Cricket size? Advice welcome :)

[nikipop]

Ok so.. I get the idea of not feeding them anything bigger than the space between their eyes and this question may make me seem dense but I am well prepared for that which space are we talking? The indentation? The actual space from eye to eye? I want move Cross to crickets from our local pet shop because they are cheaper and already gutloaded but I want to make sure it's safe. So what size is the correct size for him? I am including a pic in hopes that someone can clear it up for me... Any advice on size would be appreciated

 

[mafoo]

i was wondering the same thing a while ago for my frogs and later beardys and i still never got a fully good answer but im pretty sure the length of the cricket should be no longer then the width of the dragons head which is exactly where your measuring. if your pet store is like mine where they base there cricket size on age 3 week old crickets should be good or maybe even 2 week olds. i hope this helps you out!

 

[sprinz03]

New dragon owner here. I thought the space referred to is between the eyes. What about the size of the crickets? Does that include their legs?

I just started feeding my guy large crickets because I couldn't keep up with the amount of little crickets he was eating. Now I'm afraid they're too big.

 

[PonchoandDaddy]

Poncho is pretty good sized now but bc I don't ever want to worry about them neing too big, I get 1/4" crickets. I order them 1000 at a time and keep them in a sterilite container. They grow pretty quick so that way I don't end up with too many monster crickets. Someone else may disagree but I say go smaller and just feed more if you need to. It elminates your worry.

 

[sprinz03]

How long does 1000 last for you? I guess I should upgrade from my cricket keeper to a sterilite tub. Thanks!

 

[PonchoandDaddy]

They last me about 3-4 weeks. Its just a whole lot cheaper to get them in bulk. At the petstore I paid 11 cents a piece, when I buy them 1000 at a time I get them for like 1.5 cents a piece.

 

[AtlasStrike]

Larger crickets, the fully grown ones with wings and the hard shell are a huge impaction risk. They are mostly chitin. Try to crush them and you will see just how hard their bodies are, and their little heads are like jaw breakers.

Ordering in bulk is the best option for almost everyone. I order 500 at a time and keep them in a 60 quart sterilite with eggcrates and cardboard tubes from paper towel and bath tissue. The more space you give them the better.

I would say that if you put the cricket on your dragons head, it should sit right in the middle. With its nose near your dragon's nose, it should fit in the space between the bumps over the eyes. If the legs are close to the eyes, it is too big.

 

[mafoo]

Larger crickets, the fully grown ones with wings and the hard shell are a huge impaction risk. They are mostly chitin. Try to crush them and you will see just how hard their bodies are, and their little heads are like jaw breakers.

Ordering in bulk is the best option for almost everyone. I order 500 at a time and keep them in a 60 quart sterilite with eggcrates and cardboard tubes from paper towel and bath tissue. The more space you give them the better.

I would say that if you put the cricket on your dragons head, it should sit right in the middle. With its nose near your dragon's nose, it should fit in the space between the bumps over the eyes. If the legs are close to the eyes, it is too big.

just came to check up on the thread and seen this, doesnt really make sence to me since if i follow that rule with cricket size most of the crickets are fully grown and have wings! today i just went to the local pet store and got 2 dozen 4 week old crickets and there perfect size but they got the wings on them so how do you follow this rule? i take it its best to just get smaller crickets without the wings and just make sure your not going to big? another thing is if you order 500 at a time and only have 1 bearded dragon, wont the crickets get bigger and then develop the wings and hard shell? if you could clear this up itd be great since this isnt making sence to me and it might not make sence to other people either.

 

[doulos668]

I went with the half inch crickets for my two 4 month olds. I bought 500 and they were all gone in 8 days. I will be going to the five week or 3/4 inch crickets this time . Since their life is only about 8 weeks you do not want to get them too old as they will die off before you can feed them all to your beardie. I will see how that works.

As far as size, watch them eat and see if it is to much for them. If they have to work at eating them, they are too big, if they swollow them without any work, they are too small and will burn a hole in your wallet.

 

[doulos668]

Also, I have that same decor in my tank for them to bask on. Be sure to plug the holes in it, crickets will crawl in and hide.

 

[birksy]

I would suggest feeding him in a plastic container like I do I had the problem of keeping the crickets in his tank and they would find every single little thing to hide in plus when they grew the noise drove my wife nuts lol

Now I keep them downstairs and twice a day I take Geordie out and put him in the container and feed him as much as he will eat in 15 mins

Will make your life a lot easier as the cricket smell won't invest your cage (nevermind the cricket turd lol) and you won't have to worry about clogging up all the holes