Jiminy? Should I worry about all those crickets?

[thatrebecca]

As it's warming up here, the area of our CDT enclosure is becoming Cricket Club Med. Last night I went out to bring in the food dish and there were no fewer than 30 crickets going to town on the leftover cactus. Several more were drinking from the water dish. They don't seem to be going in the hide where the torts sleep, they chirp a lovely lullaby to them (and us), and they're gone in the morning. Any reason for concern?

 

[ascott]

I would make it a habit to remove all uneaten food items and remove the water dish at night....crickets likely will not do too much damage to a grown tort...but understand that they are carnivorous and can do damage...I know that they can turn on a Bearded Dragon and other smaller reptiles and cause damage and infection if they decide to try to eat on a reptile....

So if you remove as many of the comforts of home for night time then that will likely reduce their numbers...

 

[Jacqui]

It's a good idea to be removing the food at night from outdoor enclosures as to not attract attention to it as a food source for things like coons, which could then go for your tortoises too.

 

[thatrebecca]

Thanks for the feedback, Angela and Jacqui. I'm taking the dishes in at night now and the crickets have moved on.