Crickets hiding in the viv furniture

[Mimbulus]

Hi.

I have a new dragon. I'm guessing about 8 to 12 weeks old. We were given a 4ft vivarium and loads of bark and other furniture - making it look like a great home. However, when feeding crickets, small ones, cos of his size, I quickly noticed that they are able to tuck themselves away from him. After a week, I cleared out the furniture evicting the crickets into the viv and find 15 or so "survivors". So about 10% over a week I guess. Is this a problem? I read that ideally the viv should be cricket free at night. Should I decrease the furniture for the time being?

Ta

Mim.

 

[dylanravenj]

Yes, a babies viv should be as simple as possible so it's easy for them to find crickets.
You can also try feeding him in a separate container.

 

[Phoebe]

When I first got my beardie and fed him in his Viv this exact thing happened to me and it worried me beacuse people kept saying that the Crickets will nibble on the beardie at night so I soaked the bark the crickets were hiding inside in boiling water and from then fed him outside his Viv and now here's no problem

 

[Mimbulus]

So this is probably too much for the time being?

 

[imaginarium]

If you're feeding outside the viv I can't imagine the furniture would be a problem. However, can I ask what kind of substrate you have on the floor of it?

 

[westcoastroaches]

so I soaked the bark the crickets were hiding inside in boiling water

Why did you soak the bark in boiling water? Just curious

 

[arpooch]

I have the same problem. I actually just remove the furniture when it's time to feed Gizmo.

 

[Mimbulus]

If you're feeding outside the viv I can't imagine the furniture would be a problem. However, can I ask what kind of substrate you have on the floor of it?

Hi. Can't really feed him outside the viv. How is this managed - can't have crickets running around the room. It would soon sound like a spanish evening!

Yeah - the substrate is sterilised woodchip. Recommended by the shop I bought the critter from - but even as I type I have 8 square feet of slate tiles washed and ready to go in tomorrow. I quickly noticed that in picking up crickets he would have to spit out a couple of bits which he seems to do - but I can see the potential issue.

He does love to dig and I do want to create a digging patch - whats the best substrate to do that?

Mim

 

[arpooch]

You can put him in a seperate container to feed him. A rubbermaid container of something of that sort.

Also, a lot of people put just a little patch of sand in their enclosure for them to dig in.

 

[MALIBUSMOM]

I put malibus crickets in a shallow glass bowl....a rubbermaid container works well also just throw some crickets in the container and add lizard.

 

[sheri85]

i have a baby beardie, and the only thing i have in his tank is one of those half-logs which he loves to bask on. before i offer crickets, i take the log out of the tank, that way the crickets can't hide anywhere whiles he's feeding.

i know another thing people do is feed the beardie in a large sterilite container, that way the bugs are contained and not loose in your house. i haven't done this, but i might once Archer is bigger, especially if i get him more items for his tank. it would probably annoy me to take out more than one thing each time i feed him lol.

 

[westcoastroaches]

I feed all my reps from a separate stack able container. Bleaching and cleaning between each reptile species, to make sure everything s clean and healthy.

 

[AHBD]

This method works for me....I use a jar or other container [ like an oatmeal cylinder] and shake the crix in there with the calcium / vitamin suplement. Shake it hard enough to stun the crix, they get coated with supplement and then they wobble woozily around the dragons, who happily snatch up the dizzy bugs.