As a bearded dragon owner feeding live crickets is an essential part of caring for your reptilian pet. However, getting uneaten feeder crickets out of the enclosure can be a tricky and frustrating task. In this article we will provide tips and methods to efficiently remove crickets after feeding time, making cricket removal much easier for you and your bearded dragon.
Why It’s Important To Remove Uneaten Crickets
Leaving crickets in your bearded dragon’s enclosure overnight or for extended periods of time can lead to a number of issues
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Crickets will bite and harm your bearded dragon – Uneaten crickets left in the tank will start to nibble on your sleeping dragon, especially around their toes and tail This can lead to injury and stress
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Crickets increase stress levels – Having crickets freely roaming around the enclosure after feeding time will significantly stress your bearded dragon. This chronic stress will negatively impact their health over time.
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Crickets spread germs and bacteria – Crickets can carry and spread pathogens around the tank that can make your bearded dragon ill. Their waste and dead bodies are breeding grounds for harmful bacteria.
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Encourages wild insect infestations – Escaped crickets may start breeding colonies within your home. Annoying infestations of wild crickets are difficult to control.
For these important reasons, all uneaten live crickets should be removed immediately after each feeding session.
Methods To Remove Crickets From The Enclosure
Here are some of the most effective techniques bearded dragon owners use to get crickets out of the tank:
Manually Catching Them
The most straightforward method is manually catching the crickets by hand or using toilet paper rolls. Simply corner each cricket and catch them gently, transferring them back to their own housing. This works but can be extremely time-consuming if you have a lot of crickets to wrangle.
Lure Them Into A Trap
Place a small dish or black box containing cricket food inside the tank. The crickets will be attracted to this all-you-can-eat buffet. Once they are feasting inside, you can remove the entire dish and deposit the crickets back into their own enclosure.
Use A Makeshift Cricket Vacuum
Attach pantyhose or other breathable fabric over the hose of a hand vacuum. Turn it on and vacuum up the crickets. Keep the vacuum running while you transfer them to prevent escapes. Turn off the vacuum and they’ll drop safely into their home.
Refrigerate The Crickets First
Placing the crickets in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before feeding will slow them down. Your bearded dragon can more easily catch them and they won’t be able to hop away as quickly when you go to retrieve them.
Feed Inside A Separate Enclosure
Move your bearded dragon into a spare tank or large plastic tub for feeding time. After they’ve eaten their fill, you can easily take any remaining live crickets out of the temporary enclosure. Then return your dragon safely back to their main home.
Tips For Feeding Crickets To Prevent Escapes
If you’re still struggling to remove uneaten crickets, here are some useful cricket feeding tips and techniques to prevent escapes in the first place:
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Only place one or two crickets at a time inside the tank directly in front of your dragon. Remove each one immediately after it is caught and eaten.
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Feed your bearded dragon inside a large plastic cup. Tilt the cup toward your dragon for easy catching. Crickets can’t climb up smooth plastic sides.
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Lightly refrigerate or chill crickets before feeding. The cold will slow them down so they can’t hop away quickly.
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Feed crickets with tweezers or tongs instead of free dumping them all in the tank. This gives you more control over the feeding process.
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Supervise all cricket feedings closely until all crickets are eaten. Don’t leave your bearded dragon unattended with loose feeder insects.
Summary
Uneaten live crickets left behind in a bearded dragon’s enclosure can negatively impact their health and habitat cleanliness. That’s why it’s essential to remove them promptly after each feeding. Effective yet gentle manual catching, trapping, and vacuuming methods allow you to get crickets out without stressing your dragon. Feeding crickets carefully by chilling them first or using tongs reduces unwanted cricket escapes. Follow these cricket removal and feeding tips to make maintaining your bearded dragon’s home easier and healthier.
Setting Up a Cricket Colony
Setting up a cricket colony involves selecting the right container, providing appropriate substrate and shelter, and maintaining optimal temperature and humidity conditions. Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a thriving cricket colony.
Container Selection: Choosing the right container is crucial for a healthy cricket colony. The container should be spacious enough to accommodate the number of crickets you plan to keep. A plastic or glass tank with a secure, ventilated lid works well. Avoid metal containers as they can conduct heat and may cause temperature fluctuations. For a colony of about 100 crickets, a 10-gallon container is typically sufficient. Ensure the container is escape-proof, with mesh lids or sides to provide proper ventilation.
Substrate and Shelter: Providing substrate and hiding places helps mimic natural conditions and reduce stress for the crickets. Use a substrate like coconut fiber, vermiculite, or sand at the bottom of the container to absorb moisture and reduce odor. Add egg cartons, cardboard tubes, or paper towel rolls to create hiding spots and climbing surfaces. These shelters give crickets a place to hide and reduce stress from overcrowding.
Temperature and Humidity Control:
Temperature: Crickets thrive in a temperature range of 70°F to 75°F (21°C to 24°C). Use a low-wattage heat lamp or a heating pad placed under one side of the container to maintain this temperature. Avoid direct heat sources inside the container to prevent burns. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer placed inside the container.
