I usually feed my mantises fruit flies but I've been out for awhile so I went to the pet store to see what feeders they had available. I was told small crickets should work so I got 100. Once I got home I of course found the crickets to be too big so I put them in a jar to use for my spider. Honestly it's been a day, maybe 2 since I checked on them and today I found that they were all dead and there were many plump fruit fly looking buggies in the jar and various forms of their lifecycle. I have no clue what happened to cause all the crickets to die so suddenly and for the flying buggers to show up so fast. Also is it safe to feed these fliers to my mantises? The crickets all look rather gooey if that means anything to anyone
Mass cricket death
- Thread starter Survivor7
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lancaster1313
Likebugs (site changed my name😐)
I have had a bad experience with crickets that may have been sick, and lost a few mantids because of it.
I still use crickets, but I always quarantine them for at least 24 hours, feed them my own choice of foods, and if there are more than a couple of deaths, get rid of them.
If cricket nymphs are dying, there is something definitely wrong. It could be the pet store's husbandry, or yours.
Adult deaths are not as big a deal, as long as it is no more than a few of them.Sometimes I get fruit flies or something similar, that infest my cricket containers. I toss the crickets if there are alot of maggots or flies. Whatever they are, they seem to enjoy the dead crickets, and the food.
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ismart
Well-known member
If the crickets are overcrowded, then they will die pretty quick! Did you leave them any food or water?
Honestly I didn't leave food or water. I've been pretty occupied these past few days (me and my girlfriend broke up) and unfortunatley pet care went to the wayside for a day or 2 I bought them on a whim and was ill equipped to house and take care of them at all. I'll probably just toss everything for fear of harming my mantises, though those flies look very juicy! I've been having a lot of luck finding ants for them to eat so I'll stick with that until they're bigger
I bought them on a whim and was ill equipped to house and take care of them at all. I'll probably just toss everything for fear of harming my mantises, though those flies look very juicy! I've been having a lot of luck finding ants for them to eat so I'll stick with that until they're bigger
ismart
Well-known member
The flies are humpback flies. They go by a few names like, phorid, or scuttle flies.
d17oug18
Well-known member
Also, just so you know, if you dont leave them with something to hide under or in, they will freak out to death. 99% sure thats why you had a massive death. If you leave them out in the open they wont stop moving and freaking out and exhuast themselves to death. Eggcrates, toilet paper rolls, or anything that will give them shade will calm them down. Also if they dont have something to calm them down, they are known to smoother each other(which is why they are given eggcrates when put in a bag or box), its happened to a lot of beginners im sure and they all think its because they're all sick, but no true! Crickets are sensitive and need a certain environment or they will kill themselves! Ive just created a 2nd gen cricket bin so any questions let me know...
AS A SIDE NOTE: When you have 100 nymph crickets they need AT LEAST water 100% of there lives, they constantly eat and drink, and a good alternative for both is potato 1/4'd.
AS A SIDE NOTE: When you have 100 nymph crickets they need AT LEAST water 100% of there lives, they constantly eat and drink, and a good alternative for both is potato 1/4'd.
ismart
Well-known member
Yes, they are fine to feed to your mantids. I do it all the time! Taste like coookie! :lol:
lancaster1313
Likebugs (site changed my name😐)
I am pleased to learn this. Next time my cricket container gets infested, its coookie time! :lol:
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ismart
Well-known member
Psychobunny
Well-known member
I feed my L5 and up mantids crickets of various sizes all the time and they love them!
Make sure you buy your cricks from a good reputible farm and not someplace who orders
them through a cricket farm (like pet stores).
Crickets need food and water all the time and seem to die for absolutly no reason at all.
I find dead ones every day.
They will drown in water, so I recommend Zilla Water Pillows (ALWAYS use distilled water for
EVERYTHING, feeders and pets alike, unless you know for sure your tap water is very low in TDS,
and you can boil the chlorine out of it).
Also, do not buy Flukers brand cricket chow. Buy the home made stuff from a good cricket farm.
Feed them veggies too, like lettuce (wash all veggies first!!!), carrots, potatoes, etc.
They also need hiding places like the egg cartons they come with, and you dont want their temps
below 50 for very long.
Find a big plastic storage bin to keep them. If its tall enough, you do not need a lid on it.
A few may hop out, but very rare.
The biggest problem is gnats and fruit flies, so change the veggies every other day and leave
a glass of apple cider vinagar with a few drops of dishwashing liquid soap mixed in to break
the surface tension so they will be attracted to it and drown.
Oh, and crickets stink too!! :\
Make sure you buy your cricks from a good reputible farm and not someplace who orders
them through a cricket farm (like pet stores).
Crickets need food and water all the time and seem to die for absolutly no reason at all.
I find dead ones every day.
They will drown in water, so I recommend Zilla Water Pillows (ALWAYS use distilled water for
EVERYTHING, feeders and pets alike, unless you know for sure your tap water is very low in TDS,
and you can boil the chlorine out of it).
Also, do not buy Flukers brand cricket chow. Buy the home made stuff from a good cricket farm.
Feed them veggies too, like lettuce (wash all veggies first!!!), carrots, potatoes, etc.
They also need hiding places like the egg cartons they come with, and you dont want their temps
below 50 for very long.
