Bugs in with Crix

[Tango-n-Toads]

I'm wondering if any of you have ever gotten little black worm-like bugs with your crickets?

I order my pinheads 100-200 at a time and most of the time when I get them there are a couple of little black wormie things in with them. They are slightly hairy and are really tiny. I have no idea what they are.

Are they harmless? Are they ok to feed to my herps?

Weird.

[Davey312]

Funny you post that! I was asking myself what those things were today! I picked one up they're really odd, lots of legs and seem to have hair on there backs.. they mst be harmless though, im sure the company's would do something to prevent them if they were dengerous at all.

Davey

[peterm15]

dont feed just in case.. ive gotten them too... i dont feed i just get rid of thoes..

[Ducksarefun]

the pet store where I usually buy my crickets just got a new shipment in yesterday, and there were these little black beetles in with them. She called the company, who said they were safe, and TOLD her what they were, but she didn't remember. I wonder if the beetles are the adults of those wormy things?

[CB Shwa]

Hey, I also used to get those hairy worms too.

[gargoyle]

I get both the worms and beetles from time to time, but I never feed them to my herps. Better safe than sorry. And remember different herps can tolerate different prey items better than others so without knowing what everyone is keeping, I'd say don't worry about feeding the odd bettle or worm that comes with the crickets and stick with what they are used to!

[spidergecko]

They are dermestid beetle larvae. They feed on the dead insects. The eat leather, feathers, meats, cheese, some fabrics; generally animal products. They are a pest of insect collections but they are used by museums to remove the meat and hair off of museums specimens.

Because they eat dead crickets (and crickets die for a reason) I wouldn't use them as feeders. However, I have used them as feeders and never experienced a problem.