jamaican giant crickets?

[Lija]

anyone tried? it is illegal to have/sell dubia in Canada so I was trying to find something bigger then regular brown crickets and then I saw those. They about 2-3 times bigger then brown ones and jaws are very strong, I'm wondering if it's safe to feed. I was told that breeding/keeping are the same as brown ones. Any input would be really appreciated. thanks.

[Pluke]

Some crickets have real big mandibles and I'm pretty sure they could hurt your animals if not careful. Field crickets for example (the black ones) those things can bite pretty hard if they want, especially the big ones. They might be alright for some bigger lizards/chameleons but not sure if I'd risk it with a frog, maybe a pyxie but why chance it? Try something like hornworms or silkworms if you're looking to add something to their diet.

I've never heard of or seen a Jamaican giant cricket, so I have no idea how big their mandibles are. I'd just assume from the name they might be big..

[GrifTheGreat]

You don't want these. they will attack and hurt your frog. They have very strong large mandibles. I've heard so many nasty stories about the crickets. Why not just switch to night crawlers. You can easily aquire them in Canada. That's where most of the night crawlers for sale in the US come from. Plus the are an excellent food for frogs of all ages and are very nutritious.

[arielgasca420]

i dont have a problem with these crickets because I tong feed.
I also breed them too. currently the crazy reds are illegal in every U.S. state except California because of a virus they carry that will wipe out regular house crickets.
the Gryllus assimilis are the types you want to look for. black in color when they reach sexual maturity. I would ask your local pet store what company they purchase their crickets from
These types are prolific breeders and large in size. I love them for my pacman, pyxie, and bearded dragon, but they are very dangerous if left unsupervised in an enclosure.

[arielgasca420]

Some crickets have real big mandibles and I'm pretty sure they could hurt your animals if not careful. Field crickets for example (the black ones) those things can bite pretty hard if they want, especially the big ones. They might be alright for some bigger lizards/chameleons but not sure if I'd risk it with a frog, maybe a pyxie but why chance it? Try something like hornworms or silkworms if you're looking to add something to their diet.

I've never heard of or seen a Jamaican giant cricket, so I have no idea how big their mandibles are. I'd just assume from the name they might be big..

Jamaican field cricket is the same a gryllus assimilis. I have an easier time with binomial nomenclature because it is so universal. you learn to use them when you get into horticulture

[Pluke]

Jamaican field cricket is the same a gryllus assimilis. I have an easier time with binomial nomenclature because it is so universal. you learn to use them when you get into horticulture

Ahh, I think you just taught me something..

If I had a bigger critter such as a beardie I'd be tempted to give him some of those "gryllus assimilis" I get around and in my house at times.. then again, I hear they carry parasites in the wild. Those crickets do look a lot juicier and probably carry more nutrients than the typical pet store cricket. You say you tong feed, do you kill the cricket first? I'd be afraid that it would gnaw away at the insides of my pet if it managed to still be alive when it reached the stomach, I've been bit by the black ones and it doesn't feel very good..

[arielgasca420]

there is so much conflicting info and I have been researching like mad to get the facts straight. I am still trying to get a hold of some entymologists in CA to get the full story on the true Gryllus assimilis and crazy reds.
the only state they are legal in is CA because they are considered wild here. anywhere else is illegal because they destroy populations due to their resistance to a virus. from what I have read they are pretty much the agent orange to the widespread cricket epidemic.
I do not kill the crickets before feeding. my frogs lick them up and crunch crunch crunch them to death. I have read some threads on here that say it is a myth for a insect to bite from the inside. This could be false but was backed up by a few members on this forum.
the black ones which are Gryllus bimaculatus are the most aggressive on the market. that is the one you most likely encountered. I personally have never been bite by a cricket, but have seen the tissue damage it causes.
any cricket can be a potential harm if left in the tank. I have seen baby reptiles with missing eyes because of multiple species of crickets. its a sad thing to see which is why I only tong feed. I also use Dubia blaptica which I adore because of their handling and breeding.
In Lija's case I think canadian nightcrawlers are the best way to go. if I was a frog it would be like eating spaghetti.

[EricIvins]

there is so much conflicting info and I have been researching like mad to get the facts straight. I am still trying to get a hold of some entymologists in CA to get the full story on the true Gryllus assimilis and crazy reds.
the only state they are legal in is CA because they are considered wild here. anywhere else is illegal because they destroy populations due to their resistance to a virus. from what I have read they are pretty much the agent orange to the widespread cricket epidemic.
I do not kill the crickets before feeding. my frogs lick them up and crunch crunch crunch them to death. I have read some threads on here that say it is a myth for a insect to bite from the inside. This could be false but was backed up by a few members on this forum.
the black ones which are Gryllus bimaculatus are the most aggressive on the market. that is the one you most likely encountered. I personally have never been bite by a cricket, but have seen the tissue damage it causes.
any cricket can be a potential harm if left in the tank. I have seen baby reptiles with missing eyes because of multiple species of crickets. its a sad thing to see which is why I only tong feed. I also use Dubia blaptica which I adore because of their handling and breeding.
In Lija's case I think canadian nightcrawlers are the best way to go. if I was a frog it would be like eating spaghetti.

Ghann's Cricket Farm :: Gryllus Info

[arielgasca420]

Ghann's is where I got most of the info along with a few insect forums. I have been told by three pet shops that they have Gryllus assimilis and three times have I told them their cricket farmers are lying to them. I have never actually seen a true Gryllus assimilis

[EricIvins]

Ghann's is where I got most of the info along with a few insect forums. I have been told by three pet shops that they have Gryllus assimilis and three times have I told them their cricket farmers are lying to them. I have never actually seen a true Gryllus assimilis

So why does Ghanns have USDA approval for Assimilis when so many other do not? Ghanns has true Assimilis, originating from the University of Nebraska........

[Bruce]

Perhaps if you crush their mandibles with the tongs before you feed them so they can't bite? I do this when I feed superworms since they're been known to give a bite once in awhile.

[pac]

I heard about those cricket in my reptile magzine yea those crazy reds are illegal

[arielgasca420]

Hey everyone! my local pet store told me they had gryllus assimilis and when I saw them I immediately identified them as the crazy reds. I went to another local pet store and they told me they had Gryllus assimilis and they were also unmistakeably crazy reds. One thing I do not like is liars and false advertisement.
Crazy reds are not illegal in CA, but are illegal everywhere else.
so I did some research on the supplier for these stores. It turns out that they do not even know what type of crickets they have. I heard the woman shuffling papers to find the name she could not pronounce. All she said is we have "Agryllus" I corrected her and asked what the species was of the genus. she had no idea what I was talking about so I asked her if they have the USDA approval of their crickets. she put me on hold for 10 seconds and said sorry, but upper management is in a meeting. Bull Poo! so I hung up on her.
I just want everyone on this forum to know that there is a lot of misconception in this area.
here is a picture of a true Gryllus assmilis

[Lija]

thank you, jamaican crickets will stay in a store then

[Amphibious]

I read a warning article about these crickets from a leopard gecko owner. They killed like three of his geckos.

[arielgasca420]

Which is why i always recommend tong feeding. Some people will leave these crickets in the enclosure for a few days at a time and wonder why their gecko is missing and eye or a tail. Even acheta domestica can do this to small baby reptiles