How many crickets a day for sub-adult?

[Luthor]

Hi

I was just wondering what people deem a reasonable amount of crickets to feed in a day to a 12" long 12month old?

My guidebook just says "as many as they can consume in one ten minute feeding", but as I am letting them roam - this can obviously vary considerably depending how quickly he catches them.

I also wondered if I should drop them all in at once or just a few at a time? And should I remove any he hasn't caught after ten minutes?

They are 4th size crickets.

Thanks

Luth

 

[kimmie]

Angus could munch about 50 crix in a 10 min span sometimes and as many as 70. Now he's holding out for Superworms LOL!

If you can, feed them together in a seperate area (plastic tub, aquarium, etc) that way if you have leftover crix, you can dump them back into their bin and put your beardie back into his viv. Do NOT leave any crix leftover in with him as they can bite and cause infections.

Oh I've done both, given so many and if he ate them and there was still time left in that 10 min span, I'd dump more in. Seems to work better than way than overwhelming them with LOTS!

 

[ClydesGirl]

My Clyde is only about 4 months old and 12 inches. He can probably eat 80-100 a day if they are 1/2" and fewer if they are bigger than that. Right now I have some pretty big crickets because Fluker's sent me the wrong size, so he only eats maybe 50-60 of those a day. (Don't worry! I've been very mindful of impaction with the larger crickets and so far so good!)

Anyway, I wanted to second the idea of a separate feeding bin. I started using one several weeks ago and it makes life MUCH easier. I've read that some beardies refuse to eat outside their vivs because they get stressed by the unfamiliar environment, but Clyde had no trouble at all adjusting to it. He still eats and hunts like a champ! What I usually do is just put as many in there as I think he'll eat in 10 minutes based on past experience and then if he ends up eating them all, I will add more. Usually though, he ends up leaving 3 or 4, so I'm pretty good at estimating it now. Also, wait the full 10 minutes, even if he seems to stop sooner. Clyde will take little breaks where he'll stop eating and look at me for a bit, but then he'll usually go back to eating again. I think that he just takes a little break to figure out if he's full or not. When he's actually done eating, they he'll start glass dancing and getting annoyed by any of the extra crickets climbing around him. That's when I know he's actually done.

 

[Luthor]

Thanks guys

The idea of a seperate bin does sound good. I have a fish tank that I can use so will try that out.

I think he may actually be younger than the 12 months that the pet shop "thought" he was, judging by the size of Clyde at 4 months.

 

[ClydesGirl]

I think he may actually be younger than the 12 months that the pet shop "thought" he was, judging by the size of Clyde at 4 months.

Well, Clyde has grown like a weed since I got him two months ago. He was only 6-7" back then and is now a little over 12". He's a good eater. Always eats a ton of crickets and some of his salad every day. I look back at pictures of him from when I first got him and I can't believe he was ever that small!

 

[Luthor]

Well...

He had no problem with being in the tank...gobbled about another 10 crickets but then wanted out (he has just eaten 20 in his viv).

Excellent idea - thanks. And much easier.

I may just pop one or two in his viv now and then to give him something to do.

 

[ATLBeardedDragons]

If you can, feed them together in a seperate area (plastic tub, aquarium, etc) that way if you have leftover crix, you can dump them back into their bin and put your beardie back into his viv. Do NOT leave any crix leftover in with him as they can bite and cause infections.quote]

This is the best idea to do... But I know it may be tideous to do so... If you put a small pile of greens on the floor (sand/substrate) than the crickets will feed off of this instaed of even trying to bite your beardie. Your Dragon is a Sub-Adult not a hatchling, so it's scales are extremely coarse. Hatchlings & Young Juveniles are at a higher risk for infections upon being bitten by a cricket due to the thinner layer of scales/skin they obtain.


**** If there are less than 5 crickets left over after a feeding, don't stress. Especially if you house your beardie in a 20 gal. long or larger.


[email protected]

www.AtlantaBeardedDragons.com

sincerely,
ABD

 

[Luthor]

**** If there are less than 5 crickets left over after a feeding, don't stress. Especially if you house your beardie in a 20 gal. long or larger.


[email protected]

http://www.AtlantaBeardedDragons.com

sincerely,
ABD

That's good to hear. I was up till about 5am the other night trying to catch the little bleeders. There's one left tonight so I can sleep soundly. Thanks.

 

[kimmie]

I found a superworm hiding yesterday - sucker got out of the dish and got under his fake rock structure!

 

[mrbeardie]

my dragon has not been eating crickets as much as he use to. he would go through about 40 in one sitting but now hes calmed down on them. think he doesnt like them anymore but man he sure can put back the worms like no one's business

 

[Luthor]

my dragon has not been eating crickets as much as he use to. he would go through about 40 in one sitting but now hes calmed down on them. think he doesnt like them anymore but man he sure can put back the worms like no one's business

Yes, Dewi seems to be enjoy his worms more and more. I think that may be down to the fact that they are easier to catch..especially hand fed(!) and he's quickly becoming lazy and mollicoddled.

He sits on my chest on the couch and gets them hand fed to him like some old Roman emperor being fed grapes.

 

[mrbeardie]

my dragon has not been eating crickets as much as he use to. he would go through about 40 in one sitting but now hes calmed down on them. think he doesnt like them anymore but man he sure can put back the worms like no one's business

Yes, Dewi seems to be enjoy his worms more and more. I think that may be down to the fact that they are easier to catch..especially hand fed(!) and he's quickly becoming lazy and mollicoddled.

He sits on my chest on the couch and gets them hand fed to him like some old Roman emperor being fed grapes.

hahaha so does mine. he still like the crickets every once and awhile but he doesnt want them man he sure lets me know. puts his head up in the air and wont even look at them, but when i put a dozen or so worms in fromt of him he's all game. love the roman emperor thing cracked me up haha