prekill every feeding
Yeah. I can agree with that. Although I do wonder how true the bite thing is... Just something I heard who knows from who...
Make great snacks for chickens!
 

JumpingSpiderLady

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
342
Looking about them biting, all I can see wish that they don't bite..... Hmm. That may be along the same lines with the belief that daddy-long-legs are the most poisonous spiders in the world, they just can't bite. *Sigh* Will misinformation always be rampant?
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Looking about them biting, all I can see wish that they don't bite..... Hmm. That may be along the same lines with the belief that daddy-long-legs are the most poisonous spiders in the world, they just can't bite. *Sigh* Will misinformation always be rampant?
Haha apparently! Especially in our hobby
 

Octagon

Arachnoperson
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
39
View attachment 219573

This is what I'm talking about for those that don't have this species locally. Obviously much larger than the regular feeder crickets, the big concern I would have is I'd have to remove those jumping legs before a feeding, they look like they could deliver a lucky fatal blow to an abdomen.
That is a cricket on steroids.
 
Top