How do you keep crickets alive? Im turning into a serial killer here... - Paw Talk

Jess · #1 08-18-2009, 05:11 PM

Since Ive adopted my little dragon, I have to have crickets too... Buuuuuut those stupid lil pinhead crickets do NOT like me! They keep dieing and I have no idea why! Im keeping them in a shoe box size storage container with a hole cut in the lid for ventalation, and screen netting is covering the hole so they dont escape. they have veggies to eat, and cotton balls soaked in water to drink from, and a paper towel at them bottom. They are kept at room temp, wich is probably around 78* F in my room... Its really warm in there LOL. Is there anything Im doing horribly wrong? I can keep medium and large crickets alive for weeks when I get them for my frog, but theres something about these tiny crickets thats different.
Any help? Cause Im wasting money on these if they all die, and Wink doesnt want to eat his mealworms.

Hes turning into a very picky lil eater. Lettuce and crickets are all he wants to eat right now, and my mom is sick of taking me to the pet store every day to buy more bugs!

**Sasami** · #2 08-18-2009, 05:31 PM

Pinheads are pretty fragile and sensitive so you probably aren't doing anything wrong. But the most important things are keeping them warm, clean (remove dead bodies immediately, change the food daily, etc.), and well-fed. You also don't want to the tank to get too dry--I lightly misted my pinheads sometimes.

The only other thing I could think of is that maybe the container isn't ventilated enough? How large is the air hole?

Oh, and are they only eating vegetables or are you feeding them other things as well? I fed my pinheads rabbit pellets, fish flakes, cereal, dog food, potatoes, carrots, etc. Variety is great

.

canadiancritter · #3 08-18-2009, 05:37 PM

Crickets can eat through the screen so I would be careful in less you want crickets in your room (trust me, you do not want crickets in your room).

Feed them fish food, carrots, lettuce etc...

Jess · #4 08-18-2009, 06:08 PM

Haha, I probably already have a colony of escaped crickets living under my hermit crab tank. Ive lost alot of them in the past...
I was only feeding them veggies, so maybe thats part of the problem. I never thought to feed them anything else. Thanks

Kendalle · #5 08-18-2009, 10:14 PM

i think they do need an under tank heater

You could look into getting a roach colony most beardies love roaches and they are better food, plus you can get kinds that need heat to live so if they excape they can't live. plus some don't climb or fly.

**Sasami** · #6 08-18-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kendalle


	i think they do need an under tank heater You could look into getting a roach colony most beardies love roaches and they are better food, plus you can get kinds that need heat to live so if they excape they can't live. plus some don't climb or fly.

Crickets don't need an under tank heater unless your house is really cold or something. It's not like she's trying to breed them, either.

I used to keep pinheads and I never used any kind of lighting or heating. The set-up was actually really simple

.

Kendalle · #7 08-19-2009, 12:11 AM

I think their are different kinds, maybe it is just for breeding. I never have kept them.

I do know that if you put calcium on them they die with in hours

**Sasami** · #8 08-19-2009, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kendalle


	I think their are different kinds, maybe it is just for breeding. I never have kept them. I do know that if you put calcium on them they die with in hours

Different kinds of crickets? As far as I know, everyone uses the same species for feeding purposes.

Weird about the calcium. I've never had that happen. Usually if crickets I had dusted weren't eaten right away, they just groomed themselves off.