CleaTheChameleon
New Member
I went to go check on my crickets eggs to see that they were all being carried by ants. It was horrible has anyone had this problem and how do i get rid of this?
Cricket Breeding mess!
- Thread starter CleaTheChameleon
- Start date
CleaTheChameleon
New Member
A 10 gallon tank
jojackson
New Member
Ok same thing. I guess you put a tray/tub of moist sand or something in with the crickets for them to lay in, then after a few days take out the tub and put in the 10 gal to hatch? This is probly easiest. So if you smear the vaseline (thats ky jelly) around the 10 gal at the bottom in a braod line all the way around the ants shouldnt be able to cross it.
probly best to clean out the 10 gal or the tub of sand or whatever you had the eggs in and begin again if you cant get rid of the rid of the ants.
probly best to clean out the 10 gal or the tub of sand or whatever you had the eggs in and begin again if you cant get rid of the rid of the ants.
Eric Adrignola
Avid Member
Seems cricket issues are common these days - ask Fabian about his rat. hehe. best bad news story I've heard in a long time. I feel bad laughing about it.
CleaTheChameleon
New Member
The vaseline may work. i put it all over the top of the tank. Hopefully everything works out great
Chameleon Company
Avid Member
Well ......
You might do well using an intermediary laying container, such as a Glad sandwich container (1.75" deep, 6" square container usable area). Fill it 80% with a medium grade vermiculite moistened with 6-8 oz of water. Let your crickets lay for 24 hours, if a moderate amount, such that no more than 20 crickets are laying per container at any one time. If more than that, leave the container there for less time. Too many crickets for too long will contaminate the laying medium with their droppings, and you will get mold issues during cricket egg incubation that will ruin the eggs. With heavy laying, such that crickets cover the entire laying surface, you can only leave the medium there for approximately 4-6 hours.
Snap on the lid when harvested, with a 1/8" air hole in it. If kept at 85-90 F, crickets hatch in 9-10 days.
Use some insecticide at the floor points where the ants got in. Good luck !
You might do well using an intermediary laying container, such as a Glad sandwich container (1.75" deep, 6" square container usable area). Fill it 80% with a medium grade vermiculite moistened with 6-8 oz of water. Let your crickets lay for 24 hours, if a moderate amount, such that no more than 20 crickets are laying per container at any one time. If more than that, leave the container there for less time. Too many crickets for too long will contaminate the laying medium with their droppings, and you will get mold issues during cricket egg incubation that will ruin the eggs. With heavy laying, such that crickets cover the entire laying surface, you can only leave the medium there for approximately 4-6 hours.
Snap on the lid when harvested, with a 1/8" air hole in it. If kept at 85-90 F, crickets hatch in 9-10 days.
Use some insecticide at the floor points where the ants got in. Good luck !
Last edited:
merumontanus
Avid Member
Hehe... came inside just now for a break from remodeling (and resealing) the chameleon room and saw this. As it turns out, a giant rat made it into the outdoor building, climbed into the cricket container and ate almost a thousand 1/2" crickets I had just purchased the evening before. When I caught it in the act, the thing could barely move, and I can't say it ran out, but rather walked, while I stood there in amazement. I could not believe it did this, but I am glad the victims were the crickets and not the chameleons, as I am sure it could have chewed through any of the cages. Lesson learned. Check for cracks twice a year and don't leave the doors open over night during the spring!
On another note (ANTS!), I would focus on eradicating the source as opposed to preventing them from climbing into your cricket containers. More importantly, certain species of ants are quite toxic and their stings can cause lots of damage overnight (I faced this problem over a year ago with a clutch of CH melleri and fire ants). There are a number of solutions you can use outside your home (where the ants most likely live) to kill the ants and prevent them from coming inside in the first place.
Cheers!
Fabián
