Crickets

[Richard Shah]

Hey Y'all

I'm either getting my B. Smithi this week or in two and a half weeks; and tbh I'd rather do it in two and a half weeks (my half term) cuz at least then I can be responsible for taking in the delivery and I know it will be delivered without any issues; as I really do not want to rely on other people; it isn't fair on them and it isn't good for me.
Anyway, today I got a box of crickets in case I order the T. this week or just to get a feel of how they are like before I get a T..
People say that it is inevitable to have them not escape, and keeping them secure; I really cannot see how. They seem pretty calm (and I have seen them feeding and drinking since coming from the store, and they seem to be more active now as opposed to how sluggish they were before), unless poked by me about twice, then they jump away quite far, but in terms of jumping high, that is something I haven't seen any of them do! They are very easy to handle, though they do constantly squirm around a lot, with which a type enough grip can avoid ecape (and the grip doesn't seem to hurt them, just annoy them). None of them seem to have wings; is there a special season that they develop their wings?

So far, I'm sticking with what I originally said; none of these are gonna escape me!

Thanks to all,

Rich!

[Clinton Hogben]

Hi Rich
Crickets can jump quite high if they are active beggars iv'e known the bigger ones to make about 2 feet . The ones you picked up may have been sluggish from dehydration in the shop or the journey home. I have to drive a couple of miles to get mine and they are active in the shop but after the trip back in the boot of the car ( bit cold this time of year ) they slow down completely until they warm up again.
not sure why they develop wings something to do with sexual maturity etc etc but thats when the noise really starts

Counting the days to your new arrival

All the best

Clint

[Peter Lacey]

Richard, wait til you've got a bit of experience before making a statement like that or you'll lose a bet to someone
Its simple really, you open the box, there's maybe 30 crickets in there and you want one, they have a completely different objective.
I remember a funny experience with my CWD before I had ever handled him. Put the tub of crickets up to glass front where they'd normally escape into the enclosure. However whilst the crickets were running from the tub the CWD decided to make a dash for it and I was left with the choice of seeing my CWD running out the loft window or a load of crickets spilling onto the floor.

[James Box]

i wonder why my crickets are VERY active even after a spell in the fridge?
if a drive home is enough to chill them out, surely 10 minutes in the fridge should be enough.
and they don't half wake up and ease into things, either. it goes from on their backs stunned (after at least 20-30 minutes in the cold) to BOING BOING BOING in just a few minutes! infuriating.

Richard...you're going to eat your words quite soon.

[Kate Arbon]

The big ones I don't find too tricky. You just have to keep the lid on as much as possible and ideally use tweezers to poke in and grab one by a leg (you get pretty handy with tweezers after some practise). But if you ever need baby crickets, which you get about 100 of in a pot, THEN it gets really interesting.

[Richard Shah]

Hi Rich
Crickets can jump quite high if they are active beggars iv'e known the bigger ones to make about 2 feet . The ones you picked up may have been sluggish from dehydration in the shop or the journey home. I have to drive a couple of miles to get mine and they are active in the shop but after the trip back in the boot of the car ( bit cold this time of year ) they slow down completely until they warm up again.
not sure why they develop wings something to do with sexual maturity etc etc but thats when the noise really starts

Counting the days to your new arrival

All the best

Clint

Well, it's been a day and they are still the same as yesterday, and I have given them both food and drink (both of which are readily available) and they seem the same; very calm when left to be yet slightly nervous when they feel a sudden move or touch.
Yesterday I was taking them home after finishing school and buying them from the pet shop; I do not think anybody noticed the crickets on the bus!
I do not think I'll mind the noise (although I have no idea how loud they are), as they are kept in the living room.
I feel very sorry for them; it is their version of Death Row! Lol!

Yes I anticipate the day I get my T. too; though I am only ordering mine in two weeks, due to the reasons in my OP. Whether or not the crickes will be dead or too big is something I should think about; though if they are too big then I will just take the tank to a large area of grass land, and let them go free!!!

Richard, wait til you've got a bit of experience before making a statement like that or you'll lose a bet to someone
Its simple really, you open the box, there's maybe 30 crickets in there and you want one, they have a completely different objective.
I remember a funny experience with my CWD before I had ever handled him. Put the tub of crickets up to glass front where they'd normally escape into the enclosure. However whilst the crickets were running from the tub the CWD decided to make a dash for it and I was left with the choice of seeing my CWD running out the loft window or a load of crickets spilling onto the floor.

Lol, I probably would lose bets lol!
That story is crazy man; I take it you let them go everywhere, but you probably had a hard time getting all of them caught, unless you just left them or hoovered them up???

i wonder why my crickets are VERY active even after a spell in the fridge?
if a drive home is enough to chill them out, surely 10 minutes in the fridge should be enough.
and they don't half wake up and ease into things, either. it goes from on their backs stunned (after at least 20-30 minutes in the cold) to BOING BOING BOING in just a few minutes! infuriating.

Richard...you're going to eat your words quite soon.

I sure hope not cuz I like the way the crickets are now; I'm gonna go poke one, see what happens!
Your crickets sound whack lol; why are mine so different??????????????!!!!

[Richard Shah]

The big ones I don't find too tricky. You just have to keep the lid on as much as possible and ideally use tweezers to poke in and grab one by a leg (you get pretty handy with tweezers after some practise). But if you ever need baby crickets, which you get about 100 of in a pot, THEN it gets really interesting.

