Super Crickets?

[khil]

Thanks for being receptive to my opinions and generalized constructive criticisms, Nanotrev. As we all know, one can't have an opinion without pissing somebody off. It's fine.

It would also be insensitive for me to laugh at others' fears. Fears are often more real than reality, and so are the emotional connections some people have with their pet bugs, but it would be neglectful of me to miss the opportunity to share my "experiences" on the topic of parasites. I didn't mention pesticides previously, maybe, because it was not the topic of conversation.

As for pesticides, here we go again. I've had a lot of pet bugs and have fed a lot of wild caught bugs to them. Through this, none have died from suspected pesticides. Further, in years of cruising these forums, I recall no confirmed or documented evidence of somebody's pet bug dying on account of feeding them pesticide-tainted, wild caught feeders. I'm not saying it can't happen. I'm just saying that raising fear levels over something with evidence to the contrary should at least be examined/discussed, and prevented. In fact, I "believe" that feeding wild caught bugs to our pets is healthy for them in a context limited not just to trace elements. Further, I agree that exclusive feeding of pet store crickets that survive in part on each others' feces (lest I offend a coprophagist), is not best practice. I have no documented evidence on the latter and pet bugs are clearly very tolerant.

On a related point, what are the chances of a wild caught feeder bug being exposed to a harmful degree of pesticide and not dying before it ends up in my pet bug's mouth? (Yes, I'm aware of the increase in levels as pesticides make their way up the foodchain, but still.)

More to topic, my local pet store has switched back to ordinary house crickets again. Is it just me or do they look a 1/3 smaller than before? I often have multiple bins of multiple feeder species being housed together. If enough food is provided, all will grow and reproduce together. They should, in theory, grow more quickly in separate cages, but we constantly weigh convenience against other factors.

Dude seriously wtf, the adult crickets I buy aren't as big as they used to be. I'm pretty sure their the same old housed cricket, but they aren't as large. Hmm.

 

[Sukai94]

People still use crickets? though most were using roaches by now.....

Even though more than 95% of my 1.5" an above T's will eat dubia, I have some picky eaters and need the awful, smelly, hopping creatures to feed them. I am sure I am not the only one. Roaches are illegal in some places where they ma become evasive so sadly those people don't have a choice.

No way am I using these crickets. Acheta domesticus is what I'll continue to use until they really are in low numbers. It's either that or I'll find some of the soft crickets around my place and figure out how to breed them. Would anyone know a good way to get the parasites out of crickets? I imagine you'd get the parents and have them breed and then discard them. Would the resulting offspring be parasite free?

I believe your talking about Gryllus assimilis? The Jamiacan field cricket - I hate them! They terrorized my friends geckos and bit it several times. They not only have stronger, sharper mandibles but they are alot stronger than the normal feeder crickets and can mess up alot of pets. If you have to use them I suggest stunning them or my personal favorite - off with thier heads!

I don't understand the hostility towards the new cricket. The Jamaican crickets are bigger and meatier as adults. This is great for the bigger, meatier things that need to be fed. If they are too big as adults get younger/smaller crickets. When they are immature there is really no difference between them and Acheta domesticus. They are darker in color and they are more hardy. Acheta domesticus pinheads (and any size actually) always seemed to die off for me, many for no reason. I can more easily breed and raise this sp. They are more forgiving.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Plus, their chirp is pretty quite, or so I've read. Some refer to Gryllus assimilis as the Silent Cricket.

 

[Nanotrev]

More to topic, my local pet store has switched back to ordinary house crickets again. Is it just me or do they look a 1/3 smaller than before? I often have multiple bins of multiple feeder species being housed together. If enough food is provided, all will grow and reproduce together. They should, in theory, grow more quickly in separate cages, but we constantly weigh convenience against other factors.

I recently tested a few camel crickets as feeders with my scorpions. The giant desert hairy responded by aggressively attacking it. I hear these scorpions feed on "sand treadders" (sp?) in the wild. If anyone could send a few of those my way I'd happily attempt to culture those as well. Thank you to Double Ds for supplying me with the cave crickets, they're of great quality and are very lively.

The second session of feeder testing was to the Emperor scorpions, and the cricket meandered down into the scorpion's burrow where it was seized and eaten. The giant desert hairy scorpion got a medium-sized individual while the emperor scorpion got the largest of the bunch I received. I think the Hadrurus had such a good response perhaps because of two things.

A) They're merely more aggressive in their capture of food.
B) Camel crickets, being related to their natural prey, are more quickly recognized as food and are most happily pursued.

As for the emperor scorpion... I think the cave/camel cricket gave way to its habits and the scorpion happened to be hungry. If a vendor had jerusalem crickets I'd try those as well. In the future I'll be attempting to breed as many feeders as I can to vary the diet as much as possible. These feeders will also benefit the varied diet of my Jackson's chameleon. Eventually I'll attempt to collect locusts as well. I would really like to get my hands on some of those larger grasshoppers.

