Cricket Size

[Red Bishop]

What is the appropriate size for a young veiled to eat? His head is maybe a 1/2" between the eyes. I have read that that is the size of the cricket he should be eating. At a reptile show, I was told he should be eating at least 3/4". What is the consensus here?

 

[Julirs]

I buy 500 1/2" crickets at a time for all of my chams (Except pygmies-still ordering pins). This lasts me about 2 weeks and minimizes chirping crickets. The ones at the end of the 2 weeks start getting a bit large, and my big male Veiled enjoys them.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Red Bishop,

The "distance between the eyes" rule is a good one to follow with feeders such as crickets, cockroaches, and anything else with a shell.
Feeders like silk, butter and wax worms can be larger due to them being
soft bodied.
I would stick with the 1/2" crickets for now.

-Brad

 

[Red Bishop]

I only have one cham. Does it make sense to buy 500 at a time or will the cost to maintain them make it not worth it? He is eating about 10/day so we are talking about close to a 2 month supply. I have a 20 gallon tank with screen top to store them in, so I don't think I would kill them, but the good gutloads can be expensive just to keep them alive. Would I just feed them something to keep them alive and separate 10 each night and feed the gutload?

 

[Kam808]

Is a 1/2" considered a large cricket?

 

[John33871]

no an inch is a large cricket. cricket keeping is not that expensive. the cost is not the trouble its keeping the enclosure clean. i clean my cricket enclosure 2 times a week to get out the dead crickets, to clean up the poop, and give them fresh foods. a pound of gutload will only cost you around 10 bucks plus shipping. the gutload ive bought has lasted me a long time. like 3 months and im still not empty. they have these little jello like things that are to keep them hydrated and they love. in the end getting a bulk order of crickets are better because you know what you are feeding to your chameleon. you know what you have feed the crickets so your chameleon will be eating good. i for one buy 1000 at a time, and they last me a good few months.

 

[Red Bishop]

What do you do with the crickets while cleaning? Do you transfer them to a second tank?

 

[Will Hayward]

If you can get them, 2/3" crickets, but if your buying from a store ask to see the available size and use your own judgment.