Not right now, and hopefully I won't need to have some, for at least a decade! I dnt see the point of tweezers when grabbing them with my hand is so simple! Well, after a week, we will see if what I have to same is the same then!!!!!!!

EDIT: They seem to run and scurry a lot rather than jump; in fact I just poked a lot of them, and at first they were scared and shaken, but then I poked them again and they only moved after, say the third time! Some moved pretty fast though, but only one or two jumpeda few centimetres ahead of them!

[Rich.Harrington]

Just one of the reasons I converted to roaches, they don't jump, make noise, create smell. Sure you get the odd escapee, but then when you have around 500.... well it certainly isn't colditz. No if I can just get a deathshead colony on the go.

[Andrew Ferguson]

So far, I'm sticking with what I originally said; none of these are gonna escape me!

Richard, we all know you are a young 'un, but heed these words of wisdom from a really ancient 31 year old!

"Dont assume, it will only make an ass of you and me!"

I was convinced I'd never have a cricket make a bid for freedom. One jumped straight into out glass and tin recycle box and the other just vanished into a dark corner. Michelle doesn't know and so long as she never looks on the forum, she never will.

Wait until you get the larger crickets, then try telling us

So far, I'm sticking with what I originally said; none of these are gonna escape me!

Two weeks and counting hey. That'll be the longest fortnight you'll experience up till now.

[Richard Shah]

Just one of the reasons I converted to roaches, they don't jump, make noise, create smell. Sure you get the odd escapee, but then when you have around 500.... well it certainly isn't colditz. No if I can just get a deathshead colony on the go.

THEY do not seem to smell bad as for now, but when you get near the tank, man does their food smell STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ain't kidding, that cricket feed has a sweet, but very strange smell to it! Like I said, as for now the crickets barely jump, even after being in the tank for more than 24 hours with fresh water and cricket feed.
For five hundred roaches, how do you house yours? I.E. how big is the tank, how do you care for them etc.
Thanks a lot Rich,
Rich (repetition! )

[Richard Shah]

Richard, we all know you are a young 'un, but heed these words of wisdom from a really ancient 31 year old!

"Dont assume, it will only make an ass of you and me!"

I was convinced I'd never have a cricket make a bid for freedom. One jumped straight into out glass and tin recycle box and the other just vanished into a dark corner. Michelle doesn't know and so long as she never looks on the forum, she never will.

Wait until you get the larger crickets, then try telling us



Two weeks and counting hey. That'll be the longest fortnight you'll experience up till now.

Nah, I've had longer fortnights; though this is pretty anticipated.
Why do you have large crickets? (Cuz Smiffy is small), or are they the medium ones you had that grew large?
Yeah, I know what I'll do when I reckon the crickets are uncontrollable and likely to escape; I'm gonna take the tank out to the garden, grab a cricket, take it immediately to my spider then go back and put the cricket tank back in its original place. At least if any escape, it'll be in my garden!

Thanks man,

Rich!

[Rich.Harrington]

Housing is simply a 30cm plastic exo tank, old pair of tights over the top then the lid means i don't get any escapees. Had maybe 3 in a month escape and then it was out of a gap in a spider tub not the main roach tank. I used to stick a small 11" heat mat to the back but this time of year the house is warm enough for them without it. As for feeding thats the easiest part. Just throw in all the odd scraps of veg/fruit for moisture for them, then I buy a big tub of top notch fish flakes for a tenner, lasts a couple of months or 6 weeks. It allows me to feed anywhere upto around 12 adult hungry T's for a couple of pound a week tops, and still have enough stock breeding to sustain numbers.

Richard Gallon used to sell colonies of 25 lobster roaches for about a fiver but as far as i'm aware he doesnt't have enough currently to spare. If no one else offeres and your interested I'd be happy to offer a tub if you wanted to get your own food supply on the go.

[Richard Shah]

Housing is simply a 30cm plastic exo tank, old pair of tights over the top then the lid means i don't get any escapees. Had maybe 3 in a month escape and then it was out of a gap in a spider tub not the main roach tank. I used to stick a small 11" heat mat to the back but this time of year the house is warm enough for them without it. As for feeding thats the easiest part. Just throw in all the odd scraps of veg/fruit for moisture for them, then I buy a big tub of top notch fish flakes for a tenner, lasts a couple of months or 6 weeks. It allows me to feed anywhere upto around 12 adult hungry T's for a couple of pound a week tops, and still have enough stock breeding to sustain numbers.

Richard Gallon used to sell colonies of 25 lobster roaches for about a fiver but as far as i'm aware he doesnt't have enough currently to spare. If no one else offeres and your interested I'd be happy to offer a tub if you wanted to get your own food supply on the go.

Hmm.. well kl I'll think carefully over the next few months, see how I go with the crickets.
Thank you Rich - I try not toforget to do so, but it happens a lot, and right now is one of those moments I suddenly remember, so you can have plus rep
Thanks again,
Rich.

[Andrew Ferguson]

I don't have the larger ones Richard. I was just saying, wait until you get the larger ones. They can jump higher and further.

[Richard Shah]

I don't have the larger ones Richard. I was just saying, wait until you get the larger ones. They can jump higher and further.

Uh-ha; well I dunno how would know other than the fact that you have seen such a thing in action. But if these medium-sized lil buggers never seem to really jump, then I can only imagine the bigger crickets jumping about 5 cm high and 7 cm ahead of themselves!
I wait man, I knid of wanna see them jumping around, but I prefer peace - two days on and they are the same as they were a few hours after housing them; though the food has decreased and I have had to refill their drinking bowl!