Cricket epidemic? CA only?

[CA cowgirl]

Has anyone else experienced a cricket shortage in your area in the last 1-2 weeks? A local pet shop here in CA, was informed by their supplier that there is some kind of cricket shortage, something is wiping out the crickets. Said pet shop was able to get some 3 and 4 week old crickets last Saturday 6/5 from his source, and was able to acquire some 5 week old crickets from another pet shop that doesn't sell as many.

Another reptile hobbist I know, also in California, was unable to get any crickets at the usual locations she goes to in the Bay Area. One shop even told her that if she did find any crickets, that she shouldn't feed them to her animals as lizards and animals are dieing left and right after eating the crickets available now. This to me sounds like someone is mis-informed and is mis-construing the deaths of perhaps a couple poorly cared for reptiles.

I have fed numerous crickets from Saturday's acquisitions, and all of the dwarf geckos I have are still thriving.

I've tried finding news info on google and bing, but no info. Anyone know anything about what's going on? Verifiable info is a plus! Thanks!

[coldblooded]

I have heard about a cricket virus..here is what Ghann's had to say HERE

[CA cowgirl]

Thank you for that link, that explains things a bit.

[bad-one]

It sems like my local herp shop has a major shortage of crickets too.

I'm paranoid my small colony may have it.. I haven't brought any new crickets in but I've had some unusually high die off rates. Usually nothing dies, but I've been have 2-5 dead bodies on young/juvie crickets a day

Hopefully it is just due to the set up change.....

[kitedemon]

Yup same here on the east coast the people I deal with for rats said that they were really having trouble with crickets and were bringing in other feeder insects to take up the slack.

[mpkeelee]

not here in el paso, i dont have anything that eats crickets but i was just in my local guys store and he has tons of crickets. i havent heard of this before but i will ask him. he's always up to date on the latest things in the reptile/exotic pet area

[cinderbird]

ive heard of the cricket virus, its wiping out entire colonies. i read a flyer on it at the last reptile show i was at. Its not looking good.

[mainbutter]

My latest email from pangea reptile mentioned it.

That's gotta suck.

[NotaMallard]

I know someone who's cousin or brother or something runs Tophat Crickets (haha, how's that for he-said-she-said?), and she mentioned a few days ago that he had a huge problem that wiped out all of their crickets. I'm pretty sure Tophat is in Michigan? Haha. That's all I know.

[Foschi Exotic Serpents]

I ordered crickets and was told I could only get a small size due to the virus. I was told its worm virus that was transferred to the crickets when breeders had their worms and crickets in the same area. I'm not positive tho. This is what was on the web page.