Cricket contest

[Munchie93]

Here is a picture of my bearded dragon getting ready to eat. It eats insects like a pig, but only a little bit of his salads. I’ve had it for about 4 months. It was just a baby when I got it. It’s name is horny. Lol is it a male/female?
I had to screenshot it because I messed up the original.

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[Munchie93]

It was a video. I thought videos were allowed. Once it wouldn’t load my video i just took a screenshot of it.

[BM22]

I know that males have two bulges at the base underneath the tails and females have one long horizontal bulge. But a person on here said you could use a flashlight to tell. Shine a light from above and look underneath them, supposedly you can see 2 testicles on the inside. Thats my understanding of it at aleast. Id look it up to confirm. You can learn anything online. lol See here: https://oddlycutepets.com/bearded-dragon-male-or-female/#:~:text=Femoral%20pores%20are%20seen%20as,your%20bearded%20dragon’s%20hind%20legs.&text=Both%20male%20and%20female%20bearded,the%20underside%20of%20their%20legs.

[Munchie93]

My sister did that and she said it’s a female. Lol I want her to be wrong so much. I like the name horny and don’t want to change it if it is a female. I’ll look later today, right now he is sleeping.
Does anyone happen to know how to keep the little red ants out of the cage? I’ve tried double sided tape along the to top and bottom and the corners. I’ve tried Vaseline and I’ve even tried washing with vinegar and water.
Thanks for the help

[BM22]

I’d keep the name that anyway. lol. And if you tried all that and still have them, id say that they are reproducing in your tank. Try taking everything out and cleaning it very well I’d use equal parts vinegar, baking soda and water because thats harmful to ants but not your beardie. Id let it soak for a while too so any that may survive the cleaning drown. Rinse about 100 times before replacing Horny. It looks like you have some sort of tile so thatll make it easier. And keep doing the tape and Vaseline. Id also do the tape on the outside of the tank in case the ants are climbing in and just jumping into the tank, bypassing the traps you set with the tape, etc inside. Ants also dont like walking through powder, so maybe line the edges of your tank with calcium powder (figure thats best since its good for your lizard anyway.) Hope it helps.

[BM22]

Also, if you got that stick from outside, theyre probably in it too. Soak everything in the tank in VERY hot water.

[Munchie93]

The stick is from outside. I boiled it in plain water. I’ve also taken everything out of the tank and washed it with vinegar and water and baking soda like you suggested. I’ve even washed the stand the cage is on. So far so good. The weird thing is, when I had the crushed walnut shells in it I never had the ant problem. Then I bought horny a new bigger tank and changed the crushed walnut shells out for non adhesive shelf paper and the ants started. So I’ll see how this works.
Thanks for the help

[Zoodulcis]

I agree with this, but if you are going to go to all of the trouble, I would use a 10% bleach solution. Put everything in the dishwasher that won’t melt and soak everything else in bleach. Spray the sides and inside corners with bleach. Not only will this take care of the ants, it will destroy any potential pathogens that might eventually become a problem. All items that have come into contact with bleach will have to be rinsed several times in tap water and allowed to air dry for 2 or more hours. Only then should Horny go back in. Once you have done all of that, you might try a thin line of Tanglefoot around the bottom of the tank. That way you not only protect the inside of the tank, you will be able to see if re-colonization is being attempted. With a powder repellent, a good idea under some circumstances, you won’t really know. Tanglefoot is available in the garden section of Home Depot.

[BM22]

Thank you for this input. I wasnt sure if bleach was ok to use or not. And ive never heard of tanglefoot, so thats good to keep in the memory bank. Is tanglefoot ok to go inside the tank? I dont know what it is so i dont know if itll harm reptiles or not.

[Munchie93]

Thanks for the help. If I continue to have this problem I will try the water and bleach solution you suggested. Also, I’ve never heard of tanglefoot either. I am trying everything but both seems to work. The other thing is the ants aren’t getting into my cricket cage just in my lizard cage. You’d think they’d be in the cricket cage with all the food in there. I have to clean hornys cage at least twice a day to get rid of the ants.

