Smelly crickets

[paulnattress]

We feed our gecko crickets and keep them in a cricket feeding tub (basically a plastic tub with a lid, air vents and two black tubes in it where the crickets can climb up to hide). I usually get a box of crickets from the pet shop and tip the entire contents in. This consists of the crickets, the egg carton stuff that they hide under plus any debris from the bottom of the container.

The problem is that the box smells. We keep it in a drawer underneath the vivarium stand but you can still faintly smell it outside of the drawer and it smells a bit when you bring it out.

Is this natural or are we not doing something right with the crickets? I tend to pop a bit of food in there every few days for them so maybe it's this that's smelling?

 

[paulnattress]

And if I may also ask a follow up question...

If I were to put some sort of deorderant tablet, some pot pourri, or some other "thing" to fragrance the drawer or to mask the smell, would this have an adverse effect on our little leo? For example, would the smell makes the crickets smell funny to her so she won't eat them, or more importantly, would any fragrance/chemical get into or onto the crickets that will harm her?

Thanks!

 

[Scott&Nikki]

I would not use any type of fragrance. You never know what is harmful. Crickets themselves just smell. That is one reason why many people do not like using crickets. Do you thouroughly clean the cricket keeper before each tie you put more in? Some suggestions I have is to use only the egg carton, but use your own, not the one in there. The other "stuff" could be catching all of their poop making it smell more. Try that and see if it helps at all.

 

[Stitch]

I usually get 1,000 crix at a time. I keep mine in a 20 gallon tank. When I put them in the tank I only put the cirx in. I use Paper Towel rolls and egg cartons from my house. Plus I clean the crix cage once a week to keep the odor to a minimum. As mention some people stick with meal worms because they do not smell. I use crix, mealies and supers.

 

[moosassah]

I switched to crickets as the delicacy because of the smell. Like everyone else cardboard tubes & paper towels are the way to go. Maybe try changing the papers more often? Hidey McG definitely enjoys going after crickets more than mealies (assumed because of the tail shake before the death strike).

 

[MichaelJ]

i raised crickets for about a year and no matter what you do they stink. Cleaning constantly is the only way to keep it to a minimum. The boxed crickets may be in those boxes for a week or more so there is a lot of feces and often dead ones. Removal of the dead guys and changing out their gut load often will help as well. We kept an aquarium for the full grown ones and a huge Sterlite container with holes for the breeding. I cleaned them both weekly and they still gave off quite a scent. Like others I use them more as a treat because of the scent and how quickly they die. Mealies are more nutritious and much easier to keep. Plus you don't have to remove them after 40 minutes if uneaten. I've actually seen them try and nibble on my leo's toes.. Not good..

Suggestion: Don't throw the contents of the box into the keeper. Just the crickets themselves and clean very often..

good luck.

 

[Stitch]

Mealies are more nutritious and much easier to keep. Plus you don't have to remove them after 40 minutes if uneaten. I've actually seen them try and nibble on my leo's toes.. Not good..

I think you meant "DO take them out after 40 minutes".

As far as mealies being more nutritious, I think most people will disagree with that. They are high in fat and I think there phosphorous levels are higher then that of a crix. They are still a good feeder to use. But I would not call them more nutritious then crix.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

I think you meant "DO take them out after 40 minutes".

As far as mealies being more nutritious, I think most people will disagree with that. They are high in fat and I think there phosphorous levels are higher then that of a crix. They are still a good feeder to use. But I would not call them more nutritious then crix.

He was referring to the mealworms about not having to take them out. And yeah, I would agree crickets are more nutritious. http://grubco.com/Nutritional_Information.cfm That has a pretty good breakdown of everything. More protein, half the fat, more fiber...

 

[Stitch]

Mealies are more nutritious and much easier to keep. Plus you don't have to remove them after 40 minutes if uneaten. I've actually seen them try and nibble on my leo's toes.. Not good...

If I were Joe Shmoe, word for word, I would read that as:

Mealies are more nutritious and much easier to keep.
-Mealies are better then crix.
Plus you don't have to remove them after 40 minutes if uneaten.
-You don't have to take them (mealies) out if not eaten.
I've actually seen them try and nibble on my leo's toes.. Not good..
-They (mealies) have tried to eat at the leo.

Even mealies should not be left in a cage unless in an escape proof dish. Anything that has a mouth will want to eat. Mealies are less aggressive then crix but they coud still do harm.

 

[Zbiz]

IMO crickets are annoying and smelly. they require a little more care then i care to give them sooo i stick with mealies and supers *supers are becoming my favorite* Give them a try! I have a leo that doesnt touch mealies, so i tried crix he ate maybe one and decided he hated them sooo now hes eating supers and downing 3 a night. Go figure, i guess the mealies were too slow and the crix were to fast for his taste lol. GL!

 

[Scott&Nikki]

My girl loves crickets. She sees a cricket and will do whatever she can to get to it. I had my cricket keeper in plain view last night, she ran full speed into the glass trying to get to them. However, I agree they are a pain. I get 2 dozen at a time and try to make them last about 3 weeks, which is working so far.

 

[Stitch]

I get 2 dozen at a time and try to make them last about 3 weeks, which is working so far.

She should be eating atleast 6 crix a night. Heck mine eat 8-10 a night. Because I have 8 geckos I get 500 crix a month plus I have all the meal worms that I breed.

 

[Scott&Nikki]

She should be eating atleast 6 crix a night. Heck mine eat 8-10 a night. Because I have 8 geckos I get 500 crix a month plus I have all the meal worms that I breed.

I use mealies as a staple and also some supers. Not just crickets.

 

[Stitch]

Gotcha' :main_thumbsup: