I HATE CRICKETS !

[iEMpiiReStAte]

I got my first beardie but im new to incects and I have a REALLY REALLY REALLY BAD erge of smacking the Off when they crawl on me.

Puting them in the container i keep them in is an hastle

Takeing them out is a hastle,

Colleting the ones my beardie didn't eat is a hastle, and to think i thought of breeding.

I heard alot of ppl say crickets are a pain in the @$$ now I see what you guys are talking about.

Please Please Please HELP ME !

Any Tips suggestions would be really appreciated

I Heard of dubias and I am considering starting a colony

 

[RolandKyramere]

Dubias are a good choice if you don't like crix, they don't smell, escape, or die on you randomly.

 

[SpongeDon]

I'm a new Beardie owner, but have been forced to figure out some cricket strategy as a result of my work schedule. I work 24 hour shifts and my wife HATES the idea of having to handle the crickets to feed him on the days I work.

The best trick I've found so far? Go out to a toy store and buy a child's backyard bug vacuum with a removable bug canister. I spent $9.99 on mine + a couple of AA batteries....GREAT investment!. I keep my crickets in two medium sized kitchen trash baskets, and those two trash baskets are both kept in a large sweater tote that I got at Target for something like $6-7. I cut some holes in the sweater tote near the top for air and hot glued some screen over the holes just in case any crickets manage to scale the walls of the trash baskets. Although I believe I've completely mitigated any crickets scaling the walls by running a strip of box tape around the inside of the trash baskets about half way up. The little buggers hit that and their little feet can't get traction.

So, down to the nuts and bolts. I put a little calcium powder and reptile vitamin powder in the little canister part of the bug vacuum, connect the long tube extension that came with the gun and start sucking up crickets. I usually tip the basket a little to get them all down one end to start...makes it easier to vacuum up the right number of insects that I want to feed the Beardie. After I catch the number I want, I shake 'em up in the calcium and vitamins a bit, open up the butterfly top of the container lay it on its side in the Beardie's tank, and the crickets usually crawl out on their own...lambs to the proverbial slaughter.

That's pretty much it. If I've left anything out feel free to ask. I literally have only touched one cricket since I developed this method, but I'm sure my wife STILL doesn't like the idea. Good Luck!

 

[Looneytoon]

Hey Empiire dubia's are a great choice just had mine now for about 3 months colony growing slowly... so will have to deal with crickets, but I tell you I can not wait till I am completely cricket free !

 

[RolandKyramere]

I'm a new Beardie owner, but have been forced to figure out some cricket strategy as a result of my work schedule. I work 24 hour shifts and my wife HATES the idea of having to handle the crickets to feed him on the days I work.

The best trick I've found so far? Go out to a toy store and buy a child's backyard bug vacuum with a removable bug canister. I spent $9.99 on mine + a couple of AA batteries....GREAT investment!. I keep my crickets in two medium sized kitchen trash baskets, and those two trash baskets are both kept in a large sweater tote that I got at Target for something like $6-7. I cut some holes in the sweater tote near the top for air and hot glued some screen over the holes just in case any crickets manage to scale the walls of the trash baskets. Although I believe I've completely mitigated any crickets scaling the walls by running a strip of box tape around the inside of the trash baskets about half way up. The little buggers hit that and their little feet can't get traction.

So, down to the nuts and bolts. I put a little calcium powder and reptile vitamin powder in the little canister part of the bug vacuum, connect the long tube extension that came with the gun and start sucking up crickets. I usually tip the basket a little to get them all down one end to start...makes it easier to vacuum up the right number of insects that I want to feed the Beardie. After I catch the number I want, I shake 'em up in the calcium and vitamins a bit, open up the butterfly top of the container lay it on its side in the Beardie's tank, and the crickets usually crawl out on their own...lambs to the proverbial slaughter.

That's pretty much it. If I've left anything out feel free to ask. I literally have only touched one cricket since I developed this method, but I'm sure my wife STILL doesn't like the idea. Good Luck!

Hey, that is kinda... epic. *nods in approval* just make sure that you don't get too much humidity built up in your cricket enclosure.

 

[nair88]

that bug vacuum idea is really cool. my wife can't stand touching bugs of any kind, so she's never been able to feed falkor. if i was to get the bug vacuum that might make her able to participate in the feedings. thanks for the idea!

 

[Rukii]

That vacuum idea is awesome!!!! :mrgreen: I hate having to go into my cricket keeper thing, get the right amount on the egg crate, get the dust and cricket gutload off, and tap the right amount into the tanks. Such a pain in the neck! I prefer dubias, but my supplier is going through a breeding hitch so he has to build up his colony again before he resumes selling, so back to large crix for a while :roll:

 

[Gail]

I don't use crickets any more but when I did, I kept a couple paper tube rolls in with the crix and just used them to shake out the amount of crix I needed into a jar. Add supplement to jar, swirl and feed. Never touched the cricket or really had any get away.
I also tried to feed in a separate container so I wouldn't have to hunt crickets down in the viv later on.

 

[mike022]

Just when you think you cricket proof your tank and your about to go to sleep and you hear that terrible cherp.....you just might HATE CRICKETS!
When you think your beardie ate all of his crickets and you move some things around and find 15 hiding in a corner....you just might HATE CRICKETS!

I think i might just be better building a feeding viv with nothing in there or i might have to come up with some more bad jokes

 

[maytes]

That vac idea is animal cruelty.How would you like to be sucked up by a vacuum....Be a man not a wimp and feed properly....

 

[Eljay]

That vac idea is animal cruelty.How would you like to be sucked up by a vacuum....Be a man not a wimp and feed properly....

LOL. Yeah, okay, I give you that one, that was fair funny. Seriously though. Why do you come on these forums? I don't understand why you're here. You just contradict yourself, and disagree with everyone on here. It must be a pretty lonely life you have, not to have anything else to do but come on here to annoy people. Either that, or you're 9, and think its clever.

 

[maytes]

I come to educate,inform.....

 

[drgnfly2265]

That vac idea is animal cruelty.How would you like to be sucked up by a vacuum....Be a man not a wimp and feed properly....

What do you call it when you feed crickets or any other critter to your beardie? I'm sure it's not happy fun time for the crickets. You should hold off before saying "animal cruelty". The vacuum is a great idea. At least there is no chance of them getting squished or loosing a limb while being transported.

 

[jennixpxp]

That vac idea is animal cruelty.How would you like to be sucked up by a vacuum....Be a man not a wimp and feed properly....

its like their on a seatless rollarcoaster!!!
and its fine.
thats what there here for. lol

you annoy everyone.

 

[luvanimals]

I say we put a colony of 1000 chirping, putrid smelling, escaping crickets in his bedroom and then ask him about "animal cruelty" :lol:

This is why I like worms. Crickets are awful and i just can't do roaches