How do I keep Feeder Crickets Alive?

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
I do not keep my crickets in dirty conditions. I provide substrate, feed them fresh food, but they still seem to die off? I have done this before and have noticed less deaths, but dying is so common? Why is this and is there a way to prevent it? Would a bio-active enclosure do well with keeping them alive?
 

Sterls

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 1, 2018
Messages
449
What are you feed them? Have you tried ready-made feeder foods/gels yet?
 

Frogdaddy

Arachnoprince
Joined
Nov 13, 2019
Messages
1,067
They don't need substrate. If there is any moisture at all in the substrate that's probably what's killing them.

Keep the enclosure bone dry, no sub. Feed green leafy vegetables, a little fruit or cricket chow. Provide water wih water crystals or water and sponge (I don't recommend that method).
Keep them warm, at least above 70, warmer for smaller crickets. Don't crowd them too much.
I have no problem keeping crickets alive for two months.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
I feed my crickets fresh fruit, cereals and fish flake. They need plenty/loads of ventilation.
 

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
They don't need substrate. If there is any moisture at all in the substrate that's probably what's killing them.

Keep the enclosure bone dry, no sub. Feed green leafy vegetables, a little fruit or cricket chow. Provide water wih water crystals or water and sponge (I don't recommend that method).
Keep them warm, at least above 70, warmer for smaller crickets. Don't crowd them too much.
I have no problem keeping crickets alive for two months.
I have the substrate bone dry, I use fresh veggies and a bit of fruit now and then, I will try green leaves. They're at room temp, they might be over crowded, they're in a critter keeper so they have some good ventilation
 

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
Are you breeding them ?
No, I dislike them too much to breed them, I just want them in good conditions to give my Ts good quality food I prefer dubias, but I cannot get them ATM (I still have a few I'm keeping)
 

Almadabes

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
163
How many are actually dying and how quick?

I only buy about a dozen crickets every two weeks (hate feeding crickets) and at least 2-4 of them will die by the end.
My other feeders don't / rarely die. I still haven't lost a single roach.
I think crickets are just less hardy.

That being said, if they all die in a few days then something is probably up.
 

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
How many are actually dying and how quick?

I only buy about a dozen crickets every two weeks (hate feeding crickets) and at least 2-4 of them will die by the end.
My other feeders don't / rarely die. I still haven't lost a single roach.
I think crickets are just less hardy.

That being said, if they all die in a few days then something is probably up.
I got them a few days ago and at least 5 have died already
 

Almadabes

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
163
It can be hard to tell - as they'll eat corpses.
Do you know if they're eating each other or dropping dead fully intact?

If they're eating each other a lot - you might need more egg cartons or a bigger box.

If the deaths slow down after a bunch have been culled - it's probably a space issue.
 

miranda0331

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 1, 2020
Messages
67
Where are you buying the crickets from? I bought my crickets for awhile from chain pet stores and they constantly died, then I started buying banded crickets from joshs frogs and there was significantly less casualties. I’m not sure what kind of crickets the pet stores sell but they’re less hardy than the ones online.
 

Almadabes

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
163
Where are you buying the crickets from? I bought my crickets for awhile from chain pet stores and they constantly died, then I started buying banded crickets from joshs frogs and there was significantly less casualties. I’m not sure what kind of crickets the pet stores sell but they’re less hardy than the ones online.
They sell house crickets in most shops.

I buy from a local shop that sells house crickets - I don't think the species is the issue.

If anything, maybe whatever the pet shops are doing to care for them.

I think my local shop does a good job - but Petco and other chains I've seen are pretty bad.
 

miranda0331

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 1, 2020
Messages
67
They sell house crickets in most shops.

I buy from a local shop that sells house crickets - I don't think the species is the issue.

If anything, maybe whatever the pet shops are doing to care for them.

I don't think my particular shop does a bad job - but Petco and other chains I've seen are pretty bad.
Chain pet stores not properly taking care of animals?? That’s crazy🤣 I try to go to local shops whenever I can.
 

Almadabes

Arachnoknight
Joined
Sep 20, 2020
Messages
163
Chain pet stores not properly taking care of animals?? That’s crazy🤣 I try to go to local shops whenever I can.
The key is finding a place with staff who are actually passionate about the animals they stock.
Local shops can be bad too.

I don't really know anything about reptiles, but there is one shop in my area that seems very knowledgeable.
That being said, they have tarantulas in the back corner of the store, almost out of sight and poorly kept.

Every fiber in my being to not try lecturing them lol.
I'm not the person who can do that gracefully.
Especially when they keep my favorite genus, Brachypelma, in a pool of mud.

Off-Topic, sorry, but I'm still salty about that.
 

Ferrachi

Arachnoprince
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
1,014
No, I dislike them too much to breed them, I just want them in good conditions to give my Ts good quality food I prefer dubias, but I cannot get them ATM (I still have a few I'm keeping)
I agree with @Frogdaddy , they don't require any substrate. Egg cartons work well, something for them to hide and cling onto... Leafy greens, apples and carrots.
 

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
It can be hard to tell - as they'll eat corpses.
Do you know if they're eating each other or dropping dead fully intact?

If they're eating each other a lot - you might need more egg cartons or a bigger box.

If the deaths slow down after a bunch have been culled - it's probably a space issue.
They’re dropping dead fully intact, I remove the dead to make sure they aren’t eating the corpses. I bought 30 and at least 15 are dead (I have some Ts that do well with feeding so they’re also dwindling cause of that)
 

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
Where are you buying the crickets from? I bought my crickets for awhile from chain pet stores and they constantly died, then I started buying banded crickets from joshs frogs and there was significantly less casualties. I’m not sure what kind of crickets the pet stores sell but they’re less hardy than the ones online.
I bought from a chain pet store since my vender does not any feeders rn. I have also have no local shops near me, I’d have to travel out of the city and with covid that isn’t an option rn.
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
703
Crickets are absolutely gross. They are unbelievably high in ammonia and die offs are a regular occurrence. They live about as long as a hot fart lingers. Get you some high protein dubia, discoid, or blatta. All live longer than an episode of the Kardashians. Unlike crickets.
 

Anaiz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 26, 2020
Messages
24
Crickets are absolutely gross. They are unbelievably high in ammonia and die offs are a regular occurrence. They live about as long as a hot fart lingers. Get you some high protein dubia, discoid, or blatta. All live longer than an episode of the Kardashians. Unlike crickets.
My online vender isn’t selling dubias anymore so unfortunately I cannot get some at the time ):
 
Top