Dusting Pinhead Crickets? Help.

[Snakegirl55]

I have 2 baby Eastern Bearded Dragons that are feeding well on pinhead crickets but then I read about calcium dusting crickets, so I went out bought some calcium powder and I dont know how im meant to get it on the tiny crickets without them escaping (they are in the chinese container i bought them in) These are my first lizards and have only had them about a week and I cant find anything that explains how you can dust them, they are just sooo tiny. If I put some in the cricket container will they run through it or eat it? Suggestions please.

 

[oOLaurenOo]

Are they pin head crickets or small crickets? I would have thought they would be on small crickets by now.. There are a few different ways you can dust them but the best way is to take out the cardboard egg crate and tap it over another container which has the power in it. Put the lid back on it and shake it around gently. Then just open the lid in the enclosure, tip it on its side and et the crickets jump out.

 

[justin91]

I have 2 baby Eastern Bearded Dragons that are feeding well on pinhead crickets but then I read about calcium dusting crickets, so I went out bought some calcium powder and I dont know how im meant to get it on the tiny crickets without them escaping (they are in the chinese container i bought them in) These are my first lizards and have only had them about a week and I cant find anything that explains how you can dust them, they are just sooo tiny. If I put some in the cricket container will they run through it or eat it? Suggestions please.

I'm about to purchase a bearded dragon baby and looked up some guides with breeding crickets. Most people when dusting their crickets put the calcium powder in a take away container with the crickets and they just run through it. Put it in a spare container and use that container each time. That way your not wasting powder. The crickets can't climb because their feet are covered in powder which makes it slippery. Hope this helps or gives you some ideas.

 

[Snakegirl55]

Thanks I will try that tomorrow when i feed them again I just wanted to make sure that the lizard were getting enough calcium I dont want them to get sick in their first week! We tried small crickets but they seemed WAY to big ( i think they were medium sized in the wrong tub or is there just a big jump between pinhead and small?). They (the lizards) are pretty young.

 

[treeofgreen]

When messing around with crickets and containers etc i always do it over a big storage like container ($10 bucks from a $2 dollar store type thing) so you dont have any escapees through the house.

I use a decent sized rigid, plastic snappy bag (sort of like what coffee is sold in) then put the lil container with the crickets inside, open and jiggle the amount of crickets i want in. Chuck some powder in and gently tip it side to side or gently (GENTLY) shake to give them a good coating. Tip the bag on an angle so the crickets run down and out into the enclosure (or feeding box) but not steep enough for the excess powder to tip out. I reuse the left over powder in the bag for next time...

Hope this gives you some ideas

Also i dont think beardies ever really need to eat pinheads. Mine were on small for a short while when super young then went to medium fairly quickly. Pinheads would be annoying to deal with haha

 

[Snakegirl55]

Yeah they are a pain but they couldnt eat the bigger ones (as i said im pretty sure they were in the wrong container they are HUGE conpaired to the pinheads). Does anyone know what i can do with the bigger ones? i tried offering one to the wild bearded dragons that come in our yard but he wasnt interested Thanks for the quick help.
PS any ideas for names? We are thinking Iggy and Dexter but have no idea of gender so Dexter could become Dixie

 

[Dutchy88]

Chuck them in the fridge for 5 min slow them down then I put some in a jar with powder in it give it a shake then jiggle the jar into a separate big container till all the crickets come out then put the beardies in that container one at a time to feed them the same amount and job done

 

[Marzzy]

I just got a cricket keeper and its awesome ( for me ) just put the 4 tubes in ( I leave mine in 24/7 ) Pull out the tubes open the Chinese container with calcium powder already added tap the pipe down crickets fall out shut lid done.

 

[Snakegirl55]

I just got a cricket keeper and its awesome ( for me ) just put the 4 tubes in ( I leave mine in 24/7 ) Pull out the tubes open the Chinese container with calcium powder already added tap the pipe down crickets fall out shut lid done.

I saw some of them today and thought about buying one but i need all the money i can get for the 3-4 foot tank in gonna need by the end of the year when these guys grow up

 

[dragonlover1]

I have a plastic container somewhat similar to cricket keeper without the tubes,put in some crickets and calcium powder,shake it all about add lizard and put outside in the sun to stimulate appetite.I have 4 babies/juvies ATM and this system works fine