# Crickets Escaping - Girlfriend Screaming...



## Atom (Mar 8, 2008)

Hey All 

I'm having a slight crisis with my crickets.

I purchased a thousand medium/large crickets earlier this week.

I've had 2 large faunariums for a while which I thought I'd use to house these in - Pic below is the Faunarium I use.











So with 2 of these set up I loaded 500 Crickets into each.

Everything has been fine for a few days but gradually I've been seeing escapees wandering around outside the tank (and my flat). 

I put these rogue crickets down to when I've fed my Chamelons and that they must have escaped during the feeding.

Well sadly this isn't the case as lately there have been more and more and today I've found 3-4 around the faunariums, crawling over it etc.

Along the side of the tank itself there is a grill/vent area (as you can see in the picture above) just below the edge of the roof- Vertical strips. These are also present on the roof of the faunarium as well (again, as seen in the picture) and the entire roof has horizontal vents too.

I thought that these holes would be far too small for anything to escape but clearly not - So I've taped the side vents and the 2 large "hole" vents in the top of the faunarium now, but this doesn't seem to have helped!

There are also 2 slots where the hinges of the roof doors slot in to that I've also now blocked off thinking this must be the only part they are breaking out of - I'm going to see in the morning if anything has escaped.

So I was wondering if anyone uses the above Faunariums for keeping crickets and if so is there anything you have had to do to it to stop the insects from escaping?

Also, I'd appreciate some feedback on alternative tanks/tubs to keep a thousand of this sized cricket in if I can't rectify the problem!

Cheers,

Tom


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## Brat (Oct 7, 2007)

Nope, crickets are escape artists and are best kept in tubs with lids and added ventilation in the form of TINY holes.

I dont use crickets because they're horrid, try Locusts if you want less escapees..


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## Atom (Mar 8, 2008)

Thanks Brat,

Yup I'm aware they are escape artists (I've used the Kricket Keeper before and that was terrible).

I want to stick with the crickets - Locusts, which I've been using primarily until recently are just too expensive...Though I am currently attempting to breed them, and if that goes well I'll go with them.

Can you suggest what sort of tubs to use? I have heard people talk of the RUB's - However, I've only ever seen those in Maplins and they only had small ones (like the width/length of the Kricket Keeper). I need something big that I can find easily and adjust accordingly.


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## Nerys (Apr 18, 2005)

dustbins....



N


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## hobbes (May 18, 2008)

after several tried and tested methods here's what i do ...

i bought 2 large sandwich tubs from woolies (£1.49 each) then popped loads of vent holes in the lids and sides using a dart (put the tub on a radiator for a wee while to stop the plastic from cracking when pierced).

this might sound daft but i sort out each new delivery of crix into the 2 tubs depending on their size (i order medium size, but usually get a mix of small/medium). each tub has crushed weetabix and some fish flakes covering about 3/4 of the base and then the other 1/4 kept clear for bits of apple and carrot. i then put in 2 strips of egg carton for them to hide.

when it comes to getting them out of the tub each night i use a desert/soup spoon, trap a cricket in the corner of the tub and get him on the spoon. because its smooth it can't get any grip to run or jump. i then pop it in a small plastic tub (about the size of a packet of 10 ****) till i've got enough, i also dust them in this wee tub when necessary.
then i just shake them out in the leo's viv.
i only get 250/500 tubs from suppliers but you could try doubling up to 4 tubs !
apologies for the ramble, (i'm new to RFUK !) but i've never lost a cricket using this method which is just as well as my girlfriend would have my balls for breakfast if she saw one out the tub !


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## pecks (Dec 29, 2007)

try a large deep dustbin and put a stack of egg boxes in the middle. Mass escapes are one reason i dont buy crickets in bulk.


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## Marinam2 (Sep 4, 2007)

Oh dear one has made a fatal error!!

Get yourself a bed sheet and fix underneath the lid quick smart!!!! It wont last forever (like 1 day) but it will give you time to get this corrected. I always use something deep as they may be able to jump but they cannot climb smooth surfaces.

Marina


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## the-tick (Nov 27, 2006)

my mediums have not escaped our faunarium but i taped up the side vents so it's just the id for ventilation


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## Atom (Mar 8, 2008)

Thanks for all the responses guys. :notworthy:

I went down to Argos and picked up 2x 50L RUB's a little while ago.

One was enough to stick all the crickets in. I put some air holes in the roof (soldering iron size) and to be extra sure I put a layer of vaseline around the rim of the RUB.

Not a single escapee since! :2thumb:

Peace has been restored...RUB's rock!


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