Opening a box of crickets

[nbaragon]

I just can't help but wonder how everyone else is doing it. I've been ordering crickets online for a while now, but it's always such a hassle opening the package, trying to stop all these crickets from escaping, and moving them into my crickets cages. I have two large Lee's Pet Kricket Keepers: http://www.petco.com/product/12060/Lee-s-Pet-Kricket-Keepers.aspx

I do this in the backyard, but no matter how careful I am, 30 - 40 crickets always escape. (I usually order 1,000 of them at a time.) I'm horrified that someday my backyard will be full of these runaway crickets...

Also, I'm not exactly an insect lover (I only do this for my beloved dragon), and I don't really enjoy all these crickets jumping out of the box to my face... So, before opening the box, I'm always like, "Okay, take a deep breath, get ready... 1, 2, 3!!"

Does anyone know a good trick? Maybe using a large trash bag or something??

 

[beardie parents]

My husband takes care of the crickets. On the boxes we get, there is a round hole taped up on one end of the box. Open that over the top of the container, such as a 10 gallon glass tank and shake them out of that little round hole. It causes less escapes than opening the top of the box.

 

[RioReptiles]

My first time was a total fiasco! I get 1000 at a time, sometimes 1500. I have a razor knife and cut one end completely off the box and let the egg crates slide out and into the 10 gal aquarium. Then I tap the box on the edge till the ones left inside fall out. I do this outside now, never inside again. Wish I had a video of the first time I tried doing this.

 

[citrusdragon]

You can prevent escapees by opening the box inside a large plastic container, or trash can first, then transferring them once they are all out of the box. I use a 32 oz cup to transfer them.

just a thought

Jeff

 

[NegativeCreep]

I don't really have an issue.. I cut the tape lose, but don't open. Then I turn it upside down and hold over/inside my 10 gallon tank, then I open one flap at a time. Once all 4 flaps are open, I shake the crap out of the box until I am sure most of them are out, then I take a peek. I shake any remaining lose (I try not to touch the inside of the box!) until I am certain they are all out.

I wish my box came with a circle hole!! That sounds easier!
Good luck!

 

[Catalyst]

You could also try opening the box over your bath tub - that way any who escape being shook out into their new home land in the tub where you can round them back up again without having any escape.

The first time we ordered a box of crickets it was a mess. We opened the box and shook them out over the big rubbermaid bin... only to discover that the inside of the bin was textured and they all started climbing right back out again. I was standing on the couch yelling at hubby to take the whole mess outside

 

[frog]

i have something similar but without the tubes and i keep the egg crate nea the bottom so they cant get near the top. Ive never had a problem with escapees. just get one without tubes and dont allow any thing to be too close to the top and you shouldnt have a problem.

 

[nbaragon]

Thank you very much, everyone!! It sounds like trying to aim at these small plastic cages was the bad idea to begin with... I will get a large trash can or something (without textures inside - wow, that sounds horrifying -- if they all started climbing back out!! It's really good to know, thank you!!) and open the box inside of it. And I will definitely keep doing this in the backyard.

All these crazy things we're willing to do for our dear dragons...

 

[Alex52686]

I'm a new beardie member and until my Dubia colony gets going I have been faced with this same issue. I opened my first 1000 over the bath tub which worked ok but the loose ones were a pain gathering up and some got down the drain (1/4" crix) and started to crawl out later, will cover it next time. But when trying to deal with the issue of them getting loose in my beardies enclosure I might have stumbled upon a better solution. I take out the crickets I want to feed my girl and throw them in the fridge for a bit. Sorta of like BS reptile handlers do with their animals :evil: When I put them in rite away they're barely moving but as they warm up they start hoping around again. I was going to try this on my next order but I'm nervous about long term death rate increase. But if their is no health risk for the crickets then throwing the box in the fridge for a bit should slow them down enough to make the transfer easy as pie.

 

[amylee159]

After the first time I ordered crickets in bulk (I think 1000), I tried getting them into the container and was totally freaked out! Thank god I was outside! That was the last time I ordered crickets lol. Freak me out!!!

 

[Stephies_Leo _Dragon]

Those cricket keepers are great for a small amount of crickets but when you are dealing with bulk it's easier to use a larger container. I use a big rubbermaid storage bin, open the box and dump them out no problem. You can however take the tubes from the cricket keeper and lay them in the bin and the crickets will crawl right inside of them.

 

[DansDragons]

why not use a tote of some sort? like a sterilite or rubbermaid? i use a 25 gallon rubbermaid tub for my crickets, turn the box upside down and halfway into the tote and shake all the crickets in, never have any escape.

like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aS5Hemg-NA

 

[O-Gonchothedragon]

just a quick Q, does anyone else have problems with upside down crickets??? i just can't deal with them.

 

[nbaragon]

Thank you again, everyone! All of you have been so helpful -- I love this site so much!!

It looks so easy in that video... Maybe I freak out too much and that's why I mess up... I will definitely get a bigger container, though -- Something bigger than the package. And I will open the box inside of it.

What do you mean by "upside down crickets"? Do you mean dead crickets?? Most of the crickets that are still alive go into the tubes when I haven't touched the cage for a while, so I just slowly move these tubes into another cage that's clean, move the rest of the alive ones (usually just a few) that are still walking around on the bottom of the cage one by one with chopsticks, and then just dump the dead crickets or upside down ones into a trash bag. Is this what you're asking??

 

[Stephies_Leo _Dragon]

LOL chopsticks ! Too funny ! :lol: