Cricket Causalities.

[Jace]

I've had to seriously bulk up on crickets with my zoo, yet most of them seem to die before I can feed them to the frogs, toads and geckos. I have them in a 5 gallon plastic storage bin with air holes, paper towel, cricket jelly, natural egg carton hideaways, and am gut loading them with apples, dog food, carrots, kale and calcium. Yet half or more die, and I feed my animals every night. I would really appreciate any suggestions or hear ideas of how other members house and raise their crickets. I have bulk 4 week and 3 week if that matters.

[SludgeMunkey]

Population density, humidity and age of the crickets are the biggest killers.

How many are you keeping in your 5 gallon bin?
What is the average humidity? I find a screen top is best for crickets. Anything that does not allow full air flow causes a higher mortality rate in my experience.

[Tom Highum]

Also I would try to remove they dead ones as quickly as you can to prevent the spread of what killed the first one. And make sure to clean it frequently.

Nice alliteration there.

[Jace]

Johnny, I get 500 crickets at a time. For both 3 week and 4 week. Average humidity I have no idea. I did not realize that was important. Do they need higher or lower? My container doesn't have a screen top, but i has ventilation slots all around the top part of the lid. Maybe that is not adequate??

Tom, I will try to remember to remove dead crickets. They can't be too sanitary if they stay in there for long periods, I agree. And thanks on the alliteration-with my daughter watching over my shoulder, I try to make the effort!! Now she is laughing at me....

[Kurt]

You need to keep the humity down. My bin, which is one of those half trash barrels, has a screen window in the lid, but I found that was not enough ventilation. So I made some more screen windows on the sides and things have been much better.

[Tom Highum]

Ooh thanks that has helped me i hope i wont have to many cricket casualties

Ouch daughter laughing at you.

[Jace]

Thanks Kurt, I will try that. I didn't realize crickets were so sensitive. Where I live, I see hundreds of them, yet I can't keep them alive in the house. My shed is like their bordello. Go figure.

Tom, my daughter is 12-I have about another six to ten years of her laughing at me. Luckily, I can laugh at myself too.

[Tom Highum]

That is great being able to laugh at yourself is important. Is she into frogs and toads too? Haha i am in the middle of those 6-10 years.