Crickets hiding in paper towel

[Crys]

Hi guys...

I just got my two baby bearded dragons on Monday, Karma & Zen. I tried to do research in advance but apparently not enough because I have been learning lots more ever since I joined here...

Anyway, I feed my babies crix on Tuesday, I put 10 or 11 in the terrarium with them but they were just standing still, not doing anything, so I thought watching them may be freaking them out, so I left. When I looked in later I didn't see any crickets so I thought all was okay. Then when I went to change my paper towel substrate the next day I found 5 hiding in the paper towels. I saw Zen grab up one cricket and eat it once we saw it so I left them in for a while longer to see if they would eat some more. They didn't so I took the crix back out last night before turning out the lights.

I was also worried about dehydration so I gave the babies a bath last night which they seemed to love!

Anyway, does anyone have a remedy to how to put in the paper towel so the dragons don't have a problem finding their food?

 

[Twobeardieguy]

You can try feeding them in a separate container!

 

[Loganator]

We have always fed in a separate container. I grew tired of trying to find all the uneaten hiding crickets I have also heard that live crickets left in your tank with a baby beardie can be dangerous as some crics will bite on them. Just use a rubbermaid container or something similar, large enough for the beardie to move around a bit. This also makes it easier to keep a count of how many they are eating. We have a fairly lazy beardie that doesn't chase them down. So the smaller feeding container causes them to be right under his nose!

 

[Crys]

That is an excellent idea! I'll try that tonight!

 

[Delshara]

We had huge success with feeding our beardie (when he was little) in a giant wooden salad bowl. It had great traction. I use a black plastic dishpan now that he's bigger, but my husband pointed out that he doesn't get a good grip on the surface. He does a little more sliding around in it. It doesn't seem to matter though - when a superworm hits the dishpan, Nero is right on it in 0.102934 seconds.

 

[newreef8584]

Just curious on the size of the crickets your feeding. You said you put 10-11 in the viv and the two beardies only ate 5-6? Are you following the sizing rule of no bigger then the space between their eyes? My baby girl who is just over 5 weeks will polish off the first 4-6 before the next 4-6 even know what is happening. lol

That said my Kiyo will barely even look at a cricket under 1/2". I know, I know should be feeding 1/4-3/8 but she wants no part of small prey. Ordering some Pheonix Worms next week and am worried about the size.

Could you tell us more about the viv? Lights, temps ect...

Could also be a little relocation stress.