NO MORE CRICKETS!

[Psychobunny]

In the past week, I have had 3 unusual deaths of subadult mantids (not just one species).

I find them laying on the floor, they a black almost all over, including black eyes.

Also suspect, there is always brown vomit stains on the walls.

This is always after being feed crickets which looked perfectly healthy at the time.

I usually find a whole dead cricket in the container along with the dead mantis.

Every day when I check my crick tub, I see dozens of dead ones, which I quickly remove.

I bought 500 cricks from Ghan's only 3 days ago, and now they are almost all dead!!!

I have also tried cricks from other farms, same thing!!

When they say it has been proven that the cricket virus does not effect your pets, do they

include mantids in that list?

I KNOW it HAS to be the cricks that is killing my mantids!

There is simply no other explaination.

I have a dubia colony started (not there yet) and also use flies.

Never any problems with those.

All 3 mantids had crickets the day before they simply dropped dead and turned black!!

So, I am discontinuing crickets, completely!!!

I am really upset over this. One of the dead was a really nice and healthy female shield.

Yesterday, she was healty and climbing around on me.

Today, I find her dead, turned black, and on the floor (obviously just dropped dead on the spot).

I dont want to alarm anyone, but if you read my posts, you know how well I care for my mantids.

But there is something very wrong here.

Is anyone at all noticing a high mortality in subadults fed on crickets?

P.S. to be more clear, 2 of the 3 dead were shields and the other a lineola.

Other species are doing fine on the cricks.

I am wondering if certain species of mantids are suseptible to the cricket virus and other's are not!!!

 

[agent A]

Thanx for telling me this

All my subadult hierodula and my adult popa ate crix last night

I get crix from petsmart and have no problem

I find feeding crix fish flakes makes them healthier for my toads so I assume it applies to mantises but I could be wrong

I think if u can start a breeding colony of crix in a sterile environment u will be safe from the virus, but I am getting ready to start a lobster roach colony just in case.. Thanx for sharing

 

[Bryce08]

I noticed alot of the crickets I was getting were dying...I stopped and switched to flies only...my mantids have been fine...2 seperate friends, have had 3 mantids die recently, this week...out of nowhere...perfect everything...but they were feeding using crickets, so im glad i stopped using them. I dont know if its coincidence or not but yes i would be leery.

 

[massaman]

I would never buy that many crickets at one time online or anywhere period as being there is pet stores in my area that sell them in two sizes and they are cheap so if you can get them cheaper in a pet store it would help but i did get them in bulk before and the smell was also as bad as them dying in mass numbers so getting smaller numbers and working like that is the key!I have no problem feeding crickets to mine and have not had many deaths from eating them either!

 

[sinensispsyched]

A lot of my crickets have been dying: 15 in 2 days, however, I believe it's my fault for improper care. I fed my chinese from L3 to adult on crix, as well as feeding my blue flash and buds from L3 to present without any problems.

 

[Precarious]

I generally buy only 50 at a time from the local pet store at $.10 each. Way overpriced, I know, but they do tend to die off really fast. Probably because I keep groups in deli cups which isn't enough space. I don't like crickets but there is no viable replacement in my opinion. Roaches are too big for what I keep and a pain to maintain.

There are some species more susceptible to parasites carried by crickets, Orchids for instance. But that is a slow process. Your sudden deaths are not likely caused by crickets. At least I've never experienced that. I have had some vomit and die over weeks or months that others tell me was caused by crickets, but then I've also had that happen to some that never ate a cricket.

There is a lot of speculation but very little solid information.

What I can tell you for sure is that if by "shield" you mean "Rhombodra" dropping dead out of the blue is not uncommon. It happens.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I buy mine from .... well u guys know, I find ghanns die fast sometimes, but a problem with a lot of crickets are people feed them carrots, this seems to be a bad thing, whenever I get mine, I ask for taters in with them, no carrots.

 

[agent A]

I have no probs using carrots

 

[meaganelise9]

Aw.. I'm sorry to hear that, Stanley. That really sucks. Certainly good to know. I'm very fortunate to have a small, locally owned reptile store nearby that does a wonderful job of caring for their animals, invertebrates included. I quickly learned to buy from them over the big chain pet stores because their crickets aren't half dead and starving when I get them home. I should find out where he gets his.

 

[Newflvr]

I go thru about 2 thousands crickets a month, I've found that 72-74 degrees has worked best for me. I feed them Idaho potatoes,fish flakes and use water crystals. Cleaning out shed skins, dead bodies and food waste is a must. I do have some die before being food but a small amount.

 

[meaganelise9]

Jeez, that's a lot. I buy maybe 20 at a time..

 

[Newflvr]

I feed about 500 tarantulas and 40 or so mantids, Also have to add the fruit flies , house flies and BB. Add some chocolate to the mix and it sounds like a party

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah - I had problems that SEEMED to be related to carrots. The vomit is a big warning sign (IMO). And you need to clean that up pronto. I quaranteen any seen acting wierd or vomitting, and usually put them on a water-only fast for a day or so.

 

[sporeworld]

I feed about 500 tarantulas and 40 or so mantids, Also have to add the fruit flies , house flies and BB. Add some chocolate to the mix and it sounds like a party

Fascinating. I've watched crickets eat dead flies in the mantid enclosures, and thought about feeding excess flies (frozen alive) to crickets intentionally. Nice to hear someone else already doing it.

 

[meaganelise9]

Have you been feeding the crickets anything different than usual?

 

[hibiscusmile]

carrots is a no no, and I will tell you all again, buy your crickets from www.rainbowmealworm.com They do not die, I rarely ever had a dead cricket even in shiping box, unless you guys don't want to believe me.... go head, buy your nasty old crickets that die and stink, mine do not!!!!!!!!! really, go ck my post!

 

[Precarious]

carrots is a no no, and I will tell you all again, buy your crickets from www.rainbowmealworm.com They do not die, I rarely ever had a dead cricket even in shiping box, unless you guys don't want to believe me.... go head, buy your nasty old crickets that die and stink, mine do not!!!!!!!!! really, go ck my post!

Rebecca is lying! It's a trick. Go ahead and try to go to "www.rainbowmealworm.com"...

It doesn't exist!

Try this instead:

http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/ :lol:

 

[massaman]

I dont buy online no more I use my credit cart to buy my crickets and I can choose how many dozens I want to buy and get them right there at the store counted and bagged and once I get them I use them and put the rest in their enclosures till its time to give them their coupe de grace!

 

[massaman]

well besides that site I think only deals with mealworms and not crickets from what I seen!