3K CRICKET CRISIS!!! ASAP

[StubbleTitan]

We recently got a shipment of 3K crickets to give to our reptiles and we thought it was a great idea (it was our first time). I had opened the box the previous night and found that their container made it extremely difficult to disperse the crickets. So we decided to wait the next day to get the right container. That night we taped down the lid and called it a night. I came home today and found that my bedroom had ALL the crickets escaped. The tape we put on the box snapped and every one of our crickets had made it a fiesta to explore my room.

I found that they can't climb out of plastic trash bags as I collected them, but gosh is it a slow process picking one at a time among 3K of them. Does anyone know an effective method to catching mass quantities of crickets over a few days? I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay out of my bedroom because of this (I have a small fear of crickets). My beardie Titan is certainly enjoying the bug catching, and I think he's doing a great job. But I need to catch them before they find a way to escape beyond my room! These guys were expensive!

Please help me!!

 

[Geneticjim]

I am of no help but HOLY SH** . I'm sorry

 

[Hdrydr31]

OMG lol sorry had to laugh only because I can just see this...

I used to buy them 500-1000 at a time so I can relate, unboxing can be tricky...I used 30gal tubs and held the box closed until turned upside down and shake..

if you crumble up newspaper and put them out all over they will migrate to the darkness then you can shake them out into your bins. I think that's going to be the fastest way.. or a bunch of paper towel rolls and egg cartons..

 

[StubbleTitan]

OMG lol sorry had to laugh only because I can just see this...

I used to buy them 500-1000 at a time so I can relate, unboxing can be tricky...I used 30gal tubs and held the box closed until turned upside down and shake..

if you crumble up newspaper and put them out all over they will migrate to the darkness then you can shake them out into your bins. I think that's going to be the fastest way.. or a bunch of paper towel rolls and egg cartons..

That sounds efficient! I will try that, thank you!

 

[Hdrydr31]

your welcome I can't even imagine that many on the loose lol I just about spit my drink out when I read this lol sorry...

Just remember they are nocturnal so giving them the paper to hide from the light will be your best option on capturing them the best..

 

[Hdrydr31]

your welcome I can't even imagine that many on the loose lol I just about spit my drink out when I read this lol sorry...

Just remember they are nocturnal so giving them the paper to hide from the light will be your best option on capturing them the best..

That and a heat source will attract them to a certain area as they need heat..so if you put a basking lamp over a bunch of newspaper or egg flats you should get quite a few that way.

 

[StubbleTitan]

your welcome I can't even imagine that many on the loose lol I just about spit my drink out when I read this lol sorry...

Just remember they are nocturnal so giving them the paper to hide from the light will be your best option on capturing them the best..

We have quite a lot of lizards to feed, so the amount is pretty necessary. But we were going to use these guys for breeding so we don't have to keep buying this many.

The closest thing I could find for cardboard are pizza boxes from our family game-night last night. Either it's that or I open the container they came in that has a lot of cardboard. I don't necessarily want to do that, lol! I hope we can get the bin before they get too out of hand. I figured coming to a beardie forum would give me a lot of help when it comes to crickets due to the fact beardies are the most popular insectivores (from what I know). I would be among a community that has some knowledge with escapies.

//Speaking of lizards, I think Titan went to bed somewhere in my room. I need to go find that squirt.//

 

[Hdrydr31]

We have quite a lot of lizards to feed, so the amount is pretty necessary. But we were going to use these guys for breeding so we don't have to keep buying this many.

The closest thing I could find for cardboard are pizza boxes from our family game-night last night. Either it's that or I open the container they came in that has a lot of cardboard. I don't necessarily want to do that, lol! I hope we can get the bin before they get too out of hand. I figured coming to a beardie forum would give me a lot of help when it comes to crickets due to the fact beardies are the most popular insectivores (from what I know). I would be among a community that has some knowledge with escapies.

//Speaking of lizards, I think Titan went to bed somewhere in my room. I need to go find that squirt.//

they need alot to produce quickly.. Have you thought about dubia? they produce faster.

 

[StubbleTitan]

they need alot to produce quickly.. Have you thought about dubia? they produce faster.

I already have a thriving dubia colonie, but some of my lizards can't eat many dubia because of the compaction. That's one of the reasons I am trying to raise the crickets.

 

[Candybugs]

Egg crates lay them down everywhere in ur room check them alot and have a bin to tap the egg crate into and put it back down over and over again. Good luck and I would maybe sleep elsewhere for a little while. I know what 3ooo crickets looks like it's alot. Not the shiny egg crates the paper ones. Good luck.

 

[Candybugs]

Newspaper should work too

 

[StubbleTitan]

Egg crates lay them down everywhere in ur room check them alot and have a bin to tap the egg crate into and put it back down over and over again. Good luck and I would maybe sleep elsewhere for a little while. I know what 3ooo crickets looks like it's alot. Not the shiny egg crates the paper ones. Good luck.

Awesome! Now to find eggcartons.....

 

[Candybugs]

Your room is gonna sound like the wilderness. I lost 50 in my room once it was an event

 

[StubbleTitan]

Oooohhhh yes it is. And I'm sleeping in the livingroom. Haha!

 

[Hdrydr31]

Awesome! Now to find eggcartons.....

Usually stores have some like in the deli or the bakery as they make stuff daily will have egg flats

 

[Candybugs]

Somebody should make a cartoon movie about what we as dragon owners go through.

 

[PatsyB]

I'm so sorry, this made me laugh. They are right though, egg crates, paper towel holders and maybe lay out some fresh veggies or water gel crystals to lure them.

 

[Tony McAhren]

You are going to find crickets for years or at least dead ones. They get into everything. Hopefully you don't get a bad smell. Good luck.

 

[CorvettesR1]

Hello Stubble Titan. Im sorry to read that all your crickets have escaped into the room. I think that would try to go after them with a shop VAC if you can spot them rather than trying to pick them up by hand . I hope you have them gathered up by now . Good luck with it . ps

I just got a shipment of 1000 tiny crickets for Moe ,my dragon . I cut a 1 inch ,port hole in the box , a three sided cut then peeled the thing open like a door that i could close back up . I put it in the tank with Moe and let him get his fill as they crawled out one by one no fuss no muss and used Gorilla tape to seal it back up . I will bring them to the bin in my garage but will feed moe one or two more times from the trap door before i do .

 

[Candybugs]

My first order of 1000 1 week old crickets was like opening a box of gnats. I had to laugh .