Other insects in crickets box & better ways to feed them?

[TheReptile838]

I got my Bearded Dragon Mojo on Saturday the 19th (so just over a week) and has been eating amazingly! About 10-15 crickets or hoppers or roaches per feeding (2 feedings a day) and has been needing a top up of her greens bowl too =D I was told she was 2 months old by the people at the reptile shop but some people on here have said that she may be older, so maybe about 5 months old.
But I have some questions about the feeding

1. I originally bought a box of crickets and got free hoppers from the reptile shop (they always give one free box of bugs to start you off with a new pet) But no more hoppers as Mojo ate them all and they jump too much o_o... But I ordered about 250 crickets and 50 dubia roaches online that came on Tuesday, roaches gone within about 3 days and have about 20 crix left. I also bought a tub of crickets from Pets Corner today as we were running out and needed some. But only in the cricket tubs (didn't see any in roaches or hoppers and I don't recall seeing them in the cricket tub from the reptile shop) I saw these small weird grey things with what look like mini hairs. They look kinda like caterpillars.
Has anyone else had these? I was just wondering if they are ok and crickets don't eat them (don't know where they could have from and that goes into Mojo) or they could eat the crix which is obviously not good. They are in the cricket keeper but have avoided them when feeding Mojo. Just wondering what they are and if anybody else has had experience with them?

2. Mojo is a very lazy eater. I put a cricket into the vivarium and she (or he) won't touch it unless it is right in front of her. He's been really tame and settled in well and today I started handling which she took onto really well. It is a pain always putting crickets in the vivarium, her missing them and then they hide (I think she finds them later as they seem to be gone except one is living in a lava rock thing which I'm sorting tomorrow.) So I put her in this big tub, which will be for Morio Worms when she is big enough to eat them, and put in about 20 small crickets and she ignored them. She was scratching at the edge of the box and clearly didn't want to be in there. I took her out and tried again which again she didn't like, so I fed her in the vivarium again. I don't want her to get really lazy, but she won't eat in any other way.
How do you feed bugs to your beardie and what do you think is the best way to do it? By the way, can you dunk a couple of the bottom of the insect into calcium powder?

Sorry that this is really long! I just wanted to go through all the detail and ask these questions =]

 

[tbostic91]

Corky is really lazy when it comes to eating, and I HATE crickets.. so i found a way better option, its just a little more expensive. I order these http://www.phoenixworm.com

They are the perfect feeder, reptiles love them, they are filled with the perfect ratio of calcium. They last for weeks in room temperature, and you can leave them in a dish.

I use them and dust them with vitamins twice a week, no need to dust them with calcium. and my BD goes crazy for them. I order about a 1000 worms and it lasts me about 2 weeks.

 

[Taterbug]

Sounds like you got dermestid larvae - they are used by some breeders as clean up crew.

Try chilling the crix so they are slower or serving them in a big dish (so they can't hop out) in the cage. She may do better with that than a feeding tub. She may be full enough she doesn't feel the need to hunt and just eats what's easiest. It sounds like she is eating well!

 

[TheReptile838]

Thanks for the info!

So Phoenix Worms every day? I use the Vetark Nutrobal calcium dust which has vitamin supplements in, can I use that? I've been dusting crickets every day but on one feeding. Should I carry on since Mojo is still only about 4 months old?
Do you think medium phoenix worms are the best size? I'll probably be ordering from that site but will have to work out everything with the money and things.

I have been putting crickets in the fridge to daze them but when I take them out they still move a bit, but when I had hoppers and other crix, they didn't seem to move for a bit, but it doesn't really matter. I'll try with putting them in a bowl as soon as they have come out from the fridge.

On another forum, someone mentioned that they do hand feeding in the bath with a flannel or towel on the floor which I might try out.

I'll hopefully be getting Phoenix Worms, so I'll see with the whole crickets and jumping situation.

Thanks

 

[tbostic91]

Thanks for the info!

So Phoenix Worms every day? I use the Vetark Nutrobal calcium dust which has vitamin supplements in, can I use that? I've been dusting crickets every day but on one feeding. Should I carry on since Mojo is still only about 4 months old?
Do you think medium phoenix worms are the best size? I'll probably be ordering from that site but will have to work out everything with the money and things.

I have been putting crickets in the fridge to daze them but when I take them out they still move a bit, but when I had hoppers and other crix, they didn't seem to move for a bit, but it doesn't really matter. I'll try with putting them in a bowl as soon as they have come out from the fridge.

On another forum, someone mentioned that they do hand feeding in the bath with a flannel or towel on the floor which I might try out.



I'll hopefully be getting Phoenix Worms, so I'll see with the whole crickets and jumping situation.

Thanks

I cant really speak for crickets because I don't use them, but yes you can use phoenix worms as a staple everyday, but variety is good as well. I've never used Vetark Nutrobal so i also cant comment on that vitamin supplement. I use Herptivite Vitamin Powder from Rep Cal, great stuff. 6 days a week might be little bit of overkill for mojo. Some sites say 5 days a week, some say 2 days. I dust 2 times a week and Corky looks bright and healthy. Putting him in the bath tub is an way effective to get your BD used to you, just make sure your careful and move slowly.

 

[Taterbug]

I dust plain calcium on most prey. Crickets, roaches and supers get dusted 90-100% of the time. Silkworms 25-30% since they hold more powder. BSFL I would dust similar to silks since they are higher in calcium.
I dust vitamin supplements 2x weekly. Depending on the supplement and the ratio of contents will determine the regimen, I'm not sure what nutribal has or how much of it. It sounds like people use it both ways.

 

[tbostic91]

IMHO i would not dust phoenix worms with calcium, they already contain high calcium to begin with, you could overload your dragon with too much calcium..