[Zoodulcis]

Holy mackerel, that’s a lot of cleaning! If you do decide to use Tanglefoot, place a thin bead on newspapers around the outside of the tank only. This is not for use where it can come into contact with his little feet.

The fact that they leave the crickets alone makes me think there is a colony under the tiles. Let us know if that is what you discover.

[Munchie93]

Under what tiles? In Hornys cage is non adhesive shelf paper. There’s nothing underneath the shelf paper. I just replaced it earlier thinking that would work but it didn’t. So I moved horny to another part of the room and so far no ants for the past few hours. I’m starting to think my little nephews dropped candy on the floor and it somebody gotten underneath the wood or in the cracks but I’ve cleaned it with bleach. That dint even take care of the problem. Someone else said to put cornstarch in a small container and let the ants take bits of it back to the colony and it will kill them cause they can’t digest cornstarch. Is this true?

[Zoodulcis]

Sorry, the substrate looks a little like tiles from the photo. Not sure about the cornstarch thing but it seems unlikely.

[Munchie93]

No problem. For a minute there I thought you meant the floor. Which I am seriously debating. Moving Horny to another part of the room dint work either. Worked for a day and that was it now the stinking ants again. I was thinking,why couldn’t I use those sticky fly traps and put on the stand where the tank is? It works for flies so why not ants? I could put them half under the tank and leave half out, sure it’s would be messy but at least Horny would be safe.

[Zoodulcis]

It’s worth a try and if it works, fly traps would be easier to dispose of than wiping of Tanglefoot. They should be replaced frequently (weekly) because depending on where you live and the ambient humidity, they can dry out pretty fast.

[Munchie93]

It’s either the sticky fly traps or ultrasonic pest Repeller, but it says the pest repeller can not be used around reptiles. It even had good reviews on keeping ants and other bugs away. So last night I put black pepper around the outside of the cage and the stand. There has been about 15-20 ants since then,but not nearly as many as before. So far it seems to be working better than other things I tried.

[Zoodulcis]

I had not heard of the black pepper trick. Let us know if it continues to work!

[Munchie93]

So far no ants. It’s been 2 days and the cage is pretty well ant free. The black pepper seems to work. All I did was put it around Hornys cage and now no ants. I still check in middle of the night though just to make sure. So if yur having an ant problem I would sprinkle ground black pepper around the cage and the stand. Be sure to sprinkle it all around the cage. I don’t know why but they must hate it. I’m going to reapply it like every week or so just to be safe.

[Munchie93]

ABmoore did you happen to buy a spiraled uva/uvb bulb off of Amazon? If so, is it any good? Cause I just bought the same bulb. The person in the reviews had the same name that’s why I am asking.
Thanks

[ABMoore22]

(User name is ABMoore22. It wont let me comment using that one. idk why) Ive tried replying to this a few times but. Yeah, i got that bulb. Its ok. Does seem to give off uva/uvb but no heat and its a big bulb with florescent light instead of warm light. Youll need an 8.5 inch lamp (still sticks out about 1/2 inch lol). I have a heat lamp next to it for added warmth.

[Munchie93]

I just bought that bulb. Yeah it’s a big bulb, but it seems to work well. I had the smaller version of that bulb and it even was to big. I also have a 150 watt heat bulb next to it. Hornys cage gets to 105-110 degrees Fahrenheit. I used my neighbors bulb the other day when the heat bulb burned out and it got to almost 130 degrees in the cage. I didn’t know if that is to hot or not. 1 question how can we tell if a bulb is actually giving off uva/uvb rays? Are we supposed to just take their word for it?

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by Munchie93.

[ABMoore22]

I thought the correct hot spot for beardies were between 90-100f. And 80-90 for cool side. I have not owned one though, just like learning about different pets and their care. (Google is great for learning anything. lol) Ive actually thought that myself about the bulbs though. I always figured if my animals are more active and eating better, then I assume they are working. Other than that the color spectrum should tell ya. Here’s some links i found on it. Never tried it though. https://ourreptileforum.com/community/threads/how-to-test-uv-bulb.15034/#:~:text=Place%20a%20sheet%20of%20white,spectrum%20on%20the%20white%20paper.

https://sciencing.com/test-uv-bulbs-7642339.html

[ABMoore22]

You should also test the tank temp from both ends.

