Can Anyone Tell What Happened to These Crickets?

[5hotgun5hine]

K so I started feeding my beardie crickets as usual, and what I thought was a malformed one fell out and I didn't think too much of it. Then more like him, some alive mostly dead, kept falling out. Now, I use one of those keepers with the tubes where the crickets or whateverelse crawls up, you pull out the tube and shake it till they fall out into the tank. This means that the crickets were fine until they crawled up the tube and died. And were deformed by whatever killed them. They also looked kind of squishy almost, or possibly moist. I feed them flukers food and blue water gel. I am really worried that whatever killed these crickets will be passed on to Eliot - any advice? Or suggestions as to what happened?

Here are some pictures I took of some of them - not the best, but maybe it'll help

Thanks.

 

[invictusrules]

Can't really tell from the photos, but are the crix shedding? Shedding crix look kinda disgusting while they're squeezing out of their old skin - pale, almost white, and squishy. They're not very mobile for a while until their exoskeleton hardens up, and they might look like they're dead.

I've used those cricket keepers before, and they always worked great. If the crix really are dying up in the tubes, you might want to wash the tubes out - scrub them inside with a bottle brush or old (clean) toothbrush. Soap might leave a residue, so be careful to rinse REALLY well if you use it.

Hope you figure it out!

 

[5hotgun5hine]

I am planning on washing it out - God only knows what is killing them. I know for sure it isn't shedding, especially if they turn pale. These guys are turning really dark brown (nearly black), and the large hind legs are completely extended. Some of the bodies are kind of contorted too which is why I am so worried about what's killing them.

It's so weird because yesterday I was commenting on how I hadn't had any die-offs this time, then today these grotesque dead ones are falling out of the tube! I have never had a problem with crickets before, its so weird.

 

[Emeraldcoast]

The moment I read the topic post, I knew exactly what had happened to your crix.

"I feed them flukers food and blue water gel."


Do not use Flukers cubes, Nature Zone's, or any similar type of feeder food either.

The cubes DO provide nutrients. However, these products cause the crix exoskeleton to become extremely fragile. When the crix molt, their exoskeleton cannot withstand the normal molting process, and they die. This same thing happened to my crix. Since stopping the use of these types of 'food', I am happy to report that my crix now only die of accidental death and/or old age. LOL I feed my crix the same greens/veggies as my BD's, and I also sprinkle Dragon Bites on top of their salad. It is a protein/ meat cube. I keep a wet sponge in a dish for the crix/super worms. They stay very well hydrated and no one drowns. Take care.

 

[5hotgun5hine]

Wow thanks - that totally sounds like what happened to my crickets. Which also sucks because I fed the new ones but thanks for the help! I was worried I had some crazy bacteria living in my feeders that might transfer over to my beardie!

 

[berdo24]

The moment I read the topic post, I knew exactly what had happened to your crix.

"I feed them flukers food and blue water gel."


Do not use Flukers cubes, Nature Zone's, or any similar type of feeder food either.

exactly.. I found out the first time I used Flukers orange gel two days after i had a container of smelly really dark crix... Since then i've talked with my reptile shop and they've been noticeing the same thing and have stopped using flukers, but still sell it lol