We just switched Murray from the small crickets to the large -- and started with only 50 because we wanted to see how he would do. In less than 2 days about half of the crickets died...I have no idea why. We had them in the same container we stored the small/pinhead crickets in, with egg cartons and Fluker's orange cubes/complete cricket diet. We were able to keep the small ones for easily up to two weeks as Murray went through them. Any advice? Are larger crickets harder to keep alive? I put way more of the cubes in assuming they would eat more -- but 2 days just seems ridiculous, and a waste of money. (These are from Pet Supplies Plus -- so their large crickets might be more like medium sized crickets -- but much larger than pinheads).
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Keeping crickets alive?
- Thread starter cricket05
- Start date
How large are large? Larger crickets are closer to the end of their life cycle so they don't last as long but they should last longer than 2 days. The company I order from sells them by size and I usually get 3/4" ones and they last me weeks. I feed them the flukers water crystals with calcium and the dry food. I also put the stems to my greens in every now and then to give them a little extra boost.
drzebra
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 242
- Location
- Clarksville, Tennessee
I had nothing but trouble with crickets. If you're in an area where you can get them (not Florida), you might want to look into dubia roaches.
My crickets survive for more than 1 week too. What I do is keep half of them in the box from the store and the other half I put in the (large) cricket pen from Zoo Med.
I feed them with leftover greenies and spray the box(es) once every day to keep them hydrated. I also add some cropped paper in for them to "hide" or "play around".
I feed them with leftover greenies and spray the box(es) once every day to keep them hydrated. I also add some cropped paper in for them to "hide" or "play around".
Thanks everyone -- yes Patsy, I would say these were about 3/4" in size. I don't know if you can get a bad "batch" from a pet store or not, but I was definitely surprised when they lasted less than 48 hours. I will try adding greens into the mix of their food also. And DrZebra -- yes, I do use Dubias (they are Murray's fav) but rotate between the two since I have to order Dubias and am not comfortable (yet) with trying to start a colony.
Another question -- is there a ratio of how many pinheads equal a large cricket? I also want to make sure I am under feeding Murray now that we have switched. Thanks!
Another question -- is there a ratio of how many pinheads equal a large cricket? I also want to make sure I am under feeding Murray now that we have switched. Thanks!
dragonwagon
Bearded Dragon Egg
- Messages
- 28
I believe it's about 5 small crickets : 1 large cricket. I use small crickets because they are easier to digest and not as big(and scary!) lol.
Fiona
Hatchling Dragon
- Messages
- 31
I am new to all of this also, and so far all Fiona will eat are crickets.
we have to make a long trip to San Antonio to get anything we need for her and was having the same problem with crickets not living. so trip before last we bought the small ones and they grew up and I hardly lost any.
well now I have been properly educated on what she needs holy cow does she eat!!!...and still only crickets, once in a blue moon has she eaten veggies but they are in her tank just incase.
anyway today I bought plastic storage tub....I am going to cut the center out of the lid and hot glue window screen over the hole, then cut holes in the side to put that tube from the cricket keeper into. to save the trip to the city all the time I will order online but I have to order 250 or more...and I think I will get the small ones at first to see if they grow into adults and maybe make babies....I could only hope.
we have to make a long trip to San Antonio to get anything we need for her and was having the same problem with crickets not living. so trip before last we bought the small ones and they grew up and I hardly lost any.
well now I have been properly educated on what she needs holy cow does she eat!!!...and still only crickets, once in a blue moon has she eaten veggies but they are in her tank just incase.
anyway today I bought plastic storage tub....I am going to cut the center out of the lid and hot glue window screen over the hole, then cut holes in the side to put that tube from the cricket keeper into. to save the trip to the city all the time I will order online but I have to order 250 or more...and I think I will get the small ones at first to see if they grow into adults and maybe make babies....I could only hope.
drzebra
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 242
- Location
- Clarksville, Tennessee
If she's anything like Fenchurch, she could just be a picky or binge eater. Fenchurch generally won't bother eating more than 2 or 3 times a week and gorges when she does.
For some reason, though, she's not keen on dubia roaches so I'm stuck feeding her superworms.
Try different kinds of veggies, too. Arthur eats it all, but Fenchurch refuses to eat collard greens.
For some reason, though, she's not keen on dubia roaches so I'm stuck feeding her superworms.
Try different kinds of veggies, too. Arthur eats it all, but Fenchurch refuses to eat collard greens.
drzebra
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 242
- Location
- Clarksville, Tennessee
Since you live so far away from pet stores, you might consider breeding your prey items. Dubia roaches are more expensive upfront, but live longer, grow slower, and are less fragile than crickets.
They're also not smelly and noisy. Even better, they're more nutritious - it takes fewer to feed the dragon.
They're also not smelly and noisy. Even better, they're more nutritious - it takes fewer to feed the dragon.
Andyurgay
Hatchling Dragon
- Messages
- 82
- Location
- Austin, TX
are you keeping the large crickets in the same container as the small ones you used to use? Crickets are actually territorial and will kill others if they don't have enough space/food/air. I bought a bigger critter keeper after my guy went to bug crickets and they can last me two-three weeks. As long as you keep up on cleaning a few times a week
( a bag they came in, drop in a piece of egg crate, collect all crickets in it, close it. Dump old food and water crystals, clean the keeper with water, dry it well, provide clean food and water, dump crix back in) they last me at least a month with cleaning and being sure the food and water are good.
just because the food and water is not gone, doesn't mean it is good. And always make sure you provide a good enough space with lots if egg crate to give them their own space. They wont kill each other then.
