Automatic Cricket Dispenser

[beckdg]

without quantum physics, full automation, electromechanical engineering, optical sensors and full web control, security and observation i'm not interested.

[Mikey8567]

Damn it to all hell!!! LOL Now I have to build (or figure) this thing out! If you've seen my other posts I have a habit of over doing stuff. I'm a Mc Guiver at heart and have made many things that I needed to. After reading the entire posting (and LMFAO TY) I'm going to give this thing a try. So the concept is to go buy said # of crickets, dump them into a bin, set the # you want dispensed at a certain time, and let it do it's thing...... Hmmm sounds interesting! Would have been nice when I had my collection of scorpions. Think I'll start with the designing now. I need a good task anyways.

[MtuPup]

God's speed.

[ultimbow]

Here is my idea for the dispenser

You need a long tube for the cricket to fall in but not be able to jump out. 12 to 20 inch is my guess i didn't work with cricket that much. This work with door operate by electric solenoid/piston. The top door has an optic sensor to count the cricket when they fall in. Lets say 5. They fall in being attract by light, food, heat, something. After five the top door close and keep them lock inside (this work on a 24hrs cycle). At 1pm or the time you like the bottom door open 1min or 2 to let all the cricket get out or fall into the viv you can add a little cellphone vibrator unit or something similar to force the cricket to fall. When the bottom door close after the time program is past it reset the top one to open and start the hole cycle again.

So that is my idea if you like it let me know i might need help to build it. specially for programmation.

i will post a pick of my idea soon

[phoenixflames44]

so many strange members I've never seen... Anyway, this post is where the money is. Whoever designs and successfully builds one of these will be rolling in $$$

[CrazyAirborne]

lets see those pics!!! lol. what a good read this has been on a bored Wed afternoon

[dr. love]

Originally Posted by Hewhois

Ya'll are making this waaay too complicated. Simply build multiple enclosures, each with a separate trap door. If you want 4 crickets per feeding, put 4 crickets per enclosure, then rig the trap doors to open one at a time every 8 (or whatever) hours in sequence.

I bet you could even modify an automatic pill dispenser to fit the bill. Or just use one as a jump off point to create your own dispenser. Something similar to this:

Automatic Pill Dispenser Organizer

This is exactly what i thought of, taking inspiration form those cat feeder things i have seen. However, one thing that would maybe need to be modified is a way of feeding the crickets, as my idea would be for a lengthier period than a day or two, say a week or two. Bug grub could be provided, along with the gel water stuff, but once the door is open, the frog, or gecko in my case could ingest the water/food, which i wouldn't want as i'm not sure if it would be harmful (the dried water gel looks rather harmful). so there would need to be something which would stop the gecko getting at the food. maybe a double layer and a coarse netting? so the little crickets mouths could get at it, but not my geckos... so yea.. any advancement on that?

[J Teezy]

I guess no one ever mastered this?

[greenanole]

Originally Posted by theamish

Anybody ever attempt anything like this? Seems to me it would be possible using the concept of an automatic fish feeder with a little trap door on a downward type angle to just sort of dump the crickets right out(LOL... funny picture in my head of the crickets holding on for dear life).

Anyway was thinking it would be pretty cool to have something like this for short vacations and weekend trips considering I don't really know anybody who lives in my area because I just moved here not to long ago.

Info??.... Ideas??..... Attempts??

What about using a basic stamp to control a door???

[x5tr41ghtj4ck3t]

It took my 5 minutes to think of it and about 10 to draw. I do not claim to have any desire to patent this, so please... steal this idea. (But if you makes teh monies, I would likes maybe a wee lil cut? =] )


EDIT: I just went through the posts and saw that pill dispenser =/ I guess I'm not so smart =[
EDIT2: To address the cricket's starving issue, I suppose they could have some sort of food that is glued to one wall of each of their cells.