Feeding crickets in 40 gallon tank

Hi all, I’m a newb here and was wondering how you all feed crickets to your beardie??
I recently upgraded to the exo terra 40 gallon tank that opens in the front, and it comes with the rock like background attached to it. I tried letting loose crickets and it went EVERYWHERE. Even went behind the background and I can’t seem to find them anywhere. The only way for me to locate is for me to take everything out. So needless to say my Doli won’t be able to feed on them because he/she can’t locate them. I tried putting doli in a sepate 20 gallon tank with the crickets but he/she just freezes and won’t feed. I tried hand feeding them but doli would take maybe 4-5 crickets the most and won’t want any more. (Whereas when I let them free he/she will take 25 easy, guess they like to hunt them down.). So... any ideas? thanks in advance!!

They do love hiding in those wire channels in the foam background of those tanks. I've found it best to offer crickets in small batches. Put a few in a small cup and sprinkle a little calcium powder in and shake them up a bit to coat evenly. Then let a few loose at a time so they are easier for both of you to track. Just keep repeating that until your dragon loses interest. That will prevent a ton of them from going everywhere and hiding in the tank.

CooperDragon":3caq4t52 said:

They do love hiding in those wire channels in the foam background of those tanks. I've found it best to offer crickets in small batches. Put a few in a small cup and sprinkle a little calcium powder in and shake them up a bit to coat evenly. Then let a few loose at a time so they are easier for both of you to track. Just keep repeating that until your dragon loses interest. That will prevent a ton of them from going everywhere and hiding in the tank.

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Thanks!! I actually put the crickets in a clear plastic bowl and put that in the terrarium and he/she was happily feeding in there without the worry of crickets jumping out. Works great!!!

When I fed crickets to Loki, I had a separate feeding tub so I wouldn't have to worry about that. Just a good rubbermaid tub will do (cost about $4 at Walmart)

I have never had much luck getting young skinks and dragons to eat their live bugs in a separate tub, always too interested in me and what they can see outside the tub, so I gave in a long time ago and opted to take one more stressor out of the equation by giving the young lizards their bugs in their rearing tubs just a few at a time , they soon learn to watch you and know when the bugs are coming and are eager and expectant , and watching you when you drop the bugs to them and are onto them pretty quick .... I let them catch the bugs and eat them and repeat , this happens a few insects at time until the lizard looses interest at which I stop dropping insects for them to eat.

I guess it just depends on the dragon, as Loki never had any problems.