That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Captive insect-eating reptiles and amphibians (and perhaps invertebrates) are often plagued by nutritional deficiencies. A highly-varied diet is a great way to ensure adequate nutrition, but most keepers have access to only a few feeder-insect species; gut-loading (providing nutritious diets to feeders) is helpful, but detailed studies are lacking. While touring several Japanese zoos a few years ago, I was intrigued by the number of cricket species being bred as herp food, and resolved to investigate the species and diets I saw in greater detail. A recent article in Zoo Biology (2011, V. 30), which provides insights into carotenoid supplementation in three different cricket species, has re-sparked my interest. I’ll summarize below.

Carotenoids

Carotenoids are pigments that occur in plants. Animals, as far as is known, cannot manufacture carotenoids but rather must obtain them through their diet.

Carotenoids benefit the immune system by acting as antioxidants, function in the reproductive and other systems, and are believed partially responsible for the health benefits enjoyed by people who regularly consume fruits and vegetables.  We know little of their role in reptile and amphibian health, but many zoo nutritionists believe them to be important. Read More »

The Domestic, Brown or House Cricket, Acheta domesticus, is the most widely-used live food for reptiles, amphibians, tarantulas, scorpions and other pets. At once hardy and delicate, it eats just about anything and is easy to breed, yet a colony can be wiped out in hours if conditions are not perfect.  Whether you need only to keep a few alive so that they can feed for several days (thereby increasing their nutritional value) or plan to save money by ordering in bulk or breeding your own crickets, die-offs can be avoided if you follow a few simple rules.

Primary Concerns

Poor ventilation, crowded conditions and high humidity are the most common reasons for cricket colony failures. These three factors are related to one another, and will be discussed below.

Natural History

Domestic Crickets are native to southwestern Asia. Escapees have established populations throughout the world, usually in close association with people. Their taxonomic order, Orthoptera, contains over 20,000 grasshoppers, katydids and related insects.

The USA is home to over 120 cricket species; my favorites, the bizarre Mole Crickets, tunnel below-ground with spade-like front legs (please see photo).  Over 3,000 species have been described worldwide. New Zealand’s “super cricket”, the Giant Weta, is the world’s heaviest insect…at 70 grams, it weighs as much as a House Sparrow!  Read More »