My Beardie's no fool!

[The Luggage]

Hallo everyone
I'll start by apologising if these questions have already been answered elsewhere - feel free to point me in the right direction so you don't have to repeat yourselves!!

I got a baby beardie at the weekend who is quite small for his age. He's eating both greens and locusts fine, but when I dust his veg with calcium powder he won't go near it. Apparently he's not falling for that one! Is the only way really to gut-load the locusts with dusted greens before feeding them to him? Or can anyone suggest another method?

On that subject - since I'm new to this I'd appreciate some help with the livefood distribution issue too! I've got a box of locusts which are mostly fine sized, but a few of them are really too big for him. How the HELL do I make sure the ones I want to come out of the box, are the ones that do come out?! They're really not co-operative at all ;-)

The prob is that, on the couple of occasions when the biggies have managed to get out of the container, Errol goes for them too quickly and doesn't give me a chance to get the bloody things back out again! Is there something that I can store them in that'll make accurate distribution easier/less awkward? I realise this is a damnfool question, but I'm starting to feel a bit stupid not being able to control the food!

[Adz1985]

To be honest, i never dust my veg, but always dusted the live food and i didnt have any problems with my bd's..however i did try dustin the veg and they didnt go near it too! lol
One way to solve the problem of gettin the right size locust... pick it up! there harmless lol

[ex0tics]

I put a sprinkle in the middle of the pile of veg so it's covered

[donstapley]

right....
persevere with the dusting...when he's hungry he will eat them regardless of whether they are dusted or not...at the end of the day its for his benefit.
try keeping the locusts in a small rub...give them fresh veg everyday, this is gutloading them to make them better for your bd.
get yourself a pair of tongs and you can then master the art of catching them out of the rub, that way you can pick the ones you want, dust them, then pop them in the viv.
another way is if your keeping them in their plastic tubs, place a bag over one end with calcium powder in it, open the tub slightly and shake them into the bag....they get dusted easily and you can pick the ones out of the bag that you want....easy!

[DiNgLy]

hey...Welcome to RFUK...well most people dust there crickets/locusts ect i do put calcium/vits on the veg also on occasion but my beardie is over a yr old and very greedy.

as with the larger locusts...hmm try saving an empty tub when u have one to put the larger ones in....or for now a ziplock bag or another container?? if ur not squeemish about getting them out!

hope that helps

ps to dust the locusts...get a tea spoon open one corner and put some calcium in and shake it about!! there is other ways wich other people will say aswell..like put them in a bag with calcium shake it ect!!

[bbear690]

pop them in a tub and put them in the fridge for 10 minutes, it slows them down so you can get the ones you want

[The Luggage]

Originally Posted by bbear690

pop them in a tub and put them in the fridge for 10 minutes, it slows them down so you can get the ones you want

Ah wicked! I was wondering whether that would help, but didn't want to potentially damage or lessen the nutritional value. I'm not squeamish about picking them up, it's just that they're so bouncy I don't want to risk taking the lid right off and ending up with them all over my room!!

Thanks for all the other advice people. I'll be trying some of those I reckon. He's a bit special in other ways - I confess I was quite surprised by this unexpected show of intelligence!

[bbear690]

i am trying Dubia roaches this week

they can't jump lol x

[The Luggage]

Goodness! I just had a bit of a dropping-the-container-with-the-lid-off incident! Luckily only two escaped and I managed to catch one with each hand... Bloody things!

[Dynamos Dragons]

Hahahahahhaha makes your heart go doesnt it lol