Cricket infestation in tortoise enclosure

tyguy35

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Hey, my leopards enclosure always fills up with crickets. I can't remove the soil and all the crickets replace the soil with new but a week later more crickets will be in the enclosure. His enclosure is not even near a room that has cricket feeders.

I was wondering if I put two crested geckos inside for a little bit would that be ok? Atleast until we can figure out how the crickets are escaping.
 

wellington

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I'm not understanding. The crickets just appear? If so, bake the substrate before using it. 250 for about 3-4 hours. It will kill any bug eggs or bugs. I wouldn't put any lizards in with your tort.
Okay, you do have crickets that you keep or raise for food for other reptiles, correct? Some how they are getting out and into the torts enclosure. I had that happen a long time ago. They bred like crazy in my torts enclosure. They never bothered my tort and he was little. Either leave them be or catch them all and find their escape route. I still wouldn't do the lizards.
 
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Tom

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I wouldn't do the lizard thing because of the disease risk.

I wouldn't allow the crickets to stay either because crickets will chew on a sleeping reptile.
 

Millerlite

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Like Tom said crickets are known for chewing on reptiles of not taken out after eating. Where are you getting Your substrate from?

Kyle
 

tyguy35

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Yes I feed ther animals crickets. I really cannot find out where the heck they are getting out from. Driving me crazy. I won't put the lizard in the cage do to the Risk. I will continu changing the soil out. Thank you.
 

ZEROPILOT

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Have you ever housed other animals in that "cage"? One that ate crickets.
It sounds like they are hatching out of the substrate.
I also had a Jacksons Chameleon that was eaten alive by a large colony of crickets.
 

TerrapinStation

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Interesting situation here. I never knew crickets to be so evil!

For some reason, in Michigan this summer the crickets have been very abundant and very, very large. and loud.

Maybe they are the next Cyborgs!
 

leigti

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Try food grade DE. Take your tortoise out of the enclosure and sprinkle the DE around everywhere. It should kill The crickets. And you can sift out the substrate, freeze it overnight or bake it, and put it back in the enclosure.
 
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