# Small hairy black brown catapillars in cricket tub



## Martin88 (Aug 9, 2009)

Firstly this might sound dumb but what the hell are these? I try to stop em going in my dragons viv but my gf just gave him some crickets and dropped 2 in, and he's eaten them...

Safe or not??


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

They are cleaner bugs they feed off the dead crickets in the tub, Im not sure if they are safe for a beardie to eat tho, but I wouldnt of thought it would be too bad if he accidently ate one or 2, but im no expert so if im wrong then someone please correct me :2thumb:


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## Martin88 (Aug 9, 2009)

Just done a little research and one woman deliberately fed them to her youngster who went off them as he got a lot bigger and saw them as worthless, she's had no issues with them causing issues so im no longer worried but wont feed him them deliberately


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## Tombo46 (Aug 5, 2010)

Dermestid beetle larvae : ) 

they aren't used to clean up. They are actually a pest for livefood suppliers. I would imagine they are safe to feed though.


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## Martin88 (Aug 9, 2009)

Tombo46 said:


> Dermestid beetle larvae : )
> 
> they aren't used to clean up. They are actually a pest for livefood suppliers. I would imagine they are safe to feed though.


Thanks, I wont deliberately feed but I wont panic if one gets in lol


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## micky0 (Jul 25, 2012)

I have fed the odd one to my beardie, she loves em . She is fine .


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## woodrott (Sep 14, 2008)

i breed them for hatchlings,so there not shit eaters
and there fine


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## Emma30 (Apr 18, 2008)

Im sure someone on here said they are cleaner bugs when somebody else asked the same thing!!

Nevermind, I breed my own food so dont come across these anymore :lol2:


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## in5omniac (Mar 2, 2008)

My japaluras go crazy for them and the beetles they turn into, they'll often pick out the one or two I put in with the crickets exclusively. I'd warn against putting them in with anything small though, they fed on some viper gecko juvies I had one year after I'd accidentally put one or two in with the food and left nothing but the bones (the beetles are actually used in taxidermy I believe to clean bones of any residual flesh).


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

A little tip if you buy crickets in bulk online ask the supplier not to include bran.It will dramatically decrease the amount of these in with the crickets.


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## ZOO CENTRE (Apr 1, 2010)

*Dermestid beetle larvae*



Tombo46 said:


> Dermestid beetle larvae : )
> 
> they aren't used to clean up. They are actually a pest for livefood suppliers. I would imagine they are safe to feed though.


Sorry but I DO NOT AGREE WITH YOU!

They are used as tank cleaners- I have hundreds of them in my cockroach colonies - they are working well. :2thumb:

BTW:Many taxidermist used them for cleaning of bones.: victory:


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

They might be o.k. for cockroaches but they are not good for crickets.If you set up two colonies of crickets,one with dermestid beetles and one without the one without will last longer.The dermestid grubs eat the crickets while they are shedding.


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## Spreebok (Jul 4, 2012)

I call them Fuzzywuzzys! My cats love to chase them about if I pop them on the floor hehe


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