Crickets' Leg Paralysis? Disease?

[cbkmenace]

Hi, I've been handling crickets for about a year. Except this recent batch (no deaths when I bought them) were doing great until recently I have noticed that they are becoming lethargic, lazy even, maybe not eating/drinking as much, and then I've seen many of them just slowly die and I"ll take the ones aboutta die and throw them out before they infect others. But I've seen a lot of them with no back legs or they're back legs becoming paralyzed even. They are almost struggling to move around without them so maybe that's why they're not eating?

Is this a virus? Should I just remove the whole batch of them? Or am I doing something wrong?

The setup are egg crates on their sides, mason jar cap holding water crystals, cap holding cricket crack and veggies, heat lamp that I leave on for 10 hours, and good ventilation.

Pls help!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi, I've been handling crickets for about a year. Except this recent batch (no deaths when I bought them) were doing great until recently I have noticed that they are becoming lethargic, lazy even, maybe not eating/drinking as much, and then I've seen many of them just slowly die and I"ll take the ones aboutta die and throw them out before they infect others. But I've seen a lot of them with no back legs or they're back legs becoming paralyzed even. They are almost struggling to move around without them so maybe that's why they're not eating?

Is this a virus? Should I just remove the whole batch of them? Or am I doing something wrong?

The setup are egg crates on their sides, mason jar cap holding water crystals, cap holding cricket crack and veggies, heat lamp that I leave on for 10 hours, and good ventilation.

Pls help!

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

Your cricket setup sounds good. I, too, wonder what has changed.

I have much better "luck" raising up 1/3 grown crickets than I do keeping 1/2 grown crickets alive. I order my crickets from Armstrong's Crickets.

1. What size is your cricket bin?
2. How many crickets do you initially put in the bin?
3. Could they have been exposed to toxic fumes?
4. What is their day temp?
5. What is their night temp?
6. Where do you buy the crickets?
7. Have you shared this info with your cricket provider? Maybe they are also having issues.

 

[cbkmenace]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited!

Your cricket setup sounds good. I, too, wonder what has changed.

I have much better "luck" raising up 1/3 grown crickets than I do keeping 1/2 grown crickets alive. I order my crickets from Armstrong's Crickets.

1. What size is your cricket bin?
2. How many crickets do you initially put in the bin?
3. Could they have been exposed to toxic fumes?
4. What is their day temp?
5. What is their night temp?
6. Where do you buy the crickets?
7. Have you shared this info with your cricket provider? Maybe they are also having issues.

Thanks for the reply!
1. Not sure how old? They aren't chirping and none have grown noticeable wings.
2. I bought 60.
3. Maybe accidental lettuce or cucumber left out for more than 24 hours? but other than that I try to remove dead crickets ever so quickly. And once a week I'll scrape the bottom and bang out their crap on the egg crates.
4. 78 is day temp, 68 is night temp
5. Petsmart, but I just ordered from Flukers so I hope they are better.'

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks for the reply!
1. Not sure how old? They aren't chirping and none have grown noticeable wings.
2. I bought 60.
3. Maybe accidental lettuce or cucumber left out for more than 24 hours? but other than that I try to remove dead crickets ever so quickly. And once a week I'll scrape the bottom and bang out their crap on the egg crates.
4. 78 is day temp, 68 is night temp
5. Petsmart, but I just ordered from Flukers so I hope they are better.'

You're welcome.

What are the dimensions of your cricket bin?

I keep my orders of either 500 1/2 growns or 1,000 1/3 growns in 56 quart Sterilite bins with 5 half egg flats positioned vertically and a double layer of paper towels on top. I spray the paper towels every night. Be careful NOT to spray the rest of the bin.

"A commercial gut loading food like Bug Burger or Superload (both by Repashy), Cricket Crack, Dinofuel, etc. is going to make your life easier AND provide a nutritious diet to your crickets at the same time. Avoid Fluker's gutloads, as they are super feeble in their formulas."

"If you opt for making your own gutload at home, here is a list of great ingredients to use:
Best: mustard greens, turnip greens, dandelion flowers & leaves, collard greens, escarole lettuce, papaya, watercress, and alfalfa.
Good: sweet potato, carrots, oranges, mango, butternut squash, kale, apples, beet greens, blackberries, bok choy, and green beans.
Dry food: bee pollen, organic non-salted sunflower seeds, spirulina, dried seaweed, flax seed, and organic non-salted almonds.
Avoid as much as possible: potatoes, cabbage, iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, corn, grains, beans, oats, bread, cereal, meat, eggs, dog food, cat food, fish food, canned or dead insects, vertebrates."

 

[cbkmenace]

It's only a 10 Gallon Tank, that's probably enough for 60 right?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

It's only a 10 Gallon Tank, that's probably enough for 60 right?

Yes, a 10 gallon is OK for 60 crickets.