Gryllus assimili "Super Crickets" safe?

[killerecho]

I purchased a breeding batch of these "super crickets" from Bassett's Cricket Ranch back in July. At the time, they were not being marketed as a separate species and I had no idea they would be different from the usual house cricket. I did notice that they were much darker than acheta domesticus, especially the younger morphs. I figured that perhaps they were simply a darker strain of a. domesticus. But over time, I got the nagging feeling that they were actually a different species, or perhaps a hybrid between a. domesticus and a bigger, meaner breed. It wasn't until after finding this article - Attack of the Feeder Crickets | Gecko Time - that my suspicions were confirmed.

Since I've had a few months of working with them, I can personally attest to some of the differences mentioned in the article. This species, gryllus assimili (aka Jamaican field cricket), is certainly bigger, more robust and more resilient to any of the usual factors that kill off house crickets. In fact, they're increasingly replacing a. domesticus in many cricket farms precisely because they're immune to the virus that has been killing off populations of the latter). Between this and their voracious cannibalistic tendencies, I have witnessed very few casualties. They also don't chirp as loudly or jump as far as a. domesticus. Quite surprisingly, a few adults of both sexes have developed the ability to fly short distances.

Most significant though, is their ability and willingness to bite. G. assmili are much more aggressive than a. domesticus and adults have vicious jaws capable of breaking human skin. In fact, even the immature ones can inflict considerable pain. I know this from personal experience and now I wear gloves when handing them. Now, I can deal with a little personal hazard for the sake of my frogs, but I'm beginning to get worried that these things might be unsafe for feeding something so delicate as a tree frog. I keep gray, red-eye, clown tree and pacific chorus frogs; and yes, I have been feeding them these crickets without issue so far, but maybe I've gotten lucky (I do feed from a bowl most of the time so maybe that's a factor). The writer of that article lost several geckos to these crickets, so it's entirely possible that they could hurt a frog just as badly.

Has anyone else have experience with these "super crickets?"

[Sublime]

Yes, all of what you wrote is true about these guys. I picked some up from a local reptile shop I go to fill up supplies... When I saw them, they definitely weren't a. domesticus and when I went online and researched them - found out that they are in fact the g. assimilis. Right off the bat, due to their size and mean looking physique, I was a little worried for my frog. They began popping up after that cricket paralysis virus that wiped out millions of a. domesticus and I'm not sure about black field crickets.

The only positives I can see about them is: they have more meat on them (size), known as the (silent brown cricket), and a lot more hardy than a. domesticus species. If you are going to feed them to your frogs, make sure you watch over them until they are all done feeding. There have been incidents of them being aggressive towards your herps when left alone caused by their aggressive nature. Even deaths, e.g. chameleons, geckos, and frogs.

Luckily I never came in direct contact with these guys for them to bite me; I wore gloves and shook the egg flats into my frogs bin while I watched him eat them. They definitely do carry a mean looking physique though compared to the common brown cricket.

However, the downside with these guys that I did notice - they gave off a potent vinegar aroma in their enclosure I left them in. It smelled disgusting; I'm back on just the normal a. domesticus crickets, but some people find that the g. assimilis are worth a shot. Just be careful is all I'm saying.

[wesleybrouwer]

Don't worry about these crickets.

It's the only cricket i will ever feed again.
Only downside in my point of view, is that they are a little larger and breed a lot slower then the other crickets.

Besides that, they are the most silent crickets i know of, they don't jump as much as the others, when escaped don't form a plague like house crickets can, aren't as aggresive and have somewhat better nutritionous values.

The attacking of them, i never wittnissed, but i got bitten by a grasshopper, never saw them attack my animals.
I did wittniss a house cricket bite a baby anole in it's troat though.
Died soon after the attack.
But the main reason for me is that they need verry high temperatures to breed.
Inside my home or terrarium they can never become a plague like the others can.
Just put in something for them to eat and i would be surprised if they attack and eat you're frogs.
Feed them for about 5 years now, never lost a single frog to them, altough i throw the crickets in their viv without putting the forgs in a feeding container or something like that.

[BG]

Hello Brian. I never had the pleasure to feed off this cricket . I would like to buy some will you sell me some . I live in Woodside Queens..

I purchased a breeding batch of these "super crickets" from Bassett's Cricket Ranch back in July. At the time, they were not being marketed as a separate species and I had no idea they would be different from the usual house cricket. I did notice that they were much darker than acheta domesticus, especially the younger morphs. I figured that perhaps they were simply a darker strain of a. domesticus. But over time, I got the nagging feeling that they were actually a different species, or perhaps a hybrid between a. domesticus and a bigger, meaner breed. It wasn't until after finding this article - Attack of the Feeder Crickets | Gecko Time - that my suspicions were confirmed.

