Crickets keep dying,,,,,,why?

[DAND]

I always 'fed' my crickets apples and potatos too! I just got some cricket food(looks like brown chicken crumbles) to give them though. Thank you guys so much for posting the advice, I've been losing crickets and just assumed crickets died(haven't lost ALL of them like the other psoters thank goodness!).

I don't remember if I posted this so just in case I will post it now, when using the chick starter make sure it is NOT the medicated kind. It will kill your crickets.

 

[DAND]

Like David said, the disease wiped out Europe, was then introduced to some big farms in Canada, moved on into the west coast and rumor has it that it is now even in central and eastern farms. Pretty scary stuff

I can tell you for a fact it has hit some of these farms. I'm not sure if this is the correct forum to name the one farm I know for a fact that has been hit (if a mod happens to be reading this please advise) but for those who want to know feel free to PM me and I'll give you that information. It is also my understanding that this farm was also selling to some of the west coast farms which just may have been where they got it from....???? Coincidence?????

 

[ace9916]

From what iv been told from my suppliers its bad enough that once u get it. You be to start over new tubs, and supplies etc, and try to disinfect everything walls floor, etc.

 

[Clay Davenport]

I don't remember if I posted this so just in case I will post it now, when using the chick starter make sure it is NOT the medicated kind. It will kill your crickets.

I always used laying mash to feed the crix, and still feed it to the roaches. I figure it being fortified with calcium for laying hens can't hurt.

As for naming the cricket farm that had the virus, let's keep that in PM for now since this isn't the BOI. I'd prefer not having companies mentioned and getting off on a tangent with that on the discussion forums.
PM me with the info for that matter, it'd be good to know even though I don't currently buy bulk crickets.

 

[DAND]

As for naming the cricket farm that had the virus, let's keep that in PM for now since this isn't the BOI. I'd prefer not having companies mentioned and getting off on a tangent with that on the discussion forums.PM me with the info for that matter, it'd be good to know even though I don't currently buy bulk crickets.

Clay,

Thanks for the response. I figured as much and played it safe by not naming names. PM being sent.

 

[brd7666]

I didn't read evrything in this thread. I did see the mention of chemicals. One of my pet shop customers had a cricket problem a while back. He had a few snake mites show up in his back room. I told him to hang a No Pest Strip in the room. It really wasn't close to the crickets. They were dying and dying shipment after shipment and he just couldn't figure it out. Finally we realized the pest strip was in there, and he took it out and now his crickets are fine. So you might want to look around because chemicals can kill for a long time. Some bug sprays linger for months. So even if the room was sprayed a while back, it can still have an affect. Hope you find the answer.

 

[DAND]

I didn't read evrything in this thread. I did see the mention of chemicals. One of my pet shop customers had a cricket problem a while back. He had a few snake mites show up in his back room. I told him to hang a No Pest Strip in the room. It really wasn't close to the crickets. They were dying and dying shipment after shipment and he just couldn't figure it out. Finally we realized the pest strip was in there, and he took it out and now his crickets are fine. So you might want to look around because chemicals can kill for a long time. Some bug sprays linger for months. So even if the room was sprayed a while back, it can still have an affect. Hope you find the answer.

Very good point. Even things like painting or some cleaners could cause the crickets to die.

 

[Wolfy-hound]

I'm using a cricket food in a jar, not actual chicken food, but I'll keep that in mind for sure! Thanks!

It was cool, I put some food in the bin and within a couple minutes the little crickets were on it eating! I know I know.. I need to get a life...

