Live Crickets -- any threat to local ecosystems?

[Aleks32]

The feeder crickets I bought when I got my sling are now very large. I think they are too large for my 1 1/2" sling to deal with. I'd estimate the crickets are 1" long -- and very fat.

Here's my problem... what to do with them. My preference would be to trot out into the back of the house and set them free... but that might be a bad thing if pet-store crickets happened to pose a threat to my San Diego County environment.

If I can't find an answer... I guess I'll have to kill them and flush them or something. Frankly, don't see myself cutting them into cricket steaks for my sling.

 

[asher8282]

i got a 1 and half sling that can take crix that size. jus rip the back legs off, and put it in, if the t doesnt want it all, he wont finish it. jus feed crix this size to yr t less often, he/she will be fine.

 

[MindUtopia]

As long as you live somewhere where's there's crickets in your environment...I'm assuming that's pretty much everywhere in the U.S., I can't see why that would be a problem. You could also pre-kill them..I've heard putting them in the freezer for a little bit will do it...and give them to your sling to feed on depending on the size of the sling. It may at least enjoy just the legs.

 

[Cirith Ungol]

The feeder crickets I bought when I got my sling are now very large. I think they are too large for my 1 1/2" sling to deal with. I'd estimate the crickets are 1" long -- and very fat.

Here's my problem... what to do with them. My preference would be to trot out into the back of the house and set them free... but that might be a bad thing if pet-store crickets happened to pose a threat to my San Diego County environment.

If I can't find an answer... I guess I'll have to kill them and flush them or something. Frankly, don't see myself cutting them into cricket steaks for my sling.

Dito MindUtopia.

Kill the cricket, feed it off in parts or in whole. You don't need to set it free.

 

[Kid Dragon]

Don't set the crickets free! That would be releasing exotics into your area, which could upset the balance of nature. Hard to predict the damage it could cause, but in the past events like that have turned out to be quite damaging.

Crush their heads and feed them to your slings.

 

[bonesmama]

Freeze 'em, and thaw them when you want to feed your slings.

 

[Aleks32]

I'm going to try the freezing method... I have to admit I find it hard to believe a tarantula will accept it as food. But there's so many people here who claim it works... I'll have to try it.

 

[Hedorah99]

The crickets that they sell as feeders in the US have close to no cold tolerance. I have had them die on me of exposure from walking from my car to my house on bitterly cold days. I'm pretty sure anything below 60 will kill them. However relesing them is not a good idea anyway.

 

[Sevenrats]

Don't let the crickets go!!! Even if they are native to your area! There are hundreds of stories about wildlife reintroduced to an area and causing chaos.

Examples...
Asian Snakeheads into US rivers.
Rabbits to Australia.
Zebra Mussels to US lakes.

You never know what might happen. If you freeze them when they thaw they really stink. I would freeze them then just throw them away if you want to get rid of them or try feeding them in parts as already suggested.

 

[Aleks32]

my tarantulas have saved the environment!

I was fairly sure that I shouldn't let them go... but it's a moot point now. I only had 2 "large" crickets to worry about -- both my slings have dispatched of one. No more problem. My B. Smithi must just have not been hungry... I haven't attempted to feed it in about a week... it had been refusing food and so I left it alone, thinking we were in premolt. Well... guess not. And you should have seen that C. Faciatum (or is it D. Faciatus?) go -- must have been pretty hungry too! I can't say that I agree with the idea that a 10 gal. tank is too big for these critters (each about 1 1/2"), as everyone is eating well today! :clap: