Crickets...40 a day?!?

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MsFrizzle

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Okay so Steven is eating like crazy!! Hes 106g and 13 inches.
I'm feeding him small crickets because the large ones still seem bigger than he space of his eyes... but 40 a day?? He still eats a good amount of greens too!

When do I start to cut back the crickets and give more salad?
 
K

kyleena29

Sub-Adult Member
Be glad you have a healthy eater lol. How many times is he eating a day? He actually sounds like he's on the leaner side and could use a little more weight. Mine were around 160grams when they were 13".
You don't need to worry about reducing bugs till they are around a year depending on if they are close to adult size. He will slow down some by then. Once they are around 1.5yrs they should switch the ratio to 80% salad and 20% bugs. The opposite for under that age. You can try dubia roaches. They are more packed in nutition than a cricket and would then eat less roaches compared to crickets. If you can do 3 meals a day that would be ideal for a growing baby.
 
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MsFrizzle

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Original Poster
I have a teacher at my school who I think I can buy some roaches from...I'm worried about the allergies they create because I'm really susceptible. and I'm about to be able to gst more crickets from my school district

I feed him three times a day and veggies...but sometimes the crickets are so small...

How big should he be when I switch to large crickets?
 
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kyleena29

Sub-Adult Member
It really just depends on his size. As you already know, the size between the eyes. If you can deal with crickets maybe you can with dubias? I guess there's only one way to find out :| You can see how well he does with a few of the bigger crickets. If he chews them up good.
 
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MsFrizzle

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Original Poster
Yeah...maybe since I'm not breeding them.

And I'm just going to start to order Phoenix worms. It's way cheaper then crickets and better for him. So maybe between that change I can fatten him up a little.
 
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kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
MsFrizzle":2v9n59f7 said:
Okay so Steven is eating like crazy!! Hes 106g and 13 inches.
I'm feeding him small crickets because the large ones still seem bigger than he space of his eyes... but 40 a day?? He still eats a good amount of greens too!

When do I start to cut back the crickets and give more salad?
Click to expand...
If he's 106g he's maybe 4 months old so still a hatchling and NEEDS at least two meals of live insects per day , as many as he wants per meal , per day. DEFINITELY NOT TIME TO CUT BACK.

Cricket size suitable for him is 1/4 - 1/3 size crickets , if your local pet shop wont supply them , buy them in bulk (by the 500) online , plenty of places who will sell insects in bulk and send them by o/night courier or express post on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

30 - 40 crickets per day sounds about right at his size and age , split over next 2 or 3 meals.

basic Feeding schedules :

hatchlings
three feeds of live appropriate sized insects per day as many as they want per session offered a few at time if it's hoppy or fast moving
+ offer fresh high calcium greens daily (might not eat it).

Juveniles (6 months to 12 months)
two feeds of insects per day
+ offer fresh high calcium greens daily (might not eat it)

Good staple insects
>> BSF maggots
>> blowfly gents
and the pupae and flies , great for hatchlings and juveniles , naturally rich in calcium
>> silkworms
small (1-1.5 inch for sub 3 month olds)
medium (1.5 - 2 inch for larger hatchlings and juveniles)
large ( > 2 inch for beardies older than 12 months.
>> crickets / roaches / locusts , must be gutloaded with calcium rich foods and greens & dusted LIGHTLY with calcium powder.

Repashi GRUBPIE is acceptable as a backup food.

Hard and soft pellets are dubious , ok mixed in as softened croutons through their greens/salad (maybe).
 
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melissasiobhan

Member
Yes, at this age/size he will eat you out of house and home. Hes like a teenage boy constantly raiding the fridge. He cpuld probably even stand to eat more. But do not worry, it is not like this forever. Once an adult he will eat way more veggies and less protein.
 
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kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
melissasiobhan":2kxwf2w2 said:
Yes, at this age/size he will eat you out of house and home. Hes like a teenage boy constantly raiding the fridge. He cpuld probably even stand to eat more. But do not worry, it is not like this forever. Once an adult he will eat way more veggies and less protein.
Click to expand...
.... you might learn something from these :
the diet of wild beardies ( they don't eat much veg material )
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=230705&hilit=wild+beardies+stomach+contents
the bearded dragon food pyramid
viewtopic.php?f=18&t=236074

My adult dragons get one meal of live insects per day + greens.
 
M

MsFrizzle

Member
Original Poster
Yeah that 40 crickets is split over 3 feedings of live feeders and he gets 2 feedings of veggies.

kingofnobbys":chbr641c said:
MsFrizzle":chbr641c said:
Okay so Steven is eating like crazy!! Hes 106g and 13 inches.
I'm feeding him small crickets because the large ones still seem bigger than he space of his eyes... but 40 a day?? He still eats a good amount of greens too!

When do I start to cut back the crickets and give more salad?
Click to expand...
If he's 106g he's maybe 4 months old so still a hatchling and NEEDS at least two meals of live insects per day , as many as he wants per meal , per day. DEFINITELY NOT TIME TO CUT BACK.

Cricket size suitable for him is 1/4 - 1/3 size crickets , if your local pet shop wont supply them , buy them in bulk (by the 500) online , plenty of places who will sell insects in bulk and send them by o/night courier or express post on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

30 - 40 crickets per day sounds about right at his size and age , split over next 2 or 3 meals.

basic Feeding schedules :

hatchlings
three feeds of live appropriate sized insects per day as many as they want per session offered a few at time if it's hoppy or fast moving
+ offer fresh high calcium greens daily (might not eat it).

Juveniles (6 months to 12 months)
two feeds of insects per day
+ offer fresh high calcium greens daily (might not eat it)

Good staple insects
>> BSF maggots
>> blowfly gents
and the pupae and flies , great for hatchlings and juveniles , naturally rich in calcium
>> silkworms
small (1-1.5 inch for sub 3 month olds)
medium (1.5 - 2 inch for larger hatchlings and juveniles)
large ( > 2 inch for beardies older than 12 months.
>> crickets / roaches / locusts , must be gutloaded with calcium rich foods and greens & dusted LIGHTLY with calcium powder.

Repashi GRUBPIE is acceptable as a backup food.

Hard and soft pellets are dubious , ok mixed in as softened croutons through their greens/salad (maybe).
Click to expand...

He's about 5 months, going on 6. He's 13 and 1/4 inches
 
K

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
a bit small for his age , but there a wide spread in he distribution , so long as he's eating well and healthy and active , I wouldn't worry if he's a little small.
 
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