# Cricket horror story



## fibit (Aug 11, 2011)

I had an absolute nightmare last night that I wanted to share with you all (I need your pity:lol2: )

So at about 3am I hear the most godawful chirruping that wakes me up as the sound bores straight into my brain! At first I think it's one of the crickets in my White's tree frog getting a bit lairy, as they have done before (until my big fat frog Squonk puts a swift end to the volume) 

In horror, I realise the noise is actually coming from BEHIND my wardrobe! And there's absolutely no way I can get to the little f:censor:r without first taking all my clothes etc out! 

...So I had no choice but to put up with it until, at 7am and when I couldn't stand it any more, I get up, start taking everything out of the wardrobe, and am about 1/2 way there and...silence. The cricket obviously knew I was on to him!! SO frustrating, and I can't wait until I find it as I will take great joy in :bash: it into oblivion!!

The most annoying thing is, they were supposed to be SILENT crickets!! doesn't that mean, by description, they're not meant to make noise at all?!?

Couple of Q's to finish:

1) Anyone had a similar experience :lol2:
2) What's the deal with the noise from silent crickets!!

I sincerely hope I'm the only one here that's suffered this ordeal!! Needless to say I've taped up all possible escape routes from my viv!!


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## 34531 (May 27, 2009)

fibit said:


> I had an absolute nightmare last night that I wanted to share with you all (I need your pity:lol2: )
> 
> So at about 3am I hear the most godawful chirruping that wakes me up as the sound bores straight into my brain! At first I think it's one of the crickets in my White's tree frog getting a bit lairy, as they have done before (until my big fat frog Squonk puts a swift end to the volume)
> 
> ...



You're certainly not the only one.... :lol2:
They don't bother me so much anymore but my flat mate didn't like them. I have found them in my bed, they love living behind my fridge (Mr Chirpy was there for 5 weeks) and in my dirty clothes basket.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

I'm sorry, but I think it's disgusting that you want to kill a Cricket for doing what it was born to do. Don't forget, they are living animals. Why don't you just feed it to your frog? You know, instead of killing it for nothing...


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## Cornish-J (Sep 4, 2011)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> I'm sorry, but I think it's disgusting that you want to kill a Cricket for doing what it was born to do. Don't forget, they are living animals. Why don't you just feed it to your frog? You know, instead of killing it for nothing...


jeeez .. lighten up dude!


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## Laura_M (Mar 30, 2011)

hehe this made me lol out loud . i havent long got into the cricket thing and i admit i really dont like them , but find it fun to feed my crestie gang . one landed on my hand the other nite and i flapped about like mad and sent it hopping along the kitchen floor , these were only the small size 3 ones . but now we have the big bad boys , still no sign of them chirping yet , but i did spot one wondering across the floor the other nite , again all escape routes are now sealed . eeeeugh!


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## fibit (Aug 11, 2011)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> I'm sorry, but I think it's disgusting that you want to kill a Cricket for doing what it was born to do. Don't forget, they are living animals. Why don't you just feed it to your frog? You know, instead of killing it for nothing...


I see your point...but spending a night listening to the noise...geez...it wasn't the usual cricket noise (that I could've lived with!) it was this awful shrill noise that was literally non stop!...I would've happily used a grenade on it if I had one spare :lol2:

If I do ever make his acquaintance I probably will feed him to my frogs, might even set it free for being such a cocky little so-and-so!


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm always having this issue, I do the same, I have to rip the room apart to find the :censor: thing. :whip:

I'm quite bad, the cricket lover won't like this. :blush: As soon as they reach adult hood I chop all their wings off... They can't cherp then, so if they do escape, they don't make noise. :blush: Only the males... If that makes me any nicer? :whistling2:


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## 34531 (May 27, 2009)

vivalabam said:


> I'm always having this issue, I do the same, I have to rip the room apart to find the :censor: thing. :whip:
> 
> I'm quite bad, the cricket lover won't like this. :blush: As soon as they reach adult hood I chop all their wings off... They can't cherp then, so if they do escape, they don't make noise. :blush: Only the males... If that makes me any nicer? :whistling2:




Oh good Lord :gasp:


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## fibit (Aug 11, 2011)

vivalabam said:


> I chop all their wings off... They can't cherp then, so if they do escape, they don't make noise. :blush: Only the males... If that makes me any nicer? :whistling2:


I'd never even _thought _of taking the wings off...thanks for the tip!! I'm pretty sure the crickets don't feel anything anyway (at least that's what I tell myself!) as I've seen some of mine strut around happy as Larry with one or more legs missing!

