Preparing for the cricket plague...

[adawinters]

I am preparing for the possibly imminent cricket plague, (i.e. virus), and I'd like to settle on a nutritious alternative to feed my big eyed tree frogs and leopard geckos, just in case it becomes difficult to obtain live crickets.

My big eyes will eat anything, but my leopard geckos ignored mealworms, so I'm more concerned about their finicky-ness. (I would have put this on a reptile forum, but this place seems to have more people who are more likely to know nutritional info and other good little factoids than the reptile forums I poke around on occasion, so I thought I would try here first.)

Mealworms -- ruled out because leos won't eat them. I might try again when they're really hungry, but they were so disintrested that I'm not holding out much hope.

Superworms -- not size appropriate for leos. (at least, the ones they sell nearby are massive)

Roaches -- they sound like perfect feeders... but I grew up in a first-floor NYC apartment with SERIOUS roach problems. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say that the only living things that I am irrationally afraid of are roaches. I cannot share my home with anything that looks like a roach. I tried to talk myself into it. I looked up each feeder species to see how "roach-ey" it actually looked. I just can't do it.

Hornworms -- not size appropriate for leos. (at least, the ones they sell nearby are massive)

Waxworms -- too fatty.

Ok. Tat's everything my local reptile shop carries, so I'm about to venture back into the world of online feeders. I really just want to try a few things out, see if my geckos like anything, and know that I can order it in bulk if it becomes difficult to pick up crickets at the shop because they're becoming decimated by plague.

Before I start dropping loads of money on things my leopard geckos might not eat, I thought I'd get your own experiences with the following feeders -- pros, cons, etc. I've read up on them online, but commercial websites are a little biased toward making every feeder sound great, practical, convenient, and nutritious, so I'd like your take on:

Butterworms (I feel a little guilty about wild-caught, international insects, and aren't they pretty fatty?); Silkworms (seem expensive); Pheoenix worms; and hornworms (if I can buy the smaller sizes; I've read they grow very quickly and are less likely to survive when small, so I'm not sure if that would work).

Any advice, before I go spend my money to try them out?

[UncleChester]

I am preparing for the possibly imminent cricket plague, (i.e. virus), and I'd like to settle on a nutritious alternative to feed my big eyed tree frogs and leopard geckos, just in case it becomes difficult to obtain live crickets.

Is this likely to happen? (not that a backup plan is ever bad a idea)

Mealworms -- ruled out because leos won't eat them. I might try again when they're really hungry, but they were so disintrested that I'm not holding out much hope.

Is the adult beetle form of the mealworm a possibility? They move faster than the larvae. I'm not sure how they rate nutritionally though.

Roaches -- they sound like perfect feeders... but I grew up in a first-floor NYC apartment with SERIOUS roach problems. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say that the only living things that I am irrationally afraid of are roaches. I cannot share my home with anything that looks like a roach. I tried to talk myself into it. I looked up each feeder species to see how "roach-ey" it actually looked. I just can't do it.

They do sound like great feeders. Having lived in an infested apartment building myself, I don't blame you.

[adawinters]

Is this likely to happen? (not that a backup plan is ever bad a idea)

I don't know how much of a problem it is, but I've read a few threads about cricket virus on other forums. I can't find them all, but here are two threads that mention it:

Cricket Virus in the USA - www.ReptileForums.com

I guess I don't understand cricket care...need help - talk to the frog

[Tropicok]

Feeding, a never-ending dilema delimma, dilemna, whatever. Is there a spelling ap on this forum? I'm trying the "hatching cricket eggs" again. Since I usually buy two different small and 1/4 sizes and the d**n things grow I am always confused. Doesn't take much. Wax worms are not available at pet shops here and earthworms are few and far between in my yard. The lb. of red wigglers I had sent have disappeared into and under the compost pile. I can buy nightcrawlers at the bait shop but it's 12 for $3 and the redfoot tortoises get them first. No point to this paragraph, just wanted to share.

[Kurt]

After going to the sites hyperlinked, I believe there is no virus. Just poor husbandry of crickets. Either they are being kept too cool, or they are over crowded, whatever. I have a tendency to think its an over crowding issue, considering its only effecting adult crickets. A thousand adult crickets take up more room than a thousand juveniles.

[adawinters]

It's almost scarier if there is no virus, because that means the rumormill is really getting misinfo around quickly. I've seen mention of it on a number of forums, and my local store seemed to have heard about it, when I voiced my concerns. I'm not complaining, of course, since no virus = endless crickets.

Still, I'm curious to know what input, if any, people have on the above feeders.

[Paul Rust]

After going to the sites hyperlinked, I believe there is no virus. Just poor husbandry of crickets. Either they are being kept too cool, or they are over crowded, whatever. I have a tendency to think its an over crowding issue, considering its only effecting adult crickets. A thousand adult crickets take up more room than a thousand juveniles.

After lots of research I tend to believe this as well. The only believable thing I could find is a reference to a form of Parvo that crickets can get but even that was obscure. I'm going with poor husbandry.

[adawinters]

That's a relief... and I feel a little guilty, now, for (inadvertently) spreading misinformation!

In defense of my misinformation, at the time that I first started seeing posts about it, my cricket store was out of all but the smallest crickets (which according to the myth o' virus were less affected), thus my readily belief in "lore." Sigh. I feel a bit sheepish now.