Crickets left in cage

patexan

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 9, 2006
Messages
47
I read in the Tarantula Keepers Guide that "crickets may be allowed to run at liberty for extended periods of time in a tarantula's cage as long as food is supplied for them to eat".

Everything else I have read implies that one should take the crickets out after 24 hours.

Does anyone let crickets roam for extended periods of time? Keep cricket foot in the tarantula cage?
 

Hedorah99

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
1,863
I read in the Tarantula Keepers Guide that "crickets may be allowed to run at liberty for extended periods of time in a tarantula's cage as long as food is supplied for them to eat".

Everything else I have read implies that one should take the crickets out after 24 hours.

Does anyone let crickets roam for extended periods of time? Keep cricket foot in the tarantula cage?
I don't feed crickets anymore, but would remove them pretty much immediatly if they were not gobbled up. Providing a food source for the cricket will just keep it from nibbling on the T. The constant movement of the cricket will most likely just stress out your pet which can be harmful, especially if it's in pre-molt or molting. Besides, do you want to listen to crickets all night long? ;)
 

vtecgsr

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 21, 2005
Messages
200
What the!?!? Its bad to leave cricks in the cage? Im takin the crick out!!!
 

Bedlam

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 2, 2006
Messages
442
I'd say its fine to leave one or two in for a brief period of time where the T has a choice to eat them or not. If not, a moult or a fast could be coming up (or happening), in which case the predator can become prey.

Give it 24 to 48 hours (max). If by then, the cricket is still hanging around, its best to take it out just to be on the safe side.

Besides that, there is the issue of stress which, as Hedorah stated already, isn't really a good thing. Since the T is in captivity, you've got an obligation to ensure that everything in the tank with the T is as beneficial as possible, or at least isn't going to harm it. ;)
 

anderstd

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
156
I usually try to remove them after a day if they are not eaten. However there have been times when it would be more stressful for me to tear apart a environment in order to catch a pesky cricket.
 

Alakdan

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 24, 2006
Messages
822
I usually try to remove them after a day if they are not eaten. However there have been times when it would be more stressful for me to tear apart a environment in order to catch a pesky cricket.
Once a cricket is on the loose they get hungry. So I would draw it out by placing a piece of lettuce or any leafy veggie. 90% of the time the cricket senses the food and would aproach immediately. I would then catch it with tongs by grabbing the leg. Do this while the cricket is eating. It will save you the trouble of messing up the enclosure and cause stress to tou T.
 

Aeakins

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Messages
5
How do you know when its fasting or molting?
You can usually tell that a T is about to molt when the opithosoma turns black. Some species of T's is harder to tell but you should notice a significant color change. Sometimes it even looks as if the skin is lose because of the wrinkled appearance.
 

Mina

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 4, 2005
Messages
2,136
It depends. I keep track of my T's moults, so if one of them is due for a moult I will take the cricket out after a day, if I know they aren't going to moult I leave the cricket there, then they can eat if they choose. I don't do that with my little slings. I feed in the evening and if there is still a cricket there in the morning it comes out. Sometimes slings moult very quickly with almost no fasting time. I feel safer that way.
 

Ando55

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 15, 2006
Messages
488
I take the cricket out in an hour or two tops if it's still not eaten, I'll then retry to give the T the cricket for 2 days or so, if no answer, I'll move it on to the next week taking it as a sign of premolt.
 

Varden

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 22, 2005
Messages
704
You know, it took losing a $120 sling for me to decide that letting crickets roam in the enclosure for even 24 hours is not something I'm willing to do anymore. I now pre-kill by crushing the heads. That leaves them with just enough life to jump and kick for several minutes and let the T get right interested, without risking any injury to a T in pre-molt, or giving the females the chance to lay eggs in my T's substrate.
 

K-TRAIN

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 7, 2006
Messages
359
i wouldn't worry about crickets being left in the cage unless your T is molting. i leave 6 large crickets in my rosehairs cage and they never bother it. just dont leave crickets in with small spiders.
 
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