Someone please tell me

[MollyT]

I need to know if I should be worried or not! My baby 3 week old veiled boy ate 4 crickets this morning(I was at work, my husband did not dust). I got him to eat one dusted one early this evening and another dusted one right before I turned his lights off. Is this reason to worry, or is this okay for him right now since he is at least eating? I asked earlier but noone answered me. I just want to know if I should be trying harder. He has been drinking quite often, so I'm pretty sure that's okay. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

It's okay if a few dustings are missed here and there - it won't cause any harm. But at his age he definitely needs the calcium for his little growing bones so try not to miss dustings very often. Make sure you also have UVB and good calcium-rich gutloading so it all works together.

 

[MollyT]

Ok. I feel better now. My husband now knows that it is a must! I had already told him, but I think he just got excited bc it was his first time feeding him and he forgot. Thank you!

What about the amount of crickets he is eating? Is 6 in a day decent for him at 3 weeks old? He hasn't really been sleeping during the day and he drinks a lot. His poop looked good too. I just want to know he's getting enough food!

 

[Lizardguy1]

Not sure what kind of vitamin dust u r using, but you shouldn't dusk crickets for every meal- too much of some vitamins, especially vitamin A, is toxic. I recommend dusting only 3 times a week.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

lizardguy - for a baby cham I think you should be dusting with calcium every day. The crickets should only be lightly dusted so they're just a lighter shade of brown, not little ghosts. For other minerals you are right though - the multivitamin and cal+D3 should only be every other week imo.

Molly - at 3 weeks old he can eat almost as many small crickets as he wants in a 5 minute period twice a day. They are ravenous at that age and need the nutrients! You only need to dust at one of the feedings though, and probably only 10 crickets or so. Are you sure he's 3 weeks old or is that an estimate? 3 weeks is super young...

 

[MollyT]

That is what his breeder said and he is absolutely TINY! Honestly, I thought twice about taking him once I saw him, just bc he was so small and this is my first one. I have been trying to cup feed him bc I am afraid of the crickets attacking him since he is so small. I'm afraid if I let them loose in his cage I might not be able to get them out, bc they are really small crickets.

 

[maxttu]

For a little reference: one of my chams (4months) plows thru 20-30 crix daily. The other boy (3months) eats 7-12 crix daily. They get an occasional superworm as treats.

 

[Kate]

That is what his breeder said and he is absolutely TINY! Honestly, I thought twice about taking him once I saw him, just bc he was so small and this is my first one. I have been trying to cup feed him bc I am afraid of the crickets attacking him since he is so small. I'm afraid if I let them loose in his cage I might not be able to get them out, bc they are really small crickets.

Can you try cup feeding? This means all feeders stay I same place. I would listen to ferret as she is our resident vet and we are very lucky to have her.

 

[slinko9]

I got my guy at 4 weeks old, and have been cup feeding ever since!!
I just place it in a space between branches and once he sees the critters moving around he scoots right over and feasts!!!
Just worrying as he gets bigger so do the crickets so the bowl is gunna hafta get bigger too!!!

 

[Kate]

I got my guy at 4 weeks old, and have been cup feeding ever since!!
I just place it in a space between branches and once he sees the critters moving around he scoots right over and feasts!!!
Just worrying as he gets bigger so do the crickets so the bowl is gunna hafta get bigger too!!!

There are quite a few threads here about home made feeders. I use a litre plastic milk bottle with a good bit of the front cut out and some mesh wedged into the space on the back wall. Crickets and roaches crawl up the mesh and bang!