Whats the best way to give my beardie crickets?

[kaylahoneyy]

I'm really skittish of crickets in particular.. my friend said to just dump the whole bag in there and let her go for them as she pleases but I'm not so sure... what's the best way to distribute them to her?? how many a day??

 

[sushiftg475]

As to the number of crickets a day, it depends on the age of the bearded dragon so you can ask your vet or look on reliable sources online. I usually recommend against dumping the whole bag of crickets in the tank since if your bearded dragon doesn't catch them all that day they will die and stink up the tank. I feed Bandit one cricket at a time. You should get some kind of container with breathing holes to put the crickets in once you purchase them. You can use your hands to pick up the crickets put if you are squeamish you can buy metal reptile feeding tongs and pick up the crickets with the feeding tongs.
This basically applies to any other feeder bug.

 

[addy dunk]

I'm really skittish of crickets in particular.. my friend said to just dump the whole bag in there and let her go for them as she pleases but I'm not so sure... what's the best way to distribute them to her?? how many a day??

I would definitely not recommend dumping the whole bag in there, especially if the beardie was just relocated to your home and is still adjusting, their appetite is usually not as big when they are in a new place! If he/she doesn’t eat them all they will die and make the enclosure smell really gross and it’s not fun to clean up! I bought a small container with breathing holes and put some food and something for hydration in there to keep them alive, I then use tongs to grab the crickets and put them in a ziplock bag with calcium powder in it! I shake up the bag to get them coated and then use the tongs to feed my dragon one cricket at a time

 

[kaylahoneyy]

I would definitely not recommend dumping the whole bag in there, especially if the beardie was just relocated to your home and is still adjusting, their appetite is usually not as big when they are in a new place! If he/she doesn’t eat them all they will die and make the enclosure smell really gross and it’s not fun to clean up! I bought a small container with breathing holes and put some food and something for hydration in there to keep them alive, I then use tongs to grab the crickets and put them in a ziplock bag with calcium powder in it! I shake up the bag to get them coated and then use the tongs to feed my dragon one cricket at a time

Thank you!! I got some stuff for hydration for them.. how do i store them?? what do you recommend?

 

[sushiftg475]

You can buy a cricket container but any container with breathing holes works. Make sure the container is not too small because then the crickets will die. If a cricket does die then take it out immediately or it will cause the other crickets to die.

 

[KarrieRee]

I'm really skittish of crickets in particular.. my friend said to just dump the whole bag in there and let her go for them as she pleases but I'm not so sure... what's the best way to distribute them to her?? how many a day??

Is the dragon a baby? Is it a an adult? Crickets should never be left in the tank -- they will come out at night and bite your dragon causing infections etc--- the best staple in my opinion are dubia roaches - easier to keep they are not escape artist and last longer than crickets-- better nutritional wise

 

[addy dunk]

Thank you!! I got some stuff for hydration for them.. how do i store them?? what do you recommend?

What did you buy for hydration? I usually buy the little jelly insect food (says its food but it’s mostly water) or you can cut up potato’s and put them in there. If it is the jelly packs then you just take off the plastic cover and set it in the cage with the crickets on its side! If it’s not that or potato’s lmk what it is and i’ll tell you how to store it best!

 

[CitrusLemonBeardie]

Prior to feeding Lemon we clear his tank out completely (so no crickets can hide!). We keep crickets in a cricket pen (I am sure there is a proper name for it but I have no clue) which has 4 tubes in the sides which the crickets climb up. You slide the tubes out and then shake out a few at a time. We do what other posters have suggested and shake into a ziploc bag with calcium first. This means we can manage how much Lemon eats / can see when he is getting full and are usually only left with one or two stragglers to get out (using tongs) before replacing all his furniture.

 

[sushiftg475]

I bought the jelly insect food once and it all melted and killed all the crickets and it took forever to clean out. Haven't done it since

 

[addy dunk]

I bought the jelly insect food once and it all melted and killed all the crickets and it took forever to clean out. Haven't done it since

Oh no! I have had a fine experience with it so far, hopefully that doesn’t happen to me hahaah