[ABMoore22]

Another good link for beardie temps: https://www.reptilesmagazine.com/correct-temperature-for-a-bearded-dragon/#:~:text=What’s%20the%20real%20truth%3F,probably%20isn’t%20hot%20enough.

[Munchie93]

Thanks for the links. I’ll give them a read when I get done. You seem like you are in here a lot and I wish you luck in the cricket contest. You said you don’t have a bearded dragon, I was about to ask what you have. I then saw yur post. You have a lot. I always liked geckos. I’ve had a Tokay Gecko for 13 years and it was mean but very cool especially when it ate fuzzy mice. He would get out his cage with the smallest crack left in the top. He would get out and run on the walls and ceiling and bark like a dog. I had to wear gloves to catch him cause he had a bad bite. One of the coolest lizards I’ve ever owned.

Oh for the temps I have a stick on thermometer and a temperature gun. I hate that thing it never reads right. I do need another thermometer for the cool side. I actually never checked the cool side. I need to though.

[Zoodulcis]

About an earlier post. 130 degrees will kill a beardie pretty quickly. A temperature range that is read more or less within two degrees will help prevent disasters. I would encourage you to use your thermometer often, and just assume an average between readings. For instance, if three readings give you 82, 83, and 85 degrees and you believe nothing has changed, including the ambient temperature of the house, in between readings, then assume a temperature of 83.5 or so.

[ABMoore22]

Youre welcome. I have a little of everything. Plan on getting another Leo here soon and id love a beardie in the future. lol. But yeah, imo the most important things are correct temps and diet. If youre ever unsure about anything, i always look it up and read a few different sites. Or just ask on here. I dont even use the stick on kind thermometer. I use digital or probe. They seem to work the best for me. Tokay’s look so cool to me, I have one house gecko that watches for me to drop in food to sneak out past me. He like running across the ceiling and hiding when I get near. Had to make a ‘feeding door’ that he cant quickly but feeders can. lol. The rest have learned to move to the other side of the tank when I tap on it. But hes a trouble maker. But im sure they have a bearded dragon care guide on here if youre interested in any tips it may have.

[Munchie93]

I figured 130 degrees is way to hot. So I hung the light about 3 feet above his cage and it stayed between 95-102 degrees. Which he seemed to enjoy.

My Tokay gecko used to do the same thing. He would be laying in his cage then he’d seeme walking over to him with fuzzy mice and he would be sticking on the side of his cage waiting for me to drop it in. Then he would grab it with his mouth of course and start ripping it around and bashing the fuzzys head off the tank. It was awesome. Sorry dunno if you like that kind of thing but it was a site to see.

[Zoodulcis]

That sounds like it was a good call, hanging the light higher. Bear in mind that the amount of UV may be lessened the higher the bulb is. But a good compromise for now.

[Munchie93]

I dint think the heat bulb gives off UV light? Lots of people are telling me the coil uva/uvb light is not good for them. That I need a tube light for him? Do you know if this is true? Cause Horny seems pretty healthy. After using a coil uva/uvb bulb for 4 months wouldn’t symptoms start to appear by now?

[ABMoore22]

I dont think youd see symptoms as quickly if youre dusting his food. And there’s always going to be people saying one thing is better than the other (especially with pets), the best you can do is take in all the opinions, facts (I prefer scientific studies and learning from people who have successfully kept their pets alive and healthy long term) and choose what you think works best according to what you’ve learned and how your pet reacts. But I normally use a halogen bulb that also gives off uva/uvb. This coil one we got was my temp one until I got my preferred kind.

[Zoodulcis]

AB’s advice is right on. One way you can be sure about UV amounts is with a UVB meter. They aren’t cheap, with a bottom of the line model running about $50 bucks. But perhaps it’s worth it for peace of mind until a bulb positioning and placement routine is firmly established.