I prefer feeding them worms, no chance of escape OR noise from them :lol2:


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Theres two adult crickets that have got into my door frame at the moment. Last night i was so close to ripping the door frame to bits. 

Jay


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

forever_20one said:


> Oh good Lord :gasp:


It is normally when they have woke me up or have been annoying me all night, I'm not normally evil, but when I get woken up I turn into some kind of daemon.:blush: 



fibit said:


> I'd never even _thought _of taking the wings off...thanks for the tip!! I'm pretty sure the crickets don't feel anything anyway (at least that's what I tell myself!) as I've seen some of mine strut around happy as Larry with one or more legs missing!
> 
> I prefer feeding them worms, no chance of escape OR noise from them :lol2:


Well, it's not part of their flesh, and they seem to live fine after, I've had mine for weeks down the line wingless. :lol2: I'm always lopping legs off by accident trying to grab them. :blush:


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## manda88 (Nov 27, 2009)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> I'm sorry, but I think it's disgusting that you want to kill a Cricket for doing what it was born to do. Don't forget, they are living animals. Why don't you just feed it to your frog? You know, instead of killing it for nothing...


:lol2: amazing, you are my new favourite member.

I've been woken up many a time by stray crickets, we had a whole box escape a few months ago and they were everywhere! The one I specifically remember is waking up at stupid o'clock because of some wise ass cricket screeching in the front room, so I go on the prowl and instantly know whereabouts it is, but I couldn't see it anywhere! Was searching for ages and then I saw it nestled behind the stat controlling the incubator, cheeky son of a :censor: so do you know what I did? I SENT IT TO IT'S CRICKETY GRAVE! Nobody wakes me up and lives to tell the tale.


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## fibit (Aug 11, 2011)

Aah I'm so relieved I'm not the only one experiencing technical difficulties, not been in this game long but it's alway's throwing up surprises!

The only other time I remeber being woken up by a cricket was when it was chirping like a mentalist, but then there was an almighty crash and the cricket was no more! Good old White's had demolised it!

It's memorable because my girlfriend, who's not exactly fond of the noises the frogs make (particularly when she's trying to sleep!) literally sat up and exclaimed, "Take that you little :censor:!!" With such joy it was like *she'd* eaten it!

We giggled ourselves to sleep.


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## fardilis (Mar 22, 2011)

Spikebrit said:


> Theres two adult crickets that have got into my door frame at the moment. Last night i was so close to ripping the door frame to bits.
> 
> Jay


i can haer multiple ones actyaly iside the wood it the door:bash: so i'd have to replace the door to get them out.

i don't mind the sound of cricket's and in the end it's what they do naturally so i would feal mean if i killed one. my frogs make more noise though:2thumb:


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## riopet (Oct 25, 2011)

*Noisy Crickets ugh!*

I actually love the sound of crickets ,they remind me of holidays in Florida!! 
When I got my 1st lizard the shop gave me silent ones - I was not amused so I have since bought Normal ones - urrrrh - these don't make any noise in my house either - can't understand it! What do you have to do???

Anyway about loose crickets - my son found 1 in the bath and I caught 1 on the stairs - I would never actually kill them they are too precious to my lizards - just scoop up in my hand and pop in 1 of the vivs! I am amazed how un squemish I've become - I could Prob?? pick up a spider now (well maybe not quite still use a cup and cardboard! ):lol2:


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

We've got loose crickets in practically every room in the house, my wife is very good at letting them escape. lol

Oh and if you think silent crickets are noisy, try some meadow crickets.... You will pretty quickly appreciate the 'silent' ones considerably more after hearing the cacophony that they can produce....

Oh, and if I spot an escaped cricket I stamp on it if I can. Trying to catch them rarely works. End of the day, cockroaches are designed to carry disease and poop in your food, yet you wouldn't want them loose in your kitchen either. lol Besides, so long as they aren't too squished my beardies will just as happily eat a dead cricket.

Ade


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## GlassWalker (Jun 15, 2011)

I've had "silent" crickets go not so silent. Fortunately they're in tanks at the time so I could find them and evict them.

