Crickets driving me CRAZY!!!!

[mctlong]

So I've got little Doc (sulcata hatchling) in modified zoomed tort house that I keep on my patio. Problem is, its becoming over-run with crickets. Doc doesn't mind, but they're driving me crazy. They creep me out.

They primarily hang out in his hide. I'm guessing they're attracted to the moisture (I live in a very dry area). Any suggestions on how to keep them out? I went in there with a vacuum today and sucked a bunch out, but thats not a permanent solution. Ideas?

 

[ascott]

Bad luck to mess with the cricket....(if you believe in that stuff, which I happen to think --weirder things could be...lol) They don't hurt anything, not at all...and in the evenings they make that beautiful song....lovely.

Can you tell I am not wanting to be of any real help here.....lol....rock on poor little crickets just trying to find a cool place to hide out from the baking hot sun.......hmmmm? hmmmmm?

 

[dmmj]

Personally I like crickets but to each their own.I know people who breed crickets, use sponges because they will drown in water dishes. You could place some in and see if they drown.

 

[mctlong]

Bad luck to mess with the cricket....(if you believe in that stuff, which I happen to think --weirder things could be...lol) They don't hurt anything, not at all...and in the evenings they make that beautiful song....lovely.

Can you tell I am not wanting to be of any real help here.....lol....rock on poor little crickets just trying to find a cool place to hide out from the baking hot sun.......hmmmm? hmmmmm?

HAHA! If it were just one or two, it'd be fine. They stay out of my way, I stay out of theirs. But there are tons of them. I sucked up 2 dozen+ today with the vacuum. They're soooo creepy!

I tell you what, send me your address and I'll send you a box of of the little buggers.

Personally I like crickets but to each their own.I know people who breed crickets, use sponges because they will drown in water dishes. You could place some in and see if they drown.

Thanks!

 

[Millerlite]

Wow a dozen! They might be breeding. Lol. Always can get a lizard collect ten and use them as food lol I would try the water dish idea.

 

[ascott]

I tell you what, send me your address and I'll send you a box of of the little buggers.

LOL...funny story; I use to live in Los Angeles County (born in chinatown, los angeles) and when I moved up to the high desert I had the hardest time falling asleep...I mean it was quiet---like deathly quiet...well one night I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep but could not, had the windows open and realized, that's what it is---I don't hear not one cricket....so, at the time we had Larry 2 my sons bearded dragon and he loved to make like a vacum cleaner and suck up as many of the icky brown crickets (the ones from the feed store) and so each time I purchased him crickets for food I would purchase a dollar worth of crickets over what he ate and in the evening I would set em free...after about a month when I went to bed at night and had the windows open I could hear crickets....awesome...I am sure that the local aligator lizards and blue bellies loved my idea too.....

 

[dmmj]

I tell you what, send me your address and I'll send you a box of of the little buggers.

LOL...funny story; I use to live in Los Angeles County (born in chinatown, los angeles) and when I moved up to the high desert I had the hardest time falling asleep...I mean it was quiet---like deathly quiet...well one night I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep but could not, had the windows open and realized, that's what it is---I don't hear not one cricket....so, at the time we had Larry 2 my sons bearded dragon and he loved to make like a vacum cleaner and suck up as many of the icky brown crickets (the ones from the feed store) and so each time I purchased him crickets for food I would purchase a dollar worth of crickets over what he ate and in the evening I would set em free...after about a month when I went to bed at night and had the windows open I could hear crickets....awesome...I am sure that the local aligator lizards and blue bellies loved my idea too.....

I am sure your neighbors loved you for that.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I like crickets, too, but if you want to get rid of them, here's what you do; put your sulcata in a new enclosure, and in the old enclosure, you put a box turtle. He'll finish off the little buggers in a couple weeks.

 

[ascott]

I am sure your neighbors loved you for that.

LOL....We lived on a 2 1/2 acre piece of property and the nearest neighbor was about that distance...so we were in the clear....lol

 

[Tom]

People who keep insectivores know that crickets will come out at night and chew on your animals. I've never heard of this being a problem with a tortoise, but if there were enough cricket and its a hatchling tortoise, they could actually cause injury. A dark hide might be close enough to night for a hungry cricket. When the tortoise is not in there put in some of those sticky type roach motels. No poisons in those. If there are areas that are away from the tortoise and where he does not go, I would put down some bug spray into all the cracks and nooks and crannies.

 

[mctlong]

People who keep insectivores know that crickets will come out at night and chew on your animals. I've never heard of this being a problem with a tortoise, but if there were enough cricket and its a hatchling tortoise, they could actually cause injury. A dark hide might be close enough to night for a hungry cricket. When the tortoise is not in there put in some of those sticky type roach motels. No poisons in those. If there are areas that are away from the tortoise and where he does not go, I would put down some bug spray into all the cracks and nooks and crannies.

Wow, I didn't know they could be harmful, thanks for the heads up. The sticky traps are a great idea -

---

I tell you what, send me your address and I'll send you a box of of the little buggers.

LOL...funny story; I use to live in Los Angeles County (born in chinatown, los angeles) and when I moved up to the high desert I had the hardest time falling asleep...I mean it was quiet---like deathly quiet...well one night I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep but could not, had the windows open and realized, that's what it is---I don't hear not one cricket....so, at the time we had Larry 2 my sons bearded dragon and he loved to make like a vacum cleaner and suck up as many of the icky brown crickets (the ones from the feed store) and so each time I purchased him crickets for food I would purchase a dollar worth of crickets over what he ate and in the evening I would set em free...after about a month when I went to bed at night and had the windows open I could hear crickets....awesome...I am sure that the local aligator lizards and blue bellies loved my idea too.....

I bet those aligator lizards and blue bellies are very happy.

I envy your quiet. I'm still in LA County, very close to the 101 Freeway. In addition to the crickets, I get to fall asleep to the sounds of traffic, helicopters, and the occasional car alarm.

 

[ascott]

sounds of traffic, helicopters, and the occasional car alarm

.

Ahhhhh, now your talking...I actually think I am getting tired just thinking about it....lol