Pinhead Crickets Spotted in Terrarium

Karifever

Arachnopeon
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Sep 1, 2016
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I have an arboreal tarantula that, for the most part, stays in a tall, hollow vertical enclosure. I have been primarily feeding it adult crickets. The substrate is Eco Earth coconut fiber and I lightly mist the terrarium once every two days. At a glance, I noticed a few pinhead crickets wandering about the substrate. I have read that it is not good to keep insects in the terrarium with the tarantula outside of feeding, especially while it's molting, which it successfully did 3 days ago. These pinheads will get a lot bigger in a few weeks and inevitably will pose a hinderance for the spider. Will I have to completely replace the substrate in the terrarium to fix this issue before it gets out of hand? I also will most likely not be putting any more adult female crickets in there to lay eggs -.-.

On a side note, I read this morning about putting in a few pill bugs (rollie-pollies) to eat any decaying material, like a bolus that I would have to remove anyway. This may help preemptively fighting off any future mite infestation. I am curious to hear any thoughts ln this idea.:embarrassed:

Thanks!:bookworm:
 

basin79

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You could bury a small container into the substrate. The crickets will fall into it. Just empty it every morning. I did this with my Tokay gecko.

I didn't bother putting any appetisers in there but a bit of apple would maybe attract them quicker.
 

Chris LXXIX

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I can't figure out how that's possible except for the fact that, probably, some female crickets leaved eggs inside as you said.
Anyway, if those are millimeter sized pinheads crickets (and not mites) I wouldn't rehouse or else at all except for an invasion of those. Eventually they will die. But which arboreal, exactly, and the size, if I can ask?
 

Python

Arachnolord
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Most crickets are terrestrial although they can climb and sometimes do. As long as your T has webbed around the entrance to its hide, it shouldn't be bothered by the crickets too much. As stated above, you could also set up a trap to catch the little critters. Once caught you can set up a tank just for them and produce your own crickets. It's quite easy to raise crickets and under the right conditions, the smell can be minimized while the prey population can be maximized.
To prevent crickets laying eggs in the first place, you can separate all the females out. I've heard that snipping the ovipositor off can also prevent them from laying as well. You can also set up a tank for the crickets to lay eggs before you feed them so that you have a steady supply. I've seen some pretty elaborate setups for keeping them but I just use dirt with grass planted in it. Keeps them fed and any odor causing waste is broken down in the soil so there really isn't a smell. Aside from that, you could just reach in and squish the little buggers.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
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With out a food source they aren't going to survive and most will drown in the water dish anyways..

No need to mist avics just use a large water dish with plenty of cross ventilation.
If you are worried that they aren't drinking spritz the web with water once or twice a week.. Just a little goes a long way with avics..

If isopods can survive in your avics enclosure chances are high that your avic can't..
 

lunarae

Arachnobaron
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Sep 22, 2015
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If isopods can survive in your avics enclosure chances are high that your avic can't..
Not true at all. I actually have local species of isopods that survive just fine alone side my Avic in it's enclosure. It depends on the environment you have set up what species of isopod you have to go with. I had a harder time with tropical species of isopods because otherwise it was to wet and humid for the T. But the isopods you can find in your back yard, generally speaking are a lot hardier and don't need constant moisture like the tropical ones. Though you will want to get a generation or two going of your own breeding them before you use them if they are wild caught. (Least that's advised)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidium_vulgare

or you could google armadillidium vulgare for sale and buy them though you have to wonder if they are still safe or not if it's from an unknown buyer.

Regardless though, you have to research the species you plan to use, you can't just toss just anything in a set up. Where there are different species of T's with different habitat needs, the same applies to isopods and all other over all umbrellas of animals species we use terms for.
 

cold blood

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You have absolutely nothing to worry about. pin heads are no threat, and they will almost certainly die off pretty quickly unless you are feeding them.
 

YagerManJennsen

Arachnobaron
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Jan 3, 2016
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508
The OP never said he had an avic (not that I saw). It could be a psalmo or a poec for all we know. Unless I am totally blatantly missing the part where he said "Avic". I have had the pinhead incident a couple times. Like CB says, no cause for concern. All I did was scoop out the first few inches of substrate and put a fresh layer on top (they were everywhere).
 

lunarae

Arachnobaron
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Sep 22, 2015
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To go into more detail on your inquiry of isopods though OP. Isopods do help by getting rid of decaying matter (such as bolas) as well as fungus and they are known to eat mite eggs as well.

I have them in all of my tanks along with springtails to help combat mold as well for the more moisture loving ones. I also do live plants which makes them more of a necessity to have then tanks that don't.
 

Karifever

Arachnopeon
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Sep 1, 2016
Messages
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I can't figure out how that's possible except for the fact that, probably, some female crickets leaved eggs inside as you said.
Anyway, if those are millimeter sized pinheads crickets (and not mites) I wouldn't rehouse or else at all except for an invasion of those. Eventually they will die. But which arboreal, exactly, and the size, if I can ask?
It is a p. rufilata with a 4.5 inch legspan
 

mistertim

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Sep 4, 2015
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548
I would put a couple of extra small water dishes in the enclosure. Crickets are some of the stupidest animals on earth (after humans) and will drown without any provocation at all.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
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Oct 25, 2014
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Could of swore the OP said it was an Avic... Anyways...Lol..

Thr crix aren't a problem.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Not true at all. I actually have local species of isopods that survive just fine alone side my Avic in it's enclosure. It depends on the environment you have set up what species of isopod you have to go with. I had a harder time with tropical species of isopods because otherwise it was to wet and humid for the T. But the isopods you can find in your back yard, generally speaking are a lot hardier and don't need constant moisture like the tropical ones. Though you will want to get a generation or two going of your own breeding them before you use them if they are wild caught. (Least that's advised)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidium_vulgare

or you could google armadillidium vulgare for sale and buy them though you have to wonder if they are still safe or not if it's from an unknown buyer.

Regardless though, you have to research the species you plan to use, you can't just toss just anything in a set up. Where there are different species of T's with different habitat needs, the same applies to isopods and all other over all umbrellas of animals species we use terms for.
I didn't know there are species of isopod that will live in dry sub.. Interesting..
 

cold blood

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I didn't know there are species of isopod that will live in dry sub.. Interesting..
They use a gill system and need moisture to survive...I, too, have never heard of one that can live in dry conditions.
 

lunarae

Arachnobaron
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Sep 22, 2015
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Not bone dry, but dryer conditions yes. They don't have to be in sopping wet enclosures to survive. Or intensely humid enclosures. They still need moisture but they don't need it to a point that it's going to kill an avic to co-exist. If you have an enclosure with a level of moisture that's comfortable for your avic then you can have some species of Isopods just fine. Such as the species I posted up.
 
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