Baby cricket infestation...

I posted this on the cages ans supplies thingie too but no one answered... so here goes!

I have tons and tons of little baby crickets infesting my monitor's tank, and I am wondering if there is any way to get rid of them without displacing my monitor from his home? THey are too little for him to even notice, let alont eat, but I don't want them getting out... plus just the fact that they are in there dirves me nuts! Thanks

It sounds as if you have not given your monitor tank a thorough cleaning in quite some time that included sterilization of cage furnishings if a population of crickets was able to become established in there. I suggest stripping down the enclosure completely and claenaing it out - preferably outside so you can either wash out the crickets or allow them to escape.

If it is a natural setting type enclosure, then leave it outside and open so the crickets can get out.

Of course you could always use some type of an insecticide, but bear in mind that some insecticides are very harmful or even fatal to some reptiles. I think it would be much safer to clean out the whole set-up.

Any way you do this, my guess is that the monitor will need temporary quarters while the problem is being solved.

I clean the ENTIRE cage and everything in it with steaming hot water then Virosan every other water change, which is every other day. And with every water change I take out and clean every hide-spot and decoration with the Virosan and stir all the mulch to mix the moist and dry spots. The baby crickets get down into the mulch. I am fanatic about keeping his cage clean, especially since he only poops in his water. I'll just have to wait until its warm enough for him to stay outside for a few hours and get it all dumped out onto a tarp to let them all escape. Thanks

When you "clean" the cage, why not try changing the mulch since putting the same stuff back in just keeps the crickets around. New mulch would hopefully be bug free.

microwave the mulch before you put it in the enclosure