Probably a silly question about crickets

[Kazzie]

Hey guys n girls, i just picked up my 2 new beardie babies today after weeks of research and enclosure making. couldnt be more happy they are great. I decided to go for paper towel for the substrate so my lil guys dont get impaction, however i just gave them their first feed of crickets and greens. they went nuts eating everything in site but quite a few of the crickets have gone under the towel or behind rocks where the beardies cant get them......So to get to the point can i just leave the crickets in there or should i rip up the paper and get them out.

thanks alot

 

[ozziepythons]

Very good question, get them out. Crickets will nibble away at their toes, tail, etc, if left unattended. There are pics out there of chewed up baby dragons from crickets, and I've had geckos lose toes to nibbling crickets (long ago). Doesn't always happen and some people will say it has never, ever happened to them, but sometimes it does and its best not to risk it. Baby dragons and geckos are the most vulnerable as the skin is softer, but even if they are grown dragons with tough scales they get annoyed being nibbled as they try to sleep at night when the crickets come out from hiding.

 

[Chadleystar]

Hey Kazzie,

If you think that this is going be an issue for you in the future having to always tract down the missing crickets in the cage, concider removing them and placing them in a plastic tub to feed them crickets. If the tub you use just has them and the crickets once they have had their fill they will stop and you can return them to their cage for their green ect aslo this will get them used to handling as well and associate handling with reward.

 

[Kazzie]

yeah i think later i'll be pulling it up, dont want my new lil guys getting chomped.

i thought about the tub feeding cause that is how i feed my python but didnt want to stress them out after their big move today. i never thought about feeding being a reward for handling thats a great idea. thanks guys

 

[nicman72]

Great ideas already put forward, but I'll add my own little nugget...
We tend do most of our feeding in the lizards' tanks, and invariably, a few crickets/woodies will escape. Rather than rip out all the furniture and tear up the astro-turf after every feed, we will actually leave some carrot in the tanks at all times so that when the insects get hungry, they'll go for their more natural diet of veg over lizard scales. If you go down this track, be sure that your water bowl has an escape route for insects that find their way in there, basically just something that they can climb up onto.
Hope this helps Kazzie. And cuddles to your new darlings...
Nic

 

[the jungle guy]

never leave uneaten crix in as it can/will harm your beardies

an easier way try and encourage them to feed in another tub outside there home, that way you can still have substrate but its not as danger as they are clumsy eaters and will take a mouthfull down with there crix

i do this and its much much easier feeding outside the enclsoure but thats IMO only each to there own something to think about

 

[gruba10]

yewp deff watch that they eat em all. i use fake grass, looks good, its cheap and nowhere to hide for the crix

 

[dazzah]

Hi
Just on using paper towl, i actually use newspaper and i got some double sided tape (the small stuff, it's like the clear stuff you have on a little roll) anyways I stick the newspaper down with the double sided tape, i use woodies and they can't get under it, will stop ur dragons going for an explore under it to.