Feeding crickets at bath time?

[tengu1]

Hi there

So with my BD I notice that crickets are the way forward for any training! They suddenly turn into "okay you can do anything you want" mode.

So as the one thing my BD HATES is bath time I was thinking to make it fun and let her run for the crickets in the water (shallow of course) I believe she wouldn't notice or should I say care about the water as she is too busy with the crickets. She is having a mighty shed at present and not a happy girl at all!!! So she has to have a bath.

Any thoughts on this? Anyone done this before?

Thank you

 

[sweetiepie9]

The crickets would drown in any water, as would all other bugs. I think you should give her a good feed at her regular time, then give her a bath. And don't forget, like my dragons, they're testy and grumpy when shedding and the bath is good for her. My dragons get a bath every 2nd day, shedding or not, so they're very used to having a bath. They all need the regular hydration.

 

[tengu1]

The crickets are the frozen type so I would be feeding them from hand

 

[sweetiepie9]

I've never given frozen crickets to my crew, they get live bugs only, so I'm not an expert on that, but that would work, might help her stay in the bath water. Give it a try

 

[tengu1]

She gets live occasionally which is nice for her. She also loves the frozen and I find that they hold a lot of water due to being frozen and defrosted which obviously helps with keeping her hydrated as they don't drink from bowls.

It sort of is a last resort because she really hates bath time and I worry about stressing her out with it.

I will give it a shot and update this post.

Thank you

 

[tengu1]

So an update about feeding crickets during bath time.

Worked like a charm!!

basically I lay her towel in the sink for stability and placed her in and instead of her usual run for her life situation she chilled and kept her eye on the crickets. I fed one by one and trickled water on her tail and back in between each cricket. She actually seemed to enjoy it and suddenly she did a HUGE number 2 three times! She needed that!! He skin really needed it. I took her out and let her finish the two remaining crickets and dried her off and put her back and now she is basking looking quite happy and looking at me as if to say "think you're clever?" LOL

So if you have a BD that hates bath time use the frozen but obviously defrosted crickets during bath time. Worked for me.

 

[sweetiepie9]

You should be giving her baths every 2 days, helps with her poop, hydradtion (very important) and she gets extra food, too. Glad it worked so well!

 

[tengu1]

A bath every two days??? I read all the time that a bath should be done once a week or even once every two weeks.

I mean it is great to do it that often of course and now that she chills out with crickets maybe I will try and bath her more often. She is in her sulk corner now, does it every time after a bath. It is quite funny really!

Thanks for your advice!

 

[sweetiepie9]

Especially in the summer when it's hot. They get very dehydrated, which means they don't poop as often as they should. It also affects their appetite. I have 5 dragons and have been rescuing for 9 years, I've learned alot from alot of experienced owners and that's the first thing, baths every 2, 3 days at the longest, but more in the summertime. Dehydration causes alot of issues with dragons. If you check out the Care Sheet above, you'll see that's mentioned, too. I also feed them water from a syringe in the afternoon if I'm home, if it's been really hot outside. We're having a heat wave, 85F, which is hot for where I live, so they get extra baths and water.

It really helps them as it's the only way they get lots of water absorbed inside. Their greens helps, especially if you wash them before giving it to them, but mine don't always eat their greens. They're under hot lights most of the day, too, so the baths just help them alot.

 

[tengu1]

That is really interesting and very helpful. I honestly did not know that.

I wash her greens but as you say the heat from the lamps soon dry them out, saying that she does instantly eat them but during her shed she doesn't.

I feel a bath time coming on today

May I ask how you give water with a syringe?

Thank you

 

[sweetiepie9]

I put water in a large syringe (I get 5 cc syringes at the pharmacy) and drip the water on their mouths. If they're thirsty, they'll start licking. Mine all like to drink from syringes as they don't tend to drink from their bath water. Try it, it works well

 

[tengu1]

I gave it a try today and initially she shacked it off and gave me the classic stink eye (she is very good at that)

I tried again and she sat there with three droplets on her mouth and then suddenly started to open her mouth and sort of lick. So I gave her a bit more and then she walked off and gave me the stink eye again!! LOL

Today was weigh and measurement day. She is now 146g and 36cm long from tail to head. The vet said she is a good size for her age which is 13 months. I look forward to when she is older and less skittish!