Oddly, if I had hundreds of crickets chirping I would probably put up with that better. With one, it's like an alarm clock and cuts through my mind. If you have loads, they all merge together and is less annoying.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

fibit said:


> I had an absolute nightmare last night that I wanted to share with you all (I need your pity:lol2: )
> 
> So at about 3am I hear the most godawful chirruping that wakes me up as the sound bores straight into my brain! At first I think it's one of the crickets in my White's tree frog getting a bit lairy, as they have done before (until my big fat frog Squonk puts a swift end to the volume)
> 
> ...


Happened to me.

Bedroom. Bathroom. Kitchen. Near the other flats then on to outside Tescos.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

Cornish-J said:


> jeeez .. lighten up dude!


Lighten up? You would all agree with me if we were talking about someone who killed a Tarantula. I don't see the difference as they are both inverts. Not trying to cause an argument, just my opinion. :2thumb:


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> Lighten up? You would all agree with me if we were talking about someone who killed a Tarantula. I don't see the difference as they are both inverts. Not trying to cause an argument, just my opinion. :2thumb:


Are all inverts born equal?

I'm with Ade, I'll stamp on one if I have to purely because they are so hard to catch.


Flies aren't a problem.


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

Morgan Freeman said:


> Are all inverts born equal?
> 
> I'm with Ade, I'll stamp on one if I have to purely because they are so hard to catch.
> 
> ...


I just can't understand why someone would get pissed off with an animal and killing it because it is doing what is natural. Killing a cricket is no different from killing any other animal. Recent studies suggest that inverts do indeed feel pain. 

I find Crickets quite easy to catch...


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

That's your choice. Some crickets are indeed easy to catch, and I do. Others however are too fast and clued into what you are up to, and my foot coming down at speed catched them far better than my hands or a container of some sort.

I would also challenge that been slowly chewed up by my frogs or bearded dragons is a more pleasant way to die than been completely flattened in under a second. lol

As I say though, it's your choice. I'm not going to try to tell you you should kill them, just as you don't have the right to tell me that I shouldn't.

As to would I kill a trantula, probably if it was where it didn't belong and I couldn't catch it. Given that spiders are usually much easier to catch than crickets though, that's quite unlikely to happen, not least as I don't keep Ts as my wife and oldest daughters are serious arachnaphobes. My oldest daughter freaked out when she discovered I had ordered my wife some black beauty stick insects even, and they aren't even arachnids.... Before you ask, it's unlikely they'd ever escape to end up where they didn't bleong etc etc...

I've tried catching crickets, many times. Those I can't catch, I stamp on. You might not love them so much if you had seen the damage they can do to a well planted dart frog viv when they somehow get in... Or had one you can't find in your bedroom calling all night long really loudly right by your ear, keeping you awake for the entire night. Maybe the noise doesn't bother you, if not you are lucky, some folks the high pitched chirping is actually painful, and I am one of these people. Oh and yes, I can also hear faulty electricity cables and those sonic devices that only under 25s are supposed to be able to hear (they actually make me feel physically sick)...

Ade


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

Wolfenrook said:


> That's your choice. Some crickets are indeed easy to catch, and I do. Others however are too fast and clued into what you are up to, and my foot coming down at speed catched them far better than my hands or a container of some sort.
> 
> I would also challenge that been slowly chewed up by my frogs or bearded dragons is a more pleasant way to die than been completely flattened in under a second. lol
> 
> ...


Yes, but they are being killed for food. 

I do have the right to tell you that you shouldn't kill them. I don't have the right to tell you that you can't though.

If any of my crickets escape, they won't last long. My house is full of House Spiders. Probably a nicer death than when I feed them to my Wasps :lol2:


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## Lancelot (Aug 19, 2011)

I had to wait one out to die off naturally . That was a very long couple weeks :banghead:.
Problem was i did up the background perfectly with a small gap which i wouldn't come out of and i wasn't willing to destroy money and effort which went into it. 
I do try and prioritise the nosy ones first for gecko feeds and plus me and the geckos like locusts better - not so nosy.

silent crickets are a miss leading name in my option and just brown instead of the norms.


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## RhianB87 (Oct 25, 2009)

I will always try to catch escaped ones just because I dont want squished cricket in the carpet :whistling2: But you can normally hear my brother stamping after one. 
I never by any bigger thank size 3 maybe 4 crickets and if there are any adults I pick them out and make sure they get fed straight away! 
I would rather pay extra for locusts than get adult crickets.