 

[ace9916]

Here is an address to a an article i read on the virus spreadng among the cricket ranches.
http://www.thefrilleddragon.com/content/141-Cricket-Virus-Wipes-Out-Growers-in-UK-and-Europe

 

[DAND]

Here is an address to a an article i read on the virus spreadng among the cricket ranches.
http://www.thefrilleddragon.com/content/141-Cricket-Virus-Wipes-Out-Growers-in-UK-and-Europe

I'm pretty sure that was the same article I was referring to earlier. Here it is in case the link ever gets removed:


Cricket Virus Wipes Out Growers in UK & Europe
by Jon Coote

Cricket Growers in Europe and the UK have been seriously impacted by a species-specific parvovirus, presumed to be a densovirus. Commonly known in the UK as ‘cricket paralysis virus’ first appearance in the UK from mainland Europe was in early 2002. All five major commercial cricket growers in the UK were infected before the end of 2002. This virus specifically attacks only the Common Brown or House cricket (Acheta domesticus), previously the core species in European trade, and the only species in trade in the USA.

In Europe, commercial growers regularly raise three alternative species of cricket, Banded cricket, also known as the Tropical House cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus), African Black Field cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus), and Silent Brown cricket, also known as Jamaican Field cricket (Gryllus similis), so the impact of loosing the Brown House cricket is not as serious as it would currently be in the USA.

Infected crickets die without any visible symptoms and at all stages of development, but death rates are heaviest at the pre-wing stage just before adult size. The effect is also cumulative. At first death rates are tolerable and many growers believe that they simply have a husbandry problem. Within as little as six weeks death rates become catastrophic and all viable commercial production is lost. Though a few adults may still survive, they are in too low numbers to support continued commercial production.

There is no known treatment and, being a virus, probably none will be found. Prevention is the only viable solution at this time. Experiments are being conducted to try to establish the vectors of this virus. I’ve arranged for one UK grower to conduct an experiment to see if the Dermestes beetles (commonly called Fuzzy Bugs) that infest most growers’ colonies are primary vectors of this virus. Other UK growers are trying to determine if any individuals can be found that are resistant to this virus. Imported crickets from the USA have proved to be particularly susceptible.

Where this virus came from is open to speculation, but it apparently first appeared in Germany, were commercial production of this species has now effectively ended. It may ultimately prove to have mutated from a similar virus that infects Wax Moth larvae (Galeria mellonella). These larvae are routinely used in research establishments to maintain a wide variety of insect viruses injected into them that researchers want to study. So this insect species is clearly especially adept at carrying insect viruses of many types and maintaining them in a viable form. It is possible that a mutation could have occurred in this way to ultimately infect Brown House crickets.

My position in both the UK and USA reptile industry, working with T-Rex Products, provides me with a unique opportunity to be able to talk candidly to both reptile breeders and insect growers, as our products complement theirs rather than compete. As a result I was able to call a meeting of all interested parties, including most of the largest US cricket growers, last August, at Wayne Hill’s Reptile Expo in Daytona Beach. Also present was one of the principal US reptile vets and a UK cricket grower, who was able to share his direct experiences with this virus. From that meeting I’ve continued an e-mail correspondence with the group to enable them to better understand this virus and what measures are likely to prevent it impacting on the US.

I’ve been able to establish a likely protocol to clean up after an infection, if that ever occurs, and locate a UK based researcher who would be interested in studying this virus. This researcher is currently working on baculoviruses for insect pest control and is intrigued by our problem. Much of her work focuses on trying to elucidate the ecology of insect diseases (persistence, transmission, etc.) in addition to pest control, which is the sort of study that is required. No one anywhere currently works on insect parvovirus ecology and biology, which does mean that some basic biology needs to be done to start with. If it is a parvovirus, it is presumed to be a densovirus, one of which has been previously reported from the Brown House cricket in a single report in the 1970s, in Montpellier in France. This researcher considers that my idea that it might be passively dispersed by Dermestes beetles is intriguing and perhaps a good place to start, hence the experiment described above.

During my investigations into this subject I came upon another researcher who was raising pathogen-free crickets, i.e. free of bacteria, etc., in special isolator systems. This is a very costly operation producing perhaps the most expensive insects reared worldwide! It could however provide an opportunity to re-colonize with disease free crickets if effective cleanup after this virus proves to be possible. Experiments are underway.

