# Where in the house do you keep your locusts/crickets etc.?



## melliott1963 (Jan 6, 2012)

Just wondering whereabouts in the house people tend to keep their locusts / crickets etc.

Should they be somewhere where there's lots of light or no light?
Should they be kept warm or cool?

I'm collecting our new Rankins Dragon on Saturday, our first lizard, so am interested to find out what other people do.

I assume that they can be quite smelly (the locusts etc. I mean!) so need to be placed somewhere that's not going to be that noticable.

Thanks.


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

I keep mine in the boiler cupboard as its warm and the furthest room away from my bedroom so i cant here them chirping lol and just have a lamp in there that i switch on through the day for a bit of light (i'm not sure if they need light but i give them it anyway and they dont seem to make as much noise while it is on) 

My locusts dnt smell but the crix do. I keep there food on a small plastic lid and change there food everyday to keep the smell down and mold at bay. I clean there rub once a month an this tends to keep the smell down

Look at this link for guides on temps housing etc for crix
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/feeder/233213-livefoods-careguides-black-crix-silent.html

and here for locusts
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/feeder/62128-how-breed-locusts.html

They are really helpful.


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## melliott1963 (Jan 6, 2012)

Thanks for these links - very useful.

Looks like it's best to get a couple of containers and alternate them each week to make cleaning easier.

However, still not decided the best place in my house to keep them yet!


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

To be honest it depends on how many you plan to keep at once, i have 500 crix and 100 locusts as i said the locusts dnt tend to smell its the crix that do but its only really noticeable when you take the lid off the top of the Rub and i have mine covered with a fine mesh.


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## melliott1963 (Jan 6, 2012)

Well I doubt I'll be keeping that many at once. Maybe up to 100. 

I remembered that I've got a small glass aquarium, with cover, that isn't being used at the moment, so I may look at keeping them in there at first. I've also got a loft room so could keep them in there next to a radiator, or should I maybe look at putting a heatmat under the tank?


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

melliott1963 said:


> Well I doubt I'll be keeping that many at once. Maybe up to 100.
> 
> I remembered that I've got a small glass aquarium, with cover, that isn't being used at the moment, so I may look at keeping them in there at first. I've also got a loft room so could keep them in there next to a radiator, or should I maybe look at putting a heatmat under the tank?


 It depends whether you are planning on breeding them or just keeping them- the high temps are really only for breeding purposes. So long as they are not actually freezing they'll last fine at room temperature.


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## melliott1963 (Jan 6, 2012)

That's good to know.

At the moment, I'm only planning on storing them until used. No plans to start breeding at the moment.


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

I'm not very good with temps for crix, as i said i keep mine in a cupboard with my boiler and that keeps them warm enough. I know if they get to cold they will die, The warmer you keep them the quicker they grow and if you keep them cooler they grow slower. I think they would be ok at room temp my bf's mum keeps hers in a glass tank at room temp an hers are fine so aslong as the room you will be keeping them in isnt freezing they will b ok. I buy a Size or 2 smaller than i need and grow them on they last longer that way plus the smaller ones dont make that horrible noise until they're fully grown. 

Sorry i couldnt be more help


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