Worms/Larvae in my cricket bag

[saratxgibson]

Today I purchased crickets for Smaug from the "scoop some up" bin at the local pet supply chain. There are worms in the bag. They were scooped up with the crickets.

Please help me understand how concerned I should be about:
1) health of my six? week old beardie
2) health of feeders
3) infestation in my house (crickets are in a cricket keeper with vents and these are good crawlers)
4) anything I've missed

Also, if you know what to do about it, I'd like to know that as well. I've thought of throwing them all out and buying more, or just trying to remove the ones I can see but I worry that I can't remove them all

Pictures attached. One picture shows a worm crawling on the egg crate. The other shows a worm in the corner of the bag with a cricket on it's back. Thanks!

 

[AHBD]

Those are the larva of the dermestid beetle and are harmless to your beardie. They are put in with the crix to eat the sheds. Of course you don't want them get loose in your house....the crickets can't reproduce if they get loose in your house, but the dermestid beetles might be a slight problem. Just flush those. But I keep my crickets in a medium plastic tote and they can't crawl out of those....get one of those from the dollar store/Walmart and you will be safe.

 

[saratxgibson]

Okay, and do I need to be worried about there being very small larvae remaining that I cannot see when I put my crickets into said tote? I would hate to get this wrong and have a mess. Here's a picture of the tote I think you're saying I should use. Is it the right size? Picture included... pen for size reference.

 

[AHBD]

Perfect ! Don't worry a bit about those little buggers, they can't get out. As you get new crix you can throw out the old egg crating or burn it. The larva won't hurt anything though. Some owners are extremely paranoid about crickets being unclean but many breeders past + present have used them as a staple .

 

[saratxgibson]

Thank you for helping me learn. Looks like the crickets will be getting an upgrade on their accommodations.

 

[AHBD]

Oooops, I apologize but I didn't see the pen for size reference. That could still work but the crix could jump out of there....unless you keep them in the cricket keeper and put that in the plastic tote. Either that or you can cut a large hole in the lid + hot glue screen for ventilation. OR.....get a taller tote, a few of the crix may get out but not enough to be any cause for concern. And then you could still cut a hole in the lid + hot glue a section of screen to be sure that none can escape. Screen can be gotten from any home improvement store along with a glue gun.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Those little furry worms are good food for your lizards. Mine love them.

They turn in to tiny black beetles after they pupate too , again , my lizards think they are yummy.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Those are the larva of the dermestid beetle and are harmless to your beardie. They are put in with the crix to eat the sheds. Of course you don't want them get loose in your house....the crickets can't reproduce if they get loose in your house, but the dermestid beetles might be a slight problem. Just flush those. But I keep my crickets in a medium plastic tote and they can't crawl out of those....get one of those from the dollar store/Walmart and you will be safe.

Why flush them when the beardies and skinks love to eat them....? Just dust them with crickets and let the lizards have them as a treat.

 

[AHBD]

I agree that beardies enjoy them, I used to give them to some of my babies long ago if the cricket box came in with a large number of them and the bugs themselves are not toxic. The thing is that they are known as the clean up scavenger crew, eating the shed skin, dead crix and crawling through, eating+ coated with the cricket droppings. All in all not harmful, but not too sanitary and probably a vector for parasite transmission if fed regularly.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I agree that beardies enjoy them, I used to give them to some of my babies long ago if the cricket box came in with a large number of them and the bugs themselves are not toxic. The thing is that they are known as the clean up scavenger crew, eating the shed skin, dead crix and crawling through, eating+ coated with the cricket droppings. All in all not harmful, but not too sanitary and probably a vector for parasite transmission if fed regularly.

Only usually see a few in the bulk tubes of crickets I get , used to see a lot more when I was buying my crickets from pet shops in small tubs. Maybe they are used more over there than here where they only appear in small numbers with the crickets.