I just bought my 3rd batch of medium sized crickets for my Leo (which I've had now for 2 weeks). Bought 1st batch (about 35) which were kept on part of an egg carton in a throwaway flimsy cricket container -- didn't notice any awful smells with them. Bought 2nd batch of 16, kept them instead in a plastic container with a paper towell on the bottom. Didn't notice a bad smell there either. 3rd batch was 32 crickets also kept inside the plastic container with a paper towell (after the container had been cleaned). When the bag from the pet store was opened to put them in the container, the difference in smell was immediately noticeable. My son thought that we'd brought the petstore home with us. These ones STINK, and I mean STINK! Like trying to get a catchy song out your mind, I've even been hallucinating the rancid smell while at work. There have been a number of this last batch which have shed their skin and a few have been partially eaten by the others although I've been feeding them all gutload as their diet (like I've done the other 2 batches). Do crickets normally smell BAAAADD? Do they smell bad when they shed? Do they smell bad only if they're carrying some type of disease? Should I be concerned about feeding any of this batch to my Leo or is the smell normal, and I just missed it somehow for the 1st two batches?
Usually I don't notice the smell for at least a week, but sometimes it's almost immediate. Don't know if it's a bad sign if it's that quick, but in general.... they stink.
They shouldn't really stink normally, but once they start to die off or if they have been in with rotten food and mold that could certainly lead to a stench problem. I have no idea what effect that would have on them being a good food source for your leo, but myself, I probably wouldn't feed them if they smelled that bad. Rav
I had the same prob they are very stinky partly because of different foods, I keep mine on wild bird seed and they eat it (They also get cricket food) and they don't smell as bad. when I clean the cage I just dump it outside by the bird feeder so the birds get a little treat too.
i think its better to give outmany small criketsthe big onestink and scared the shtiout of me... i dontmind one crikets on me but i cant put my hand in the plastic cage when there is to much near the finger.Someone else do have criket fear for no reason?...I can handle many snakes at same time etc...but insect ....DUnno ...somthingwrongwith them..
One thing that can lead to crickets smelling really bad is high humidity with not enough air circulation... the lack of air is why they smelled so bad coming out of the bag from the pet store... Jason