( a bag they came in, drop in a piece of egg crate, collect all crickets in it, close it. Dump old food and water crystals, clean the keeper with water, dry it well, provide clean food and water, dump crix back in) they last me at least a month with cleaning and being sure the food and water are good.
just because the food and water is not gone, doesn't mean it is good. And always make sure you provide a good enough space with lots if egg crate to give them their own space. They wont kill each other then.
Someone mentioned something online yesterday, I don't know how true it is. They said the reason the crickets die is from calcium binding and the pre made flukers foods like the water gel and orange cubes all contain calcium. Not sure if I completely believe that though. I have always fed my crickets the yellow flukers gel and except for the real tiny crickets, I don't get a lot of die off.
drzebra
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 242
- Location
- Clarksville, Tennessee
I know that Flukers didn't kill my dubia. I gave them that as a water source just to get rid of it.
Other than that, I give them just plain ol' water crystals that you can get in the plant section of Lowe's.
Other than that, I give them just plain ol' water crystals that you can get in the plant section of Lowe's.
I've been using Flukers for years and never had a major problem but I thought it was interesting that someone said that. I may need to try to find those water crystals and see what happens. I know I looked at Menards once and couldn't find them. I don't dare ask someone if they have them, last week I asked for pond rocks and she looked at me like I had a third head!
drzebra
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 242
- Location
- Clarksville, Tennessee
These are the crystals that I use, if it's any help.
Thank you everyone - this is super helpful. Our second batch of larger crickets has been doing great -- we haven't lost any, other than to Murray's belly. 
I've been adding the leftover greens to their container, and misting it lightly every other day. I also cleaned the container after reading one of the posts from yesterday. I will definitely be trying the plant water crystals -- I would have never thought of that. I bet it is far more economical than the Flukers stuff!
I've been adding the leftover greens to their container, and misting it lightly every other day. I also cleaned the container after reading one of the posts from yesterday. I will definitely be trying the plant water crystals -- I would have never thought of that. I bet it is far more economical than the Flukers stuff!
Fiona
Hatchling Dragon
- Messages
- 31
my husband asked the pet store why the large crickets die off so fast...they said age....so we bought small ones and they grew and we hardly lost any. and they don't make noise!!...
with this new information I think I will go ahead and make my large cricket house with the plastic storage tote and if the pet store has the roaches I will get a few to see if she will eat them. what do they live in when you do bring them home. can I put them in the cricket keeper I bought from pet store?
i am glad to say she is eating more salad...i put the kale in front of her and she ate it....next day i did the same and she ate it again...i guess she don't like to be served in a dish.
the water soring crystals looks like my cat litter!!...i am sure it is the same stuff....lol..but i wont use the cat litter in the crickets.....
with this new information I think I will go ahead and make my large cricket house with the plastic storage tote and if the pet store has the roaches I will get a few to see if she will eat them. what do they live in when you do bring them home. can I put them in the cricket keeper I bought from pet store?
i am glad to say she is eating more salad...i put the kale in front of her and she ate it....next day i did the same and she ate it again...i guess she don't like to be served in a dish.
the water soring crystals looks like my cat litter!!...i am sure it is the same stuff....lol..but i wont use the cat litter in the crickets.....
drzebra
Juvenile Dragon
- Messages
- 242
- Location
- Clarksville, Tennessee
As far as roaches go, I keep mine in two large Rubbermaid tubs (one for breeders, one for feeders).
If you're not breeding them, a cricket keeper is fine. Just make sure to keep it covered because roaches like dark.
If you're not breeding them, a cricket keeper is fine. Just make sure to keep it covered because roaches like dark.
dragonwagon
Bearded Dragon Egg
- Messages
- 28
I am having difficulties keeping my crickets alive. They are small, live in a 'cricket keeper' , have plenty of hiding places-tubes, egg crates..., and I feed them flukers Orange cube and veggies. Why are they dying within a week?
I bought about 100 crickets 1,5 weeks ago and half of them died. (They were the last of the shop so add 2 weeks to it.) I'm not sure about the high dead rate either, but I guess mine died because of too much hydration and old vegetables starting to rot. The egg crates had a little mold on the bottom so that was not too good either... 
Where is everyone getting crickets from that keep dying off so fast? Is it online or at a pet store? The reason I ask is the place that I order crickets from offers plain old crickets or something called vita-crickets that are supposed to be better. I order the 3/4" vita crickets for my frogs and never have any issues with die off but I just ordered the 1/4" inchers for my chameleon and I felt like a lot of them died off so I'm wondering if the "vita" has anything to do with it.
Another question for everyone with dead crickets. Are you keeping track of how many crickets you are feeding and how many you should have left? It's normal to have some die and when you order online they give a bit more to compensate for die off. Crickets shed their extoskeleton just like worms and roaches and a lot of what looks like dead crickets is actually just cricket shells.
Another question for everyone with dead crickets. Are you keeping track of how many crickets you are feeding and how many you should have left? It's normal to have some die and when you order online they give a bit more to compensate for die off. Crickets shed their extoskeleton just like worms and roaches and a lot of what looks like dead crickets is actually just cricket shells.
