crickets are hiding in plants

[ellrrz]

hey everyone

i was noticing that most of the feeders that i put into the cage usually find their way down all the plants and hid out in the rocks on top of the soil. ive lifted the plants off the floor so they are not able to crawl into the drain holes but not finding them hiding in the rocks.

i was thinking about putting a layer of plastic down over the plants where if they were not in the plants they would at least not go hide into the plant soil. has anyone else noticed this? he is a young boy and just got him a few days ago. i know hes still getting used to his new surroundings but but when he does get hungry i dont want him to have a lack off food due to this. ive also put in a little feeding cup but havent seen any crickets gone from that either.

thanks everyone,
johnny

 

[TOMMYBOY72]

Hidden

yes they hide everywhere. I put news paper on the floor and they hide under it. I try to get the uneaten ones out my cage it hard to break down to check everywhere. My Panther prefers to hunt more than cup feed. I put cricket feed and greens on the floor in case I miss one so they have something to munch on(besides Melvin) and continue to eat until the next day.

 

[lojack13]

Ugh! I can relate. I hope someone can chime in on this for you. I have a 3 month old Nosy Be Panther and she wants to free range but the crickets are hiding EVERYWHERE. I too have a cup, but it is going on day 2 with none taken from the cup. I'm getting worried she isn't getting the proper food intake too.

 

[ellrrz]

yea i did the same thing, although the food is a good idea and im going to have to do that as well. i want him to free range but have the cup in there just in case. although i dont think he knows what it really is yet hah. and ive had him for a couple of days and have seem him munch down one cricket. mainly because i partly crippled it and placed it on a leaf so he could see it

 

[G0302284]

I can relate,when I feed my Chameleon Picasso I take out the bottom plants and replace them with news paper until he eats them sooooo then"they" can't hid out under there......your welcome.

 

[lojack13]

Yeah, mine has been circling the cup like a shark around a chum boat, but she just will not take that next step. It has been 2 days now of her doing this, I am still throwing about 5-8 free rangers just in case but I am hoping she will take to the cup tomorrow. I am amazed at where those damn crickets can hide, and how people actually have success with free range.

 

[ellrrz]

Yea mine hasn't really even bothered with the cup from the little that I've seen. Trying to keep away as much as possible for now. That's why I was thinking the plastic layer the width and lenght of the cage where if a cricket does fall the only place for it to go is back up in the trees or up the cage

 

[ellrrz]

oh and since were on the subject of crickets, the ive had 2 types i guess. one of which is a normal lightish brown color and the other is a real dark almost black type (which im pretty sure they F'in stink) have any of you had those? haha

 

[lojack13]

oh and since were on the subject of crickets, the ive had 2 types i guess. one of which is a normal lightish brown color and the other is a real dark almost black type (which im pretty sure they F'in stink) have any of you had those? haha

Yeah I have noticed some of mine are darker than others. I swear they are almost a different species but I don't know that much about crickets. Have you had any of the black worms in with your crickets yet? If so, leave them in there. I found out they are dermestid beetle larvae and they clean up the cricket poo and skin molts.

 

[Carlton]

Yea mine hasn't really even bothered with the cup from the little that I've seen. Trying to keep away as much as possible for now. That's why I was thinking the plastic layer the width and lenght of the cage where if a cricket does fall the only place for it to go is back up in the trees or up the cage

Try something between "little cup" and "free range". Some chams who are used to hunting free range crix are cautious about shooting them out of a cup. Trickier depth of field, aiming, hitting their tongues on something hard all makes them hesitate.

I feed chams out of a much larger plastic storage box placed below favorite perches. They can watch the feeders moving around more, climb to just the right shooting spot, select, aim and shoot. The feeders have some gutload in the box so they stay full, they are more active and are not sitting right in their own waste all day.

 

[lojack13]

Try something between "little cup" and "free range". Some chams who are used to hunting free range crix are cautious about shooting them out of a cup. Trickier depth of field, aiming, hitting their tongues on something hard all makes them hesitate.

I feed chams out of a much larger plastic storage box placed below favorite perches. They can watch the feeders moving around more, climb to just the right shooting spot, select, aim and shoot. The feeders have some gutload in the box so they stay full, they are more active and are not sitting right in their own waste all day.

Wow that's a sweet idea there! Yeah she was free ranged up to this point so she is definitely hesitant.

 

[ellrrz]

Try something between "little cup" and "free range". Some chams who are used to hunting free range crix are cautious about shooting them out of a cup. Trickier depth of field, aiming, hitting their tongues on something hard all makes them hesitate.

I feed chams out of a much larger plastic storage box placed below favorite perches. They can watch the feeders moving around more, climb to just the right shooting spot, select, aim and shoot. The feeders have some gutload in the box so they stay full, they are more active and are not sitting right in their own waste all day.

I did have the cup by his favorite area I've seen him in but the water falling from the leaves would build up in the cup. What do you think about the plastic idea to keep them from getting into the soil?

 

[TOMMYBOY72]

cup

Throw a few meal worms in the cup, with your crickets, they cant resist them.

 

[ellrrz]

Throw a few meal worms in the cup, with your crickets, they cant resist them.

i wish he wanted a snack like that. i showed him one meal worm and he took off in the other direction. the squirming might have scared him a little bit im thinking

 

[Rowellos]

I have the same problem, but the days I have off on work I feed each cricket one by one. I actually rip off the jumper legs and let it crawl on the screen until my panther eats it. Then ill just keep going.

 

[MadSince95]

How do you keep crickets from escaping???

 

[ellrrz]

I have the same problem, but the days I have off on work I feed each cricket one by one. I actually rip off the jumper legs and let it crawl on the screen until my panther eats it. Then ill just keep going.

haha i did the same thing to the one i saw him eat. but never ripper the legs off just kind of broke them haha. didnt have to heart to just rip em off

 

[Beachbabies]

I have an awesome way to keep pesky crickets out of my house, i don't let them in! roaches are better for your cham, pose no risk of biting your cham, don't make tons of noise, and are easier to breed! i use a feed cup, w/ holes or screen on the bottom for water drainage. i put them under the chams favorite basking spot and and walk away worry free! we have been a cricket free house for almost 9 months and life has neve been better!

 

[rsepiphyte]

I realize this is an older post but i use those "sticky mouse trap pads". I place two under or around each of the cages and the "escape crickets" seem to send up on the pad rather than in the house. Ruth

 

[tony19]

Correct me if I'm wrong but putting plastic down is not a good idea......because it will ssuffocate the plants......unless it's just for feeding then that's fine