Since I've had a few months of working with them, I can personally attest to some of the differences mentioned in the article. This species, gryllus assimili (aka Jamaican field cricket), is certainly bigger, more robust and more resilient to any of the usual factors that kill off house crickets. In fact, they're increasingly replacing a. domesticus in many cricket farms precisely because they're immune to the virus that has been killing off populations of the latter). Between this and their voracious cannibalistic tendencies, I have witnessed very few casualties. They also don't chirp as loudly or jump as far as a. domesticus. Quite surprisingly, a few adults of both sexes have developed the ability to fly short distances.

Most significant though, is their ability and willingness to bite. G. assmili are much more aggressive than a. domesticus and adults have vicious jaws capable of breaking human skin. In fact, even the immature ones can inflict considerable pain. I know this from personal experience and now I wear gloves when handing them. Now, I can deal with a little personal hazard for the sake of my frogs, but I'm beginning to get worried that these things might be unsafe for feeding something so delicate as a tree frog. I keep gray, red-eye, clown tree and pacific chorus frogs; and yes, I have been feeding them these crickets without issue so far, but maybe I've gotten lucky (I do feed from a bowl most of the time so maybe that's a factor). The writer of that article lost several geckos to these crickets, so it's entirely possible that they could hurt a frog just as badly.

Has anyone else have experience with these "super crickets?"

[killerecho]

Mark: Thanks for sharing your experience with them. I most certainly will be careful around them and will continue feeding them in bowls only. One piece of advice I've found is to feed smaller-sized crickets of this species than you normally would with a. domesticus. I haven't personally noticed the vinegar smell with mine. If anything they smell better than the house crickets I've had in the past. Those things really generate an awful stench when they die.

Wesley: I'm relieved to hear you've had success with them for so long. But I'm curious - you actually think these are LESS aggressive than house crickets? I realize even house crickets can bite pretty hard when provoked, but my experience is that these dark field crickets are much more likely to bite. Is it possible we have different breeds? I envy the selection of feeders you have available in the EU. We're left with relatively few choices. It's either crickets, roaches, or catch your own.

George: Drop me a pm. I'd be happy to talk about it.

[wesleybrouwer]

In my experience, they are less aggresive then the house crickets.
Altough i only had an attack of them on a baby anole once.
It is mainly that i had an outbreak of them indoors once, a year later i was still catching some now and then.

The dark field crickets are a different breed indeed. We have those as well, and these are crickets i will never buy again, what noise they make
I heared about them biting animals more often then i hear about the other crickets as well.
But i don't have much experience feeding them since i got annoyed by the sound of a male that got himself behind the back wall and chirped for about 2 months on end.

The pictures i see on you're super crickets are the steppe crickets i feed.
Not sure if it is a cross breed, however, the latin name is the same so i suppose they are the same thing.
Never had any incidents while feeding them.
And like i said, i just put in the crickets into the viv. without putting them in a feeding bowl or anything like that.
I do put in something like tomato or carrot because they will eat my plants otherwise.

It's a good thing to order them a size or 2 smaller then the house crickets you normally feed.
The newly hatched steppe crickets however are just fine for my poison dart frogs as well.
Sometimes i do find an adult one that became to big for them to eat, i just catch those out as soon as i get the chance.

But don't you guys have anything like waxworms, silkworms, butterworms, soldier fly larvae etc. ?
I believe most feeders we have here should be available in the US as well.

[BG]

Hey guys a friend told me recently that if you put cracked corn on the bottom it absorbs the smell and he is right. You should try it.

[JeffreH]

Hey guys a friend told me recently that if you put cracked corn on the bottom it absorbs the smell and he is right. You should try it.

The only downside is it also increases the chances for mold and bacteria to manifest itself if anything gets damp. Just be sure you are feeding any moisture source in such a way that it doesn't come into contact with the substrate.

And Wesley - we do indeed have these other feeders. Various roaches, zophobas (superworms), mealworms, waxworms, butter/trevo worms, soldier grubs (calci worms/phoenix worms, etc), Silkworms, Hornworms (farm raised). The OP was likely more relating to the variety of faster moving prey and Orthoptera you seem to have; keeping black field crickets and locusts for example isn't a common practice in the states. Cricket wise - we are limited.

[killerecho]

Indeed, we do have plenty of "wormie" options, but my frogs do not seem the least bit interested in anything without legs. I've had some success with adult soldier flies, and am looking to try wax moths at some point. I would love to try locusts and various grasshoppers if they were legal here.