Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Does anyone know what I can do to help my collared catch crickets? She seems to have a problem catching them, and they always run behind something or underneath something when I throw them in there before she actually catches it. Even when I throw in a superworm, she dives at it and sometimes she misses and stops a while before she goes after it again. I would think that she would continually try to catch the cricket or chase after it, but it seems like she just gives up once it gets away. I have had her for about 5 years now and I don't know how old she was before I got her, so maybe it is old age? I dunno.

When I fed crickets to mine on a regular basis, I took all of the cage furniture out to make it easier for him!

* First try an empty container, small shoebox type rubbermaid, so it's just her and the crickets. If she catches them right off then just feed her in there and then return to her cage. Her home will stay nicer too.

* A few other things.....Bordem, just act out and do nothing, kind of lazy until they really get hungry.
* Some just are lousey at catching them Clutsy.

* Check eyesight, How are her eyes , does she turn to look at things, make some movements and see if she notices you moving something.
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PHEve / Eve

THanks for the suggestions. Yeah I had thought about taking her out and feeding her separately but I figured that wouldn't give her good hunting skills (I dunno why I would this is useful considering she's not about to go outside hunting anytime soon!). I also equate taking out and feeding to what I do with my snake, and never really thought it could be done with my collared.

And her eyes are fine, she notices them and chases them but they are quick to jump behind something or away from where she can reach. And she doesn't exactly go after them if they get away, it's like if they are out of sight she won't go after where they went, she will just wait til they pop up in her line of vision. I dropped 2 crickets today and she chased after them and they got away behind my background so she just laid down and then when they unknowingly crawled past her face she was able to grab them. Maybe she is lazy.. I always figured them as avid foragers/hunters and not sit and wait.

THey are chasers, they like the chase, they do not go hunting behind things, I can move a piece of furniture and find a mess of stinking crickets back there hiding out, not the lizards fault, if ya chase them out the lizards go nuts . So maybe it's us putting in too much stuff and hindering their chase.

Next best thing, an empty container,
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PHEve / Eve

you can snap off the crickets legs too.