My cricket diet will consist of beans blended with reptile vitamins and minerals, excluding calcium except for romaine lettuce.

On a related point, what are the chances of a wild caught feeder bug being exposed to a harmful degree of pesticide and not dying before it ends up in my pet bug's mouth?

A good point I've only thought fleetingly. I'd still like to breed wild insects and eventually culture them to be in control of what they have inside of them. Would you like to chime in on which trace minerals would be most beneficial? I also read a small article online that stated that the most nutritionally complete feeders were actually fed reptile food. Hopefully my "beans, vitamin and mineral powder" made for reptiles will prove worthy of helping produce the best feeders and largest scorpions.

Plus, their chirp is pretty quite, or so I've read. Some refer to Gryllus assimilis as the Silent Cricket.

Camel/cave crickets don't chirp at all. It's not much a concern to me though, if they chirp or not. Which cricket breeds and matures the fastest? Meatier is good too. You're all making me a little more receptive to the new feeders proposed to the hobby. Would anyone be able to supply me with a few males and females of the Jamaican field cricket? What about the tropical house cricket? It's also known as the banded cricket, or so I've been led to believe. They're very good jumpers, though not as good as cave crickets.

 

[Sukai94]

Which cricket breeds and matures the fastest? Meatier is good too. You're all making me a little more receptive to the new feeders proposed to the hobby. Would anyone be able to supply me with a few males and females of the Jamaican field cricket?

I believe Rainbow Mealworms sells Jamaican crickets

-Jamie

 

[Nanotrev]

I believe Rainbow Mealworms sells Jamaican crickets

-Jamie

My antivirus software goes crazy, saying the site is reported as malicous, and the website looks pretty messed up. Weird. Any others?

Edit-
On a second note, Ghann's says they'll be ready in a few months or so. I'll be sure to nab some then and test keeping my own colonies.

 

[Introvertebrate]

Interesting announcement...........

..........on the Ghann's Cricket Farm website:

7/13/11 - We're happy to announce that we have just been granted permits by the USDA to LEGALLY produce the new VIRUS RESISTANT cricket that everyone is talking about, and TODAY we received our initial breeding stock - our "Adams & Eves"! The species is Gryllus assimilis (commonly called the Jamaican Field Cricket), and it's VERY similar to the standard Acheta domesticus that we all know & love. The adults get a little larger and are a little darker in color, but the MAJOR difference is... the deadly cricket virus that kills Achetas does NOT affect Gryllus assimilis!

UPDATED 9/14/11 - Our Gryllus assimilis are thriving just fine, but building up the colony to commercial sales numbers is a slow process. We are now estimating that we will be able to begin shipping Gryllus assimilis sometime shortly after the first the year (maybe Feb 2012). Watch closely - we will make an announcement when we have quantities ready to ship!

http://www.ghann.com/faq.cfm

 

[spydrhunter1]

A number of states are considering not allowing movement of this species into their areas:
1) potential to mate with and hybridize our native Gryllus spp.
2) there are defensive ( I hate the term aggressive for any animal)
3) unknown risk for crop damage

 

[Galapoheros]

Well, they got them to central Texas recently and will see what happens from there. So far I like them better. I've got a batch of pinheads going, I was having trouble getting very many eggs of the common store feeder to hatch. I haven't had a problem with them harming anything, but I take a cricket out right when I see that what was being fed isn't hungry.

 

[zonbonzovi]

A number of states are considering not allowing movement of this species into their areas:
1) potential to mate with and hybridize our native Gryllus spp.
2) there are defensive ( I hate the term aggressive for any animal)
3) unknown risk for crop damage

I kinda wondered why Jamaican Gryllus are being imported as feeders. Why not native Gryllus? Is the growth rate not satisfactory in comparison with the Jamaicans?

 

[Introvertebrate]

I looked up the genus, and some Gryllus species live in temperate regions. We typically want tropical feeders because they don't require a diapause period in the winter. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Crysta]

Jamaicans are now being sold at pet habitat..they look like tribal ganster version of the normal domestic criket.. lol

 

[spydrhunter1]

Ideally the cricket should be non-pestiferous and unable to hybridize with native species....I'm recommending Gryllodes.

 

[Toirtis]

They are Gryllus assimilus if they are the same one that have been showing up in Western Canada for the past few weeks (Illegally, I might add, as we are permitted to import {iAcheta domestica[/i] only).

 

[zonbonzovi]

I looked up the genus, and some Gryllus species live in temperate regions. We typically want tropical feeders because they don't require a diapause period in the winter. Correct me if I'm wrong.

No, that makes sense. The common species on the E. side of the Cascades here live in areas that see a good layer of snow during the winter. I think I read that they reproduce only once a year- would be interesting to culture, but not for feeding.

 

[dtn1992]

so, when i first saw this thread i was like hmm new crix? i was ordering new crix for the T's and scorps and when they arrived, i got a 1000 count of em,