Humidity: Maintain a humidity level of around 50% to 60% to keep crickets hydrated and healthy. Lightly mist the container with water to achieve this, but be cautious of over-misting, which can lead to mold growth. Use a hygrometer to monitor humidity levels and adjust as needed. Provide a shallow dish of water gel or a damp sponge to offer additional hydration without the risk of drowning.
Additional Tips: Clean the container regularly to prevent the buildup of waste and uneaten food, which can attract mold and bacteria. Provide a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, and commercial cricket feed to ensure proper nutrition. By carefully setting up and maintaining your cricket colony, you can ensure a consistent and healthy supply of crickets for feeding your bearded dragon or leopard gecko, while also keeping the crickets in optimal living conditions.
Cleaning and Maintenance of the Cricket Colony
Regular Cleaning: Regularly cleaning the cricket container is crucial to prevent disease and odor. A clean environment helps maintain the health of your crickets and reduces the risk of infections spreading through the colony. Aim to clean the container at least once a week or more frequently if you have a large number of crickets.
Waste Management: Effective waste management involves promptly removing uneaten food and cricket waste. Use a small scoop or tongs to pick out discarded food and dead crickets daily. Lining the bottom of the container with newspaper or paper towels can make waste removal easier. Replace the substrate periodically to maintain a clean and hygienic environment.
Health Monitoring: Regularly inspect your crickets for signs of illness. Healthy crickets are active and have a shiny exoskeleton. Signs of illness include lethargy, discoloration, and abnormal behavior. If you notice any sick or dead crickets, remove them immediately to prevent the spread of disease. Ensure that the container is well-ventilated and that the crickets are not overcrowded, as high population density can lead to stress and disease outbreaks.
By adhering to these cleaning and maintenance practices, you can ensure a healthy and thriving cricket colony. This not only benefits the crickets but also ensures that your bearded dragon or leopard gecko receives high-quality, nutritious feeder insects.
How To Feed Crickets To Your Bearded Dragons [Repidemic]
FAQ
Can I leave crickets in the cage with my bearded dragon?
Conclusion and Final Tips. Keeping crickets with your bearded dragon is not advisable due to the risks of cricket bites, infections, and stress for your reptile.
How to get crickets out of a container?
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Prepare a larger container:Have a larger container or surface ready to catch the crickets as you tip the smaller container.
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Tip the container:Carefully tip the container with the crickets over the larger container, ensuring the larger container has high enough sides to prevent them from jumping out.
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Use tongs or a toilet paper roll:If you need to transfer the crickets individually, use tongs or an empty toilet paper roll to gently guide them into the new container.
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Clean the original container:Once the crickets are moved, clean the original container thoroughly, especially if it’s exceptionally dirty, and dry it completely before reusing it.
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Don’t release them:Never release crickets into the wild, as they can be harmful to the native environment.
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Consider a substrate:If you are keeping crickets for a long time, consider using a substrate like egg cartons to provide hiding places and improve humidity and survival rates.
How do you get crickets out to feed lizards?
For the crickets, put them in the fridge for a few hours to cool them & put them to sleep & then you should be able to pick them up pretty easily with tweezers & put into the lizard enclosure, where they will warm up again & start moving when they do.
How long will crickets live in a cage?
Crickets have a short life span of 8-10 weeks. Try to buy young crickets so you can use them in time. When you purchase crickets, find out how old they are. The hotter you keep their cage, the shorter their lifespan.
How do you keep bearded dragon crickets in a box?
Most bearded dragon owners use a large plastic box to keep their feeder crickets in. The lid must be secure and the container must be deep enough to ensure the crickets cannot jump out as soon as you remove the lid. Do not overcrowd the container, as this will increase humidity.
How to take care of feeder crickets for bearded dragons?
Here’s a few tips on taking care of feeder crickets for bearded dragons. The most convenient method of keeping crickets is by using a Kricket Keeper. The Kricket Keeper is a small plastic housing made especially for feeder crickets and other feeder insects.
How many crickets can a baby bearded dragon eat?
The number of crickets to feed baby beardies is what they can finish in 10-15 minutes. Some sources put it 5-10 minutes, and this will depend on how many times you feed them feeder insects. For instance, if you are offering small ones, your baby bearded dragon can eat 30 to 80 in a day.
Are pinhead crickets good for baby bearded dragons?
Pinhead crickets – These are small, wingless, whose size is comparable to that of a regular pin and about two days old. They are best for hatchlings and baby bearded dragons. Small crickets – Larger than pinheads but less than a centimeter long and are suitable for older baby beardies and juveniles.
Can a bearded dragon drown in a water bowl?
Also, some may drown inside their watering bowls. Pick them if they drown in your bearded dragon water bowl, cover the water dish or remove it while they are eating. Once you finish feeding your beardie, remove any uneaten cricket as they may bite your pet, causing an open wound. Such an injury can be a site for infection.
Where do bearded dragons hide?
While feeding, some of these insects may hide in places where your beardies cannot reach them, such as behind or beneath the décor. Also, some may drown inside their watering bowls. Pick them if they drown in your bearded dragon water bowl, cover the water dish or remove it while they are eating.