micro cricks

[tracy dale]

does anyone have any good ideas how to get the micro crickets out without squishing them (by accident) i have been using tweezers and they keep squishing

[Simon Batten]

I used to squash them getting them out funnily enough I was talking about this with someone the other day and she told me to open one corner a little bit then tip the box up and tap some out

[Anthony Killick]

I use a pooter like the ones on this site (the cheap one);

http://www.watdon.com/field.htm#Pooters

You can suck up the crickets and then just tap them into your sling pots, I find it works a treat and is quick and easy.

ant .

[Adam Smith]

I usually use (when its the tinyest crix) let them crawl into a film pot and then tap it into the spider enclosure

[Johanna Turner]

I open one end of the cricket tub and then slowly tip it up over the spider pot, they all scuttle to the edge like lemmings and fall in.....!!

This has worked fine for most of my slings, just have to watch my A, geniculata which is like greased lightening up the side of the pot when i take the lid off (The only one that does it!)

The downside is controlling the amount that go in but I manage most of the time.

[Robert Farmer]

I haven't tried this yet (only came up with the idea after the hassle that was feeding on Tue night...) but try putting the crix in the fridge for 30 mins prior to feeding, then they should be slower and more manageable to catch.

Bit like the "bring the fly back to life freezer" trick.

If no-one tries this before Fri I'll post the results here.

[Johanna Turner]

I actually had to try that very trick last night! The micro crix I have are getting bigger and more lively so I had to chuck them in the fridge for a couple of minutes to make them more cooperative!
Have now stored themin a cooler place to avoid the problem the next time!