Find a big plastic storage bin to keep them. If its tall enough, you do not need a lid on it.
A few may hop out, but very rare.
The biggest problem is gnats and fruit flies, so change the veggies every other day and leave
a glass of apple cider vinagar with a few drops of dishwashing liquid soap mixed in to break
the surface tension so they will be attracted to it and drown.
Oh, and crickets stink too!! :\
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mantiscraze
Well-known member
Okay, I've had some bad experience with crickets. Here is what I do now.
I got myself this
http://www.amazon.co...15840638&sr=8-2
This thing is amazing, crickets used to die all the time on me in various containers. But this works really well. And there is not a lot of mess (more on that later). The only concern is if you have small crickets, then I'd put a mesh around the lid to prevent jailbreak. Best part are the dispensing tubes. Crickets love to hide inside and you'll love the convenience when dispensing crickets to your mantis, one (one tap) at a time!
I used to feed crickets various things, but this is amazing:
http://www.amazon.co...15840839&sr=1-2
This stuff is great! Very little mess!
I got myself this
http://www.amazon.co...15840638&sr=8-2
This thing is amazing, crickets used to die all the time on me in various containers. But this works really well. And there is not a lot of mess (more on that later). The only concern is if you have small crickets, then I'd put a mesh around the lid to prevent jailbreak. Best part are the dispensing tubes. Crickets love to hide inside and you'll love the convenience when dispensing crickets to your mantis, one (one tap) at a time!
I used to feed crickets various things, but this is amazing:
http://www.amazon.co...15840839&sr=1-2
This stuff is great! Very little mess!
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d17oug18
Well-known member
papetowel rolls work the same and quartered potatoes work the same.
mantiscraze
Well-known member
I'd recommend the Orange Cubes, because the worst thing it will happen is dry up. It doesn't rot like other vegetables, food, etc. Plus it provides a good variety of nutrients for your crickets.
A natural food is best. I have not looked at the nutritional content of those cubes but I suspect it isn't nearly as good as fresh food. If you feed the proper amount of fresh food there will be little left over. Just remove it when they're done. I prefer leafy greens, cut apples, dry dog food, etc. I keep crickets in rubbermaid tubs with a half inch substrate of dry oatmeal. I don't have the problems that many here complain about when it comes to keeping them.
mantiscraze
Well-known member
I agree. I'd definitely look into keeping a colony and feeding them with fresh food, especially if you are serious into mantids or reptiles that feed on crickets. The cost of buying them from pet stores is just too high.
You need to get a system down when keeping feeders for a long period of time or breeding. For me, I only try to maintain about 20-50 of them at a time. Before, I tried fresh food, but they would rot (I guess too much) and eventually kill the crickets. And, of course, in my case, the enclosure is also too small for me to conveniently take leftovers out, cleaning after them regularly, etc., without having them escape, that's why I prefer commercial cricket food.
I've caught a bunch of wild Eurycotis floridana. Are roaches easier to maintain than crickets? They seem indestructible and seem to eat garbage and clean after themselves. The only problem I can foresee is that these wild wood roaches give off a bad odor when disturbed.
You need to get a system down when keeping feeders for a long period of time or breeding. For me, I only try to maintain about 20-50 of them at a time. Before, I tried fresh food, but they would rot (I guess too much) and eventually kill the crickets. And, of course, in my case, the enclosure is also too small for me to conveniently take leftovers out, cleaning after them regularly, etc., without having them escape, that's why I prefer commercial cricket food.
I've caught a bunch of wild Eurycotis floridana. Are roaches easier to maintain than crickets? They seem indestructible and seem to eat garbage and clean after themselves. The only problem I can foresee is that these wild wood roaches give off a bad odor when disturbed.
Psychobunny
Well-known member
When everybody needs a different size crick, it's a bit more tricky!!
Kiwi, my tarantula, is 5'' long and needs the biggest cricks I can get.
My venus fly trap plants need small to medium, my L5 and L6 mantids need medium (about 1/4''),
and the L3 and 4's need the size smaller.
L1 and 2's get ff's and sometimes, pin head cricks
So, I have to keep every size of cricks to make everybody happy
Kiwi, my tarantula, is 5'' long and needs the biggest cricks I can get.
My venus fly trap plants need small to medium, my L5 and L6 mantids need medium (about 1/4''),
and the L3 and 4's need the size smaller.
L1 and 2's get ff's and sometimes, pin head cricks
So, I have to keep every size of cricks to make everybody happy
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mantiscraze
Well-known member
Is it worthwhile to create an enclosure where the crickets are "sifted" automatically? Like 3 layers of deep drawers with different sized holes between layers. Food will need to be placed/hung on the side, or something.
I'm going to see if mantids will eat the cricket Orange Cubes.
I'm going to see if mantids will eat the cricket Orange Cubes.
When everybody needs a different size crick, it's a bit more tricky!!
Kiwi, my tarantula, is 5'' long and needs the biggest cricks I can get.
My venus fly trap plants need small to medium, my L5 and L6 mantids need medium (about 1/4''),
and the L3 and 4's need the size smaller.
L1 and 2's get ff's and sometimes, pin head cricks
So, I have to keep every size of cricks to make everybody happy
