Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[captainmerkin]

Just a quick question (again)..

I am not happy with the attitude of my last batch of crickets I recieved, they are very aggressive towards everything and seemed to try and mob anything I fed them to.

I would tend to put this down to them not being fed enough before and during transit but considering I fed them a large amount of fruit and veg before putting them in to be eaten and they still had the attitude I am not so sure..

Locusts I have only ever bought once for my mantids and was quite pleased with them as decent feeder food, the crickets on the other hand tried to eat my mantids and I will not risk them with my geckos as they seem to try and get my geckos!

I am used to black crickets at the zoo I work at and have never been bitten nor has their been any incidents I am aware of... but these ones from live foods.co.uk are psychotic little shits and tried not only to eat me (rather succesfully) but also bit my cat whilst she was clobbering one escapee so hard she screamed.. they also do seem to try and bite the geckos.

Feeding made no difference to their attitude, so now I am debating about either the microwave or the freezer for these tossers (joke).

I have never been bitten by any of the locusts at the zoo nor the ones I fed to my mantids, but still want something that will not go ape and attack my geckos as one has died and I wish to ensure they are as safe as possible from now on.

what a long post just to say.. which is best?

[lol93]

Never experienced that level of aggression before with crickets, but I have had quite painful bites from locusts too. Maybe try chilling them in the fridge before you feed them? That slows them down a fair bit.

On the topic of which is best, I think they both have their merits, and I use them both as feeder insects.

Lobster roaches are also excellent feeders, and won't bite your pets. Rickeezee on here sells them.
_________________

[captainmerkin]

[stubeanz]

sounds like you have some evil crickets are they black crickets? as i heard they are more likely to attack reptiles, lobster roaches are great just smudge some vaseline around the top of the tub they are in to stop them climbing out o and dont knock the tub over
stu
_________________
if you cant afford the vet, dont get the pet!

[7109]

hey ive heard of simlar problems as crickets tend to bite most things they can and eat "encluding their own poo" peoples reptiles have had bad bites and have died im not making this up we had a frilled dragon in our shop that died from a bad cricket bite unfortunatly. that is why people tend to feed mostly locusts but its totaly upto the owner. not sure if this helps but i thought i'd have my say. another thing i didnt know locusts bite? ive only had little pricks from their legs?
_________________
Leopard Geckos
Common Boas
Black Rat Snake
Royal Python
Fire bellied Toads
And a Nutty Staffy

[captainmerkin]

[captainmerkin]

update:

locusts and brown crickets seem much much better than black crickets... geckos seem to love chasing them more as well, really do start sprinting about gobbling them up, but I am feeding the locusts like mad so no more bitey incidents!

[PaulG]

Glad to hear everything is well.
Locust are so so easy to gutload they just love all veg etc.

And I think that the gecko's etc like there color!
_________________
Regards, Paul.

:.Rhacodactylus.:.Eublepharis.:.Stenodactylus.:.Nephrurus.:

[Ailurus]

i have never used black crickets.
About 3 months ago i changed from silent bown crickets to locusts because, according to the advice given by various sources, they are less likely to survive if they escape. That was the main probelem that i was having, and my mum was having a nightmare lol. so i switched to medium locusts. However i have now chnged back, due to 2 things:
1) the locusts shredded all the plants in my cresties viv, so i had to buy new ones.
2) cost!

in a box of locusts you only get about 10, well at the shop i use you do, and they are the same price as a box of crickets, whcih contains over 3 times as much.
I was spending over twice as much. however i do prefer the look of locusts, and i they are easier to catch lol
_________________
Tom

Snakes: :Pantherophis: :Coelognathus: :Lampropeltis: :Heterodon: :Antaresia:
Lizards: :Rhacodactylus: :Pogona: :Goniurosaurus:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Ailurus27

[aidan]

same here that's why i use crickets
_________________

2.4. beardies
1.1 fire n uce beardies
1.1.0 yemen chameleons
0.0.1 corns
0.0.2 crested geckos