Baby beardie will only eat crickets in his tank

[09bushk]

Hello! First-time beardie owner here. I adopted my baby Archie last Sunday from a pet store, and he already trusts me a lot - he'll let me hold and pet him for hours at a time! He's a really great little companion and he loves his collard greens.

However, since he did come from a pet store, he's used to eating crickets in his tank. I don't want him to do this long term, because a) it makes them territorial, and b) crickets are messy and will bite, so I have tried and tried feeding him in external enclosures (varying in size from an ice cream bucket to a large plastic storage container that's wider than his tank). He repeatedly lets them walk all over him (which includes biting), and only shows interest in getting out and being held. At first I figured this was just because he was shy or not hungry (new surroundings may be a factor, and I think he's about to shed), but when I tried putting crickets in his tank, he gobbled them up immediately.

Does anyone have any suggestions for helping him transition from tank eating to external enclosure eating? He's very healthy otherwise, but I worry he's not getting the protein he needs.

 

[Cwilliams]

I'm having this same issue.

 

[kingofnobbys]

So let him.

Just deposit a few crickets in there for him at a time.

 

[09bushk]

So let him.

Just deposit a few crickets in there for him at a time.

I have been because he NEEDS to eat, but I would really like to break him of the habit if possible.

 

[destiny1998]

Hi. Good luck with that. None of my Beardies have ever been moved into another container to eat. Why would you want to do that? Like what difference does it make it he's territorial since he's by himself and you take the left over crickets out so they don't bite. If you're a troll move along.