Help baby crickets

Mark Taylor · 05-12-13, 03:04 AM

So I just noticed a few dozen baby crickets in my T's set up not sure how that happened, what should I do

I am using coco husk substrate for Curly Hair (Brachypelma Albopilosa).

Is this a common problem?

Starbuck · 05-12-13, 06:53 AM

ive had this happen before, generally it means the substrate is moist enough for the crix to be laying eggs, and the T's arent hungry enough to eat the parents in time

i would hold off misting your T's tank for a while (as long as these are the adults, not the slings), until you see the baby crix die. when they are that small they shouldnt be able to hurt your T at all. if they are slings, carry on with the misting i guess, your Ts should hunt them down on their own.
In the future, you can try feeding fewer adult crix (3?) per feeding, and then remove them if they don't get eaten so the females wont lay eggs.

Its not too big a deal, it happens. I had dozens of baby crix running around my day gecko tank for a while lol. decreasing the humidity and soil moisture should take care of them.

Mark Taylor · 05-12-13, 07:06 AM

Thanks for the advise.

No it's not the slings, I just don't want to find them all round the house lol. I haven't needed to mist to be honest but I did see maybe 6 in the water dish so I have put fresh water down and I will just keep an eye on them if they start to get bigger I will just change the substrate for fresh. Regards feeding I only ever drop 1 in at a time if it eats I drop in another and so on, That way I only need to remove 1 if my T doesn't eat it.

Terranaut · 05-12-13, 10:19 AM

Free food. I had this happen in day geckos tank. I just left them and let her get rid of them for me.

rocknhorse76 · 05-12-13, 11:07 AM

Same thing happens in my leopard gecko tank. The crickets get under the water dish and lay eggs. The geckos always get them all eventually.

Mark Taylor · 05-12-13, 11:40 AM

She is not a gecko but I get your point. If they seem to be bothering her I will be changing the substrate. I will try to get as many of them out live and see if I can get them to a decent size but I won't be making it a priority, My snakes take up much of my time and the T's take up the rest.

rocknhorse76 · 05-12-13, 12:22 PM

Regardless, she's a carnivore and will eventually eat the crickets.

jarich · 05-12-13, 12:25 PM

I would perhaps add a piece of carrot to the enclosure though. Starving crickets will attack anything, including a much larger carnivore.

rocknhorse76 · 05-12-13, 01:14 PM

Carrots, apples, and potatoes work great for crickets.

Mark Taylor · 05-12-13, 01:16 PM

Cheers guys I just added a carrot if it takes the interest of my T then it's all good.

rocknhorse76 · 05-12-13, 02:41 PM

Well, the carrot is actually intended as food and water for the crickets so they don't get hungry enough to attack your T.

Mark Taylor · 05-12-13, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rocknhorse76

Well, the carrot is actually intended as food and water for the crickets so they don't get hungry enough to attack your T.

I know that's what I said take the interest of my T meaning crickets more interested in the carrot

I have seen a few eating the carrot how would I go about getting them to grow/mature and at what stage should I be looking at before I remove them?

Starbuck · 05-12-13, 02:56 PM

they should grow all on their own with a regular food supply; your T will prob eat them on their own once she gets hungry/they get big enough to register. I wouldnt worry about removing them at all as long as they dont seem to be bothering her.

Mark Taylor · 05-12-13, 03:12 PM

Oh OK I just imagined a little army growing that's all lol.