> Others however are too fast and clued into what you are up to


Very true! They know what we are planning to do to them


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## lisadew24 (Jul 31, 2010)

fibit said:


> I had an absolute nightmare last night that I wanted to share with you all (I need your pity:lol2: )
> 
> So at about 3am I hear the most godawful chirruping that wakes me up as the sound bores straight into my brain! At first I think it's one of the crickets in my White's tree frog getting a bit lairy, as they have done before (until my big fat frog Squonk puts a swift end to the volume)
> 
> ...



You should try a black cricket their louder, I must look mental when I wake up and go on the hunt for a stray chirping cricket in the middle of the night


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## The Roach Hut (Mar 29, 2008)

fibit said:


> I had an absolute nightmare last night that I wanted to share with you all (I need your pity:lol2: )
> 
> So at about 3am I hear the most godawful chirruping that wakes me up as the sound bores straight into my brain! At first I think it's one of the crickets in my White's tree frog getting a bit lairy, as they have done before (until my big fat frog Squonk puts a swift end to the volume)
> 
> ...


I think every one has had that from time to time. silent crix are hardly ever silent, thats just one of the reasons roaches are so much better. no noise at all, no smell, more meat to chittin all round 1,000,000 % better for you and your reps lol good luck catching it. i be thinking of you pulling out that wardrobe


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> Lighten up? You would all agree with me if we were talking about someone who killed a Tarantula. I don't see the difference as they are both inverts. Not trying to cause an argument, just my opinion. :2thumb:


Bit different, tarantulas are pets, nothing is going to kill it. Whereas a cricket is going to die regardless, not sure what's better, being eaten alive or stompd on. I could call you cruel for not putting it out of it's misery quickly and letting it be eaten alive... 



VespulaVulgaris said:


> I just can't understand why someone would get pissed off with an animal and killing it because it is doing what is natural. Killing a cricket is no different from killing any other animal. Recent studies suggest that inverts do indeed feel pain.
> 
> I find Crickets quite easy to catch...


Do they? Do you have any papers on this? Research from the invert section suggests they don't feel pain.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

I don't know if they feel pain or not, but I'm not happy mutilating them. If the noise bothered me that much, I'd use another feeder insect. I do agree though, that one, loose in a room, is somehow much more annoying than a full-on chorus- which seems counter-intuitive, but there you go!

Most loose ones in my flat seem to end up in the bathroom- often in the bath itself- which makes catching them easy. I have been known to stomp on them elsewhere, but even stomped ones get used, as the clawed frogs happily eat them.:2thumb:


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## manda88 (Nov 27, 2009)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> Killing a cricket is no different from killing any other animal.


I beg to differ, if I went outside and stamped on a cricket nobody would care. If I went out and shot a cow in the face I'd probably get arrested. You can't tell me that you go round watching every step you take to make sure you don't tread on an ant or a beetle? The crickets found in my flat usually get chucked out the window or fed to the frogs, I don't ever stamp on them cos I don't want cricket juice on my shoe, but if I did stamp on it then it wouldn't feel any pain anyway cos it'd be over and done with in a millisecond.

Lancelot, you live in Woking too!! :gasp: Be my friend.


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## KWIBEZEE (Mar 15, 2010)

Yeah - they kinda love the back of the fridge. Not had any though this year - thank goodness and no problems with having locust hoppers. The stray cat I now took in loves the chase and mawl. Good kitty. He's right there at feeding time too - always and never missus an escapee. LOL:2thumb:


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## trickymicky123 (Nov 8, 2011)

Try dropping a full box in the middle of pets at home, now thats fun :2thumb:


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

Do they? Do you have any papers on this? Research from the invert section suggests they don't feel pain.[/QUOTE]


Please, have a read of this: Can Insects Feel Pain?

It explains it quite well. As I said before, inverts probably do feel pain.


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> Do they? Do you have any papers on this? Research from the invert section suggests they don't feel pain.


 
Please, have a read of this: Can Insects Feel Pain?

It explains it quite well. As I said before, inverts probably do feel pain.[/QUOTE]
Interesting.


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## manda88 (Nov 27, 2009)

> For the bee, it is the feeling of being a bee. I don't mean that a bee is self-conscious or spends time thinking about itself.


