cricket problem

[clint545]

Hope this is in the appropriate forum.

Somehow or other I had a few crickets escape, something we can all relate too. The past week, we've found(the cat actually) about a 1/2 dozen large crickets wandering around the apartment. My questions are:

- what is the breeding rate of crickets if that is what is happening?
- are there any good and effective cricket bait(poison) that anyone here can recommend

They've been found all in the same area, where our cable goes through the wall. My plan is to put some kind of poison in there and then plug up the hole. It's the only place I can think of them coming from.
I didn't think it was a big problem till an hour ago where I meet my neighbour in the hall chasing a cricket, he thought it was a roach. I live in a small building(4 apts), so I want to resolve this quickly, before the landlord finds out.
I don't think there are that many, cause we haven't heard them yet- "knock on wood"

Any help would be great! Thank you!

[Bartman]

I highly doubt they're breeding imo. They need pretty moist and damp areas to lay eggs and usually dont lay them anywhere. Unless they are laying them IN the tank, then I dont think they're breeding.

Your cages just might be to easy for them to escape?

[clint545]

No. My cages are fine, all have tight fit lids. The cat is doing a fine job catching whatever ones we see, but it's just a matter of neighbours not finding any more.

[CDN-Cresties]

So how are they escaping in the first place?

[Slannesh]

If you're finding full grown crickets but only a few of them you've probably had more escapes than you realize...

If they're breeding in the walls or something you'd have a lot more than a few running around, most insects lay hundreds or thousands of eggs and even though only a small percentage actually make it to hatch you'd still have way more than half a dozen crix running around.

[Siretsap]

You can put one of those sticky mouse traps where you see them (make sure your cat can't get it's paws on that). The crickets will stick to it and die.

If they were gonna lay egss, they would need a moist environment for the eggs to survive, as mentioned above. I think one of your tanks might have a crack somewhere or a space where the crickets might escape from.

[clint545]

Thanks guys. I double checked all my tanks, they seem fine. I think my escapees are the 1/4 in crix I keep for my juvies. I get a few that jump out when I open the container. guess I'll be more careful in the future. Thanks again!!

[spidergecko]

If you want to get rid of the escaped crickets in a safe manner, you can place Borax around the cracks you think the crickets are hiding in. In short, boric acid punches holes in their exoskeleton and their internal fluids leak out. If you add some Borax to a stachy "food" item, the crickets will be more inclined to eat it and they will die from internal damage. As stated before, the crickets can't breed in the apartment (unless you have water damage or garbage lying around) but once they get to adult size their incessant singing will make you want to rip the walls open trying to find them. If anything, THAT is what will make the neighbours hate you.

[ydnic]

I hate crickets!!!

The other night one was under my baseboard in my bedroom

I tried to ignore it but I just could`t - they can be soo loud

I tried sticking a thin comb under to get it out but the crack was soo small it wasn`t working
Then I looked all over for off or raid or something and since I didn`t have any I tried hairspray - that got the little sucker out in a hurry so then i just stomped him!

I HATE crickets

[marisa]

You guys need a Jack Russell Terrier. My dog spends at least 35% of her life waiting for and then catching crickets. LOL :D

Marisa

[clint545]

Yeah, our cat is pretty good at catching them. About time he served a purpose, besides sleeping and eating!!

[Capital Dragons]

Well I sure do have my share of escapees! I live in a half a double home and one day my neighbor said that she was finding “grasshoppers” in her house! Now that was something I had to fix in a hurry! I found these roach traps at Canadian Tire for .99$ ea. They work!!! I find that 9 times out of 10 they run along the walls so you just set these up were you know they run and they get stuck! Just change them as they get a few caught in them and you’ll be all set. These are something all cricket eating reptile owners should use just in case. All we need is for one person to complain to local by-law officals……=(
http://tinypic.com/oiumx
http://tinypic.com/oius3

[ydnic]

can cats get stuck in those ?

*edit

Okay obviously they can`t fit but you be surprised where my one little cat can jam herself when she knows she isn`t supposed to

[Matt_K]

I'd be cautious of any animals around them.. As im sure you know, Dogs/Cats have to inspect everything and im sure their paws and snouts would get stuck to it, not that it couldn't be removed..

Best bet would be to put it behind something where your cat can't get to. :D

I use the sticky traps that the PCO's use in Warehouses.. NOTHING can get off of them and they work amazingly!!

-Matt

[Matt_K]

Originally posted by marisa
You guys need a Jack Russell Terrier. My dog spends at least 35% of her life waiting for and then catching crickets. LOL :D

Marisa

Yeah, but what you're not telling everyone is that you don't feed your dog!!










LOL.. Kidding of course..

-Matt

[marisa]

HAHA As if you brought that up Matt.

I use those sticky traps and my dog has come running out of the reptile room with one stuck to her foot. I place them more carefully now.

And so what if I don't feed her. Crickets are her diet. :P

Marisa

[Siretsap]

She doesn't have enough money left for the dog food after the electricity bills ;-)

sorry just had to let that one out. Am still jealous of your toys.

[clint545]

Thanks again for the input. Just went out and bought some of those glue traps.
Is Borax just an American detergent? Couldn't find it.

[spidergecko]

Originally posted by clint545
Thanks again for the input. Just went out and bought some of those glue traps.
Is Borax just an American detergent? Couldn't find it.

It's a water softener. It contains boric acid and it's the cheapest source. My brother used to be an exterminator and although high-pressure pesticides forced into wall crevices work, borax sprinkled along the walls where the insects crawl works extremely well. He would recommend it to people who couldn't afford an exterminator but had bad roaches. (He said it was sometimes more effective than the chemical pesticides.) I had a professor who used to cut lengths of PVC tubing and fill them with mixture of sugar, borax, and something else. Anyway, it hardens up in the tube and he places them around the house. The ants eat it and are dead shortly. If you are particularly evil, you can try it out yourself with some crickets or ants.

You can find Borax at Dominion, for sure. I think those grocery stores that cater to people who like to DIY (eg: that sell lye for soap making) will be the best places to try; Fortino's, etc.