Cricket Vendors

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Lisa0216

New member
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had a recommendations for cricket vendors? I am in the US and am trying to find a new vendor. One of my geckos got nematodes from what I believe is most likely her food, so I'd like to try out a new vendor. I order online in bulk (only about 250 at a time). Any recommendations?

Lisa
 
MeiK

MeiK

New member
Nematodes (I'm assuming pinworms) are extremely, extremely common with crickets. :( Honestly I don't think any cricket companies are out there that can say with 100% certainty, "we don't have pinworm!" since it's such a common infliction. (That's why for geckos that don't need crickets (Rhacs) - we suggest skipping them all together)

That being said my favorite wholesale cricket supplier is Ghann. Fast shipping & great prices.
 
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Lisa0216

New member
I'm not sure if they are pinworms, but the fact that they are very common is good to hear. I have ordered from Ghanns in the past, but found them quite pricey. Looks like the extra few $$ is worth it though. Unfortunately for the Phelsuma, crickets are the staple.

Thank you!
 
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acpart

Well-known member
I like expresscrickets.com which gives you a shipped price. Unfortunately for you, though, there is a 1000 minimum.

Aliza
 
MauricesExoticPets

MauricesExoticPets

New member
If the need for 100% clean crickets is something you desire I'd suggest breeding your own.

Aside from the normal care stuff, house pairs of crickets not hundreds, once the adults have done the laying portion of the breeding process remove them and have your vet check them for parasites.

Your breeding operation should begin with the eggs produced by the pair of adults that are parasite free.

Use fresh vermiculite as the egg laying media, it does not support much in the way of parasites once the eggs are layed. This helps keep contamination down as well. If possible locate and remove cricket waste from the vermiculite too, waste is a primary vector for internal parasites.

I have not looked into it much but I would assume biological supply companies could supply you with parasite free crickets, there has to be at least one lab working with crickets that are pretty much as clean as clean can be.

As of this date I have yet to figure a way to eliminate a parasite from an insect without killing the insect itself. It would be nice to know the answer to that question.

Maurice Pudlo
 
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Lisa0216

New member
roaches make me nervous though. there are stray crickets here and there in the house. i dont want stray roaches. really not cool...
 
MeiK

MeiK

New member
Riverside Reptiles said:
Or skip crickets all together and use tropical roaches :p
(although, I''m sure that they too can carry various parasitic issues)
Click to expand...

I'd trust CB Dubias that I breed myself over mass-produced crickets any day! I completely agree with you there. :) The whole "roach" thing is too much for some (most?) people, tho. :coverlaugh:
 
Riverside Reptiles

Riverside Reptiles

Administrator (HMFIC)
Lisa0216 said:
roaches make me nervous though. there are stray crickets here and there in the house. i dont want stray roaches. really not cool...
Click to expand...


The climate in Mass is far to cold and dry to support tropical roaches. Even if you get an occasional escapee, they won't be able to breed and infest your house. Even here in Virginia where it's much warmer and more humid, after YEARS of breeding tropical roaches, I've never become infested. You're much more likely to become infested with crickets.
 
thehotchik1000

thehotchik1000

New member
I've used Flukerscrickets for years and get my colonies checked for parasites yearly. I havent had any problems. With any gecko I always recommend a yearly fecal, and de worming as a preventative.


Check out what's new on my website... www.Homegrownscales.com
 
Riverside Reptiles

Riverside Reptiles

Administrator (HMFIC)
thehotchik1000 said:
I've used Flukerscrickets for years and get my colonies checked for parasites yearly. I havent had any problems. With any gecko I always recommend a yearly fecal, and de worming as a preventative.
Click to expand...

The cricket virus and parasites are two different issues though. Just making that clear to everyone as the thread was started by asking about parasites, but then Maurice brought up the virus.
 
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acpart

Well-known member
Roach infestation: I have heard on another forum about someone in Ohio who has experienced roach infestation in the house. Here in MA the roaches may die out in the winter, but they will be fine around my house till at least Oct. which is why I don't have them at this point.

Cricket virus: I can't vouch for whether or not they are virus free, but I get my crickets at expresscricket.com and have asked them several times if they have any concern about the virus or if they are using the new cricket species. They have not expressed concern about the virus, the 3/4" crickets I buy all reach pre-wing stage without dying and they have said they do not use the new cricket species (the crickets I get don't resemble descriptions of the new species). That doesn't mean they won't become affected by the virus, but it doesn't seem to have happened yet.

Aliza
 
Riverside Reptiles

Riverside Reptiles

Administrator (HMFIC)
I didn't say that escaped roaches won't live...they can and will live. But they have pretty specific requirements that must be met for them to reproduce and infest. These are not your normal domestic roaches. I think that most people only have an aversion to them due to the fact that they're called "roaches". I think that if you called them "happy sunshine feeder bugs", everyone would use them. Just like you don't see people calling Soldier Fly larvae, "maggots" (which is what they are). Nobody wants to feed maggots, but the term larvae is much easier to deal with.
 
MauricesExoticPets

MauricesExoticPets

New member
House fly larva are called darts, fishermen routinely put them in their mouth to warm them up and get them moving prior to hooking them as bait.

To support an infestation of feeder roaches would require a pretty nasty home. In cases where it is possible I'm not going to be real sorry for the effected person. In any case they likely have enough roaches running around already.

Simple fact, if you don't currently have a roach infestation, dumping 10,000 roaches into your home is not likely to result in one. The roaches will starve, dehydrate, or go to your nasty neighbors house and dine there.

Maurice Pudlo
 
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