A well known parvovirus infects dogs. Believed to have mutated from feline parvovirus, also known as feline distemper virus, it first appeared in 1978 in the USA. It soon crossed the Atlantic to infect dogs in Europe. It is hoped that strict measures are voluntarily adopted to ensure that this cricket virus does not cross the ‘pond’ in the opposite direction.

All contact with European commercially grown insects should be avoided and imports of these into the USA should cease with immediate effect. It is known that the largest commercial producer of Wax Moth larvae in the UK has shipped surplus stock to the USA in the recent past. This should no longer be considered viable. It may be wise to establish from your supplier if insects are USA home grown or not. The Brown House cricket is commercially extinct in Europe. It would currently be a tragedy if the same situation were to occur in the USA, whilst prevention remains possible.

Jon Coote is a professional herpetologist, trained at the University of Nottingham in the UK. He is Director of Research & Development for T-Rex Products Inc. He is Chairman of the Livestock Advisory Panel, of the UK’s industry association, the Pet Care Trust, and Chairman, and past President, of the International Herpetological Society.

 

[DAND]

For those of you who purchase crickets from pet stores, you will want to make sure to find out where they get their crickets from because they may still be receiving them from places with this virus. I was just told by a customer of mine who works at a "pet store" that the crickets they just received died.

 

[ace9916]

Most of the places who have the virus are purchasing from others to keep customers orders filled but the virus spreads so quickly that just by them handling the crickets they can pass it on to the none infected crickets. Double checking who your supplier is getting crickets from Is a good idea. You will loose a lot if you dont. I was buying them by the thousands before my supplier told me about the problem.

 

[RogerProws]

For my referance does anyone have any suggestions of suppliers that are known to be clean?

 

[BreedersCircle]

Lazy H bate, Armstrong, Ghann (but ghann is out of 3/4" and 1")

 

[ace9916]

Mostly anyone that is on the east cost is good, on the west coast cricket factory claims to have clean crickets. I haven't tried them yet but am about to i placed an order today just to see.

 

[ace9916]

Lazy H bate, Armstrong, Ghann (but ghann is out of 3/4" and 1")

Thats probably because they were selling to other breeders out here in the west coast.

Ghana I'm pretty sure would be a good choice if you have a need for smaller crickets right now. I have a friends here that are ordering from them to here and others who are working on it.

 

[Reptile Bob]

I have to say that this cricket virus is scary stuff. I own a reptile store and my partner owns 2 others and we have been jumping from supplier to supplier for the past few months. Our latest one has just run into supply issues and we're in serious need for crickets as we order 100k a week. I have a feeling that, just like Europe, all our cricket farms will crash and we'll be left with roaches only (I'm not sure what the Dept of Ag says on other cricket species). Of course this will be quite a set-back to the reptile industry, as I know many of my customers will not be happy with roaches.

 

[ace9916]

I spoke to my supplier here in northern cal and he to has run out if adult / large crickets all he has left now are up to 3-4 weeks. I to have been reduced to roaches and supers for now. I lost my entire colony of crickets a few months back when I ordered a few crickets from a supplier down here as a surplus.

 

[DAND]

I spoke to my supplier here in northern cal and he to has run out if adult / large crickets all he has left now are up to 3-4 weeks. I to have been reduced to roaches and supers for now. I lost my entire colony of crickets a few months back when I ordered a few crickets from a supplier down here as a surplus.

Now this could mean one of a few things, they may be upping their production and holding back more adults in order to increase their production due to additional customer inflow or they may just have the virus and their crickets are dying off. If you suspect the latter is what is going on I'd suggest looking for another supplier and or a different food source for your critters.

 

[ace9916]

X

Now this could mean one of a few things, they may be upping their production and holding back more adults in order to increase their production due to additional customer inflow or they may just have the virus and their crickets are dying off. If you suspect the latter is what is going on I'd suggest looking for another supplier and or a different food source for your critters.

He told me that he had sold out, and the ones he did have were breeders.