those pesky crickets

[stu]

Just a quick question -

Anyone have a method for catching escaped crickets or stop them escaping come feeding time?

Ive lost a few already - if my girlfriend found out they where loose in the house she would freak

Any ideas on this problem?

thanks,

Stu.

 

[SoCalKyle]

I have the same damn problem!! Those sly bastards always seem to jump at the right time. Or hide behind something and when you go to look behind it they pull a houdini and end up across the room somehow.

 

[Henry Kane]

Best thing I could suggest would be to just snag them up quickly. I'd rather squash them barehanded than allow them to get away.

Atrax

 

[Professor T]

AWOL Crickets

Rules for not allowing crickets to go AWOL.

10. Keep them in a container that they can't jump out of when you open the lid.

9. Buy a cricket scoop.

8. Don't hold them by their back legs, they detach.

7. Don't let them get to the floor.

6. Don't let them get under the couch.

5. Don't let them get under a desk.

4. Don't "throw" them into your T enclosure...slam dunk them!

3. Don't fall for the fake biting trick, they can't break your skin.

2. Don't balance the cricket cage on a stool.

1. Kill them when you have the chance.

 

[Bry]

I keep crickets in a large, clear, smooth-sided rubbermaid that they can't climb out of. I don't even bother to use a lid because I know they can't jump out. If you have small numbers, just corral them into a corner and try to get them to jump or crawl onto your hand. This isn't as hard as it might seem, but it can be a bit time-consuming with the extremely jumpy ones that refuse to be caught. When I ordered them by the thousand for my bearded dragon, I simply grabbed as many as I could in a handful, and shook off any that might have climbed onto my hand. Yes, definitely "slam dunk" them into the predator's enclosure. I've never had any major problems this way. There might be one every once in a long while that perfectly times when to jump out of your hand and escape. If you never find them, oh well, the little bastards will be dead before long if the cat doesn't find them first.

Bry

 

[Action Jackson]

I used to have a cat (cleverly named Mr. Kitty) who handled cricket escapes for me; if any got out, he'd usually eat them, or at least kill them. I don't have him anymore, though, he passed away.

And the relevance that had to this thread? Shhh.

 

[sunnymarcie]

Stu,
You need a cat
My kitty eats the one's that get away:}

 

[Professor T]

Originally posted by sunnymarcie
Stu,
You need a cat
My kitty eats the one's that get away:}

Yes, but then you need a python for the cat.

 

[MizM]

My cat is the best method I have... he likes to play with them 'till they're tired then munch them down. I've ALWAYS had a cat around to take care of that problem. One encouraging thing though... they don't live long!

 

[D-Man]

Hmmm

Would sticking them in the fridge before feeding help? The way I handle escapees is to keep still when they jump out, then scoop them with my little fish net or pound them with my fist.

 

[Pyrdacor]

If a cricket escapes i try one time to grab it, If I don't get it the first time, I kill them by squashing. I don't want them to be anywhere out there.