Crickets not Eating

[lackdawa]

I usually feed my T's crickets and when I buy the crickets I give them some food (oranges, apples, carrots & sometimes bananas) and I leave them for 24 hours, even after 24 hours all the crickets seem to be the same size, are there better foods for them and is there anything I'm doing wrong?

 

[Craig73]

How many crickets do you have? Just keep the food and water crystals supplied and fresh in your cricket bin and you are fine.

I have several hundred feeders so I put a small group into a smaller bin a week prior to feeding them off. Totally unnecessary, but having a smaller foot print makes me feel better they have all the access to the food they need prior to their play date.

As long as I know they have fresh food and water I don’t worry about how fat they are.

 

[Frogdaddy]

Perhaps the crickets are too cold?

 

[lackdawa]

How many crickets do you have? Just keep the food and water crystals supplied and fresh in your cricket bin and you are fine.

I have several hundred feeders so I put a small group into a smaller bin a week prior to feeding them off. Totally unnecessary, but having a smaller foot print makes me feel better they have all the access to the food they need prior to their play date.

As long as I know they have fresh food and water I don’t worry about how fat they are.

I usually get a little over 24, and I keep the room around 73-76F.

 

[Craig73]

Perhaps the crickets are too cold?

Aah man, I never think about the temps and missed that aspect. Mine practically live at the Hilton.

I usually get a little over 24, and I keep the room around 73-76F.

That’s about the same temps I keep my roaches at. I do provide water crystals so they can hydrate (basically crystals that absorb water and turns into a clear jello) and give new food every day or other day if I’m lazy. As long as you make sure they have food and water you’re good IMO. I always joke that taking care of the feeders is more work than taking care of my T’s.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Do you have a cricket scale that you make them step on before you feed them to the spoods? You should invest in one. Or maybe some very small tape measures so you can check their girth before and after feeding. Maybe you can come up with a force-feeding system like they have for geese and ducks.

 

[Frogdaddy]

Aah man, I never think about the temps and missed that aspect. Mine practically live at the Hilton.

That’s about the same temps I keep my roaches at. I do provide water crystals so they can hydrate (basically crystals that absorb water and turns into a clear jello) and give new food every day or other day if I’m lazy. As long as you make sure they have food and water you’re good IMO. I always joke that taking care of the feeders is more work than taking care of my T’s.

The smaller the cricket the warmer they like it. I don't know what species or what size cricket the OP is using.

 

[Craig73]

The smaller the cricket the warmer they like it. I don't know what species or what size cricket the OP is using.

Interesting, I don’t recall that when I kept them for my chameleon several years back, I thought the higher temps were mostly to help stimulate breeding...learn something new every day. My crickets were on the med/large size. I did throw them in the garage for a week when I couldn’t stand the noise or stench...didn’t end up so well, but I did get some peace and quiet for a little bit.

 

[darkness975]

Give them real water not that weird crystal crap.

 

[Dry Desert]

I usually feed my T's crickets and when I buy the crickets I give them some food (oranges, apples, carrots & sometimes bananas) and I leave them for 24 hours, even after 24 hours all the crickets seem to be the same size, are there better foods for them and is there anything I'm doing wrong?

The food you are giving your crickets is perfect, I agree with @ darkness975 concerning real water, but feeding oranges does away with the need to give water, they will get all the required moisture from the oranges. Stay away from the temptation of feeding fish flake - it stinks, it makes the crickets stink, and what you are feeding is far better. Just buy crickets of various sizes and grow them on and feed as required.

 

[darkness975]

The food you are giving your crickets is perfect, I agree with @ darkness975 concerning real water, but feeding oranges does away with the need to give water, they will get all the required moisture from the oranges. Stay away from the temptation of feeding fish flake - it stinks, it makes the crickets stink, and what you are feeding is far better. Just buy crickets of various sizes and grow them on and feed as required.

I've been pondering that myself. I like using fish flakes because it's easy especially with this pandemic going on but I suspected it might make them smell worse.

Any similar experience giving them oats? Do they even eat oats or are they picky ?

 

[Dry Desert]

I've been pondering that myself. I like using fish flakes because it's easy especially with this pandemic going on but I suspected it might make them smell worse.

Any similar experience giving them oats? Do they even eat oats or are they picky ?

Yes they will eat oats, any cereal really - when they are happy eating holes through the cardboard egg crates I don't think they can be too picky

 

[darkness975]

Yes they will eat oats, any cereal really - when they are happy eating holes through the cardboard egg crates I don't think they can be too picky

I will try giving mine oats for a while and see if they take. I have Gryllodes sigillatus

 

[Dry Desert]

I will try giving mine oats for a while and see if they take. I have Gryllodes sigillatus

If you supplement the oats with carrot, cucumber and the odd slice of orange they will be quite happy and fat. G.sigillatus is the best choice as the larger A.domesticus is prone to viruses, leading to complete wipeout in some cases.

 

[KaroKoenig]

I observed a stronger smell as well when feeding fish flakes. But they seem to limit cannibalism to a mimimum, so that's good. I only keep like 25 crickets at a time. I only have 3 spiders (2 at home, one in my office) and two assassin bugs. I don't need that many crickets. With so few, I think the smell is bearable, especially when you don't overdo it and feed fresh vegetables as well. I also alternate with locusts for variety.

 

[darkness975]

If you supplement the oats with carrot, cucumber and the odd slice of orange they will be quite happy and fat. G.sigillatus is the best choice as the larger A.domesticus is prone to viruses, leading to complete wipeout in some cases.

Yeah the infamous cricket virus. And I like how G. sigillatus grows slower as well.