Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Zeffer is currently housed in a 4'x2'x2' plywood cage with 2 screen doors on the front. I am attempting to use a seperate tank for feeding. The reason for this is the crickets climb the walls and doors of the cage. I am thinking of removing the front doors and replacing them with plexiglass. Is there anything I can do that will keep the crickets from climbing the plywood walls so I can start feeding him in his cage? Thanks in advance.

I'm not sure if this Bug Stop is for use on wood or if it is OK to use inside enclosures, but you could e-mail and ask.
Bug Stop

I would just place plexi glass for the first 6 inches or so of the bottom of the doors. This should prevent the crickets from climbing up the walls.

ALso you could feed the crickets in a dish high enough to keep the crickets from easily climbing out (though tehy probably will just jump out) and low enough for you bearded dragon to step into it. I use a cheap ashtray I bought at the local dollar store to feed my bearded dragon. I can't remember how old your dragon is but if he is young enough that the crickets perfect for him are half an inch or smaller..shouldn't be any trouble for him to eat them before the crickets have a chance to climb out. What I do is place the crickets in a small sandwich bag and pour them into the ashtray a little at a time..giving my beardie time to gobble up all the crickets....less chance of the crickets running hiding before being eaten. Also an easy way to track how many he eats. Easy to dust crickets too, as you just add the multivitamines and calcium powder into the bag, shake to mix, toss in crickets and shake again to coat them.

Hope this helps.

he's really not digging the feeding tank. He'll either just sit there or run into the glass and try to get out. I talked to the vet I took him to and she said he should have an easier time digesting mealworms than the crickets. That way I can feed him in his tank with no problems.
I also ordered some parazap. Ima try that and see how it works.

I'm not sure why your vet said mealworms would be easier to digest then crickets, but that just isn't true. Mealworms have a hard outer shell that is very difficult to digest. They should never be used as a staple food, and aren't as nutritious as crickets either. Was this a herp vet?

she was a vet at a specialized exotic vet. she has a beardie of her own. She mentioned something about the exoskeletons of the crickets being so hard. maybe I got confused but Im sure thats what she said.

I'd sure hate to see your lil guy suffer from impaction. Maybe you should give the vet a call to be sure of what was said. Most care sheets will note not to feed little beardies mealworms for that reason.

****.Avoid feeding mealworms (especially in excess) to a young dragon, since their high chitin levels can cause lethal impaction.
Kathryn W. Tosney
Professor of Biology
The University of Michigan