This is my favourite bit, I can just imagine a bee looking at itself in the mirror and saying 'God I look so FAT today!!' and another one in the corner going 'meee meee meee'.


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## Morgan Freeman (Jan 14, 2009)

VespulaVulgaris said:


> Do they? Do you have any papers on this? Research from the invert section suggests they don't feel pain.


 
Please, have a read of this: Can Insects Feel Pain?

It explains it quite well. As I said before, inverts probably do feel pain.[/QUOTE]

Cool article.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Interesting article, I personally don't believe they can feel pain, I believe they can feel stuff, but not pain as we experience it. 

Here's one of the many debates that has gone on in the invert section. 

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/760233-inverts-pain.html


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## VespulaVulgaris (Nov 4, 2011)

vivalabam said:


> Interesting article, I personally don't believe they can feel pain, I believe they can feel stuff, but not pain as we experience it.
> 
> Here's one of the many debates that has gone on in the invert section.
> 
> http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/760233-inverts-pain.html


Nobody will ever know for sure. Although, with them being around long before we were, it would be silly if they didn't feel any pain.


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## spider shane (Apr 16, 2010)

easy........................................!
just have a room for you pets i sleep with my snakes and have a spider room. or sleep in the car next time


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## Wolfenrook (Jul 2, 2010)

There is as much evidence for insects feeling pain as there is for the argument against this. The simple truth is, we still don't know. If you do a truly unbiased literature search on this, then you will reach the exact same conclusions. I dislike bragging, but I did actually get some training in performing a research critique back in my university days, and truly, it's 50:50 for both sides of the argument, with neither side proving their argument beyond any possible doubt.

To this end, I for one would NOT mutilate crickets, despite that fact I will without hesitation stamp one flat or feed it to an animal. Research is as wrong as often as it is right, people tend to often find what they are looking for, rather than the actul truth. Go back far enough and you will find 'proof' for hypothesis that we now know are completely stupid, eg. the earth been flat....

I love a good debate, but the simple fact here is, there isn't enough evidence for either side of the debate to make it worth the bother. Besides which, it has naff all to do with the OPs original post or questions....

Ade


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## leopardgecko88 (Jun 20, 2011)

Yes I have this problem!

Regardless of if crickets feel pain or not I dont have to worry about stamping on them or catching them my cats solve that problem for me  lol 

except for the lil :censor:er that's in the wall in my kitchen soon as i go near the kitchen he shuts up untill I'v left roll on the cold weather mite zap him!


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

I think that insects can feel pain in the sense injuring them exposing them to extream heat/cold etc will send a singal to the brain and cause them to react in a way to remove this stimulus 

as without this sense they would have no drive for self preservation 

what i dont think they can feel is pain like we do...but guess we can never no


i always make a point to crush any escaped fruit flies to punish them for not using there freedom to escape outside :lol2:


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## spinnin_tom (Apr 20, 2011)

sambridge15 said:


> I think that insects can feel pain in the sense injuring them exposing them to extream heat/cold etc will send a singal to the brain and cause them to react in a way to remove this stimulus
> 
> as without this sense they would have no drive for self preservation
> 
> ...


in red- how stupid.

invertebrates do feel, it's not been proven (i don't think) that they do or don't feel pain. i don't think they have developed pain receptors as that uses too much energy


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

spinnin_tom said:


> in red- how stupid.
> 
> invertebrates do feel, it's not been proven (i don't think) that they do or don't feel pain. i don't think they have developed pain receptors as that uses too much energy


note the smiley its a joke... also its a fruit fly!lighten the hell up.

I kill them because its hardly hygienic to have fruit flies waltzing about the house and its not very easy/practical to catch a few mm fruit fly without killing it.


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## RhianB87 (Oct 25, 2009)

Ok it might not be nice in your opinions to kill them but them being crushed is a lot quicker death than how I have seen my horned frog eat a locust!


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## Sweetie (Nov 19, 2011)

I love the sound of crickets!  My other half does too! I can understand why one may grate on people but I dont mind too much if they escape and set up house in our room, we are lucky that they dont make it to the kitchen but then again I do keep them in a bit of a palace before they are fed to my phibs! :lol2:


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## del_044 (Jan 29, 2007)

who cares if they feel pain or not, we all have them for the porpose of feeding animals.
if you feed it to a frog ect or stamp on it, its dead! it was always going to die, thats why we have them.


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