[Munchie93]

There’s plenty of people saying the coils aren’t as good as the others. Then there are other people saying the cooled bulb will work fine. I’ve had Horny for 4 months and have used the coiled bulb the whole time. The breeder even used the coiled bulb, that’s why I didn’t think much of it. How long do you think it would take to start showing symptoms and what would they be?

[Zoodulcis]

Some coiled bulbs had wavelength issues prior to 2010. Those have mostly been solved and safety is not a concern. Strength of UV can be a concern and many keepers feel the new bulbs, although safe, are too weak for diurnal species. Most feel that two are needed, or better, just use a different kind altogether.

[Munchie93]

I would love to get a different UV light for Horny, but I am currently out of work due to the stupid virus. I can’t even get approved for unemployment which sucks. Thanks for the help with the bulbs. I had no idea why some people don’t like them and others say they are fine. I will definitely get a tube light though.

[Zoodulcis]

These are challenging times for a lot of pet owners. They give us such comfort and entertainment, but they do cost us in monthly maintenance. There may be folks on Craigslist selling items such as lights and meters in your area. Some folks are finding that keeping their animals is too expensive and are rehoming their critters and selling used gear. Just a thought.

[Munchie93]

I have checked on marketplace and Craigslist, there doesn’t seem to be any for sale. If there is they usually want to sell it with everything else at which point I’d Mays well just buy a new one. I think I found the hood and the light for it for around $30 which is cheaper than I thought because my local petstore wants almost $75 for the exact same one. I would never get rid of Horny, he is part of the family now.

[ABMoore22]

You can try http://www.hoobly.com for supplies too.

[Munchie93]

Thanks. I’ll check that site out, I’ve never heard of it.

[ABMoore22]

Did you ever get rid of the ants?

[Munchie93]

YES. Horny is ant free. The black pepper did the job. It’s going on what? A week maybe 10 days?, and the red ants are no more. I didn’t even have to put any more pepper down yet.

[ABMoore22]

Awesome. I’m happy to hear that! And I’m sure Horny is too! lol

[Munchie93]

Those ants had to be bothering him cause when they would get on him his beard would come out and he would scratch himself like a dog. They must have been biting him and now with no more red piss ants he is moving around more than ever. It’s nice looking in his tank and not seeing those things.

[Zoodulcis]

Great solution! Now I have learned something about pest control. I wonder if pepper works on other pests? It certainly is an organic option.

[Munchie93]

I don’t know. There are some downed trees where I live that I cut down, they have plenty of bugs like isopods and thousand leggers. I don’t know what they’re really called. I will put some pepper around them and see if it keeps bugs away. Other than that I have no way of finding out cause I only have daddy long legs in my house.

[Zoodulcis]

Thousand leggers!! What a fun name. I bet they are otherwise known as millipedes.

[ABMoore22]

That’s what I was thinking. I like Thousand Leggers better though!

[Munchie93]

Yes millipedes and centipedes. I hate them both. I knew what they were called but could not think of it. I must have had a brain fart cause now I feel like an idiot. Can a bearded dragon eat centipedes? I don’t think they can but figured I would ask any way.

[Zoodulcis]

Centipedes have a very poisonous bite. Millipedes exude hydrochloric acid as a defense. Very irritating the skin, not to mention the inside of an animal’s mouth. Best to keep both kinds of beasties far away from your pets.

[ABMoore22]

I agree. And you also dont know if they have any parasites they can transmit (if wild caught). Ive read that Lemurs bite Millipedes to pretty much get high from their toxins. And about the name Leslie, we were laughing with you, not at you. 🙂 Im literally gonna call them that now. lol. Its so much more fun. I forget people i know’s name, let alone a bugs.

[Munchie93]

I didn’t think they were good for a bearded dragon, but there was no harm asking. Haha I knew what they were called but just couldn’t think of it for some reason. I’ve also only ever called them thousand leggers. They are always in my yard, so i am going to have to watch Horny when i take him outside in the summer. I know he loves pill bugs. He will eat those up quick which is why I’m going to hesitant about taking him outside in the summer.

[Zoodulcis]

Pill bugs are a good source of nutrition, however, they can harbor lots of parasites such as the thorn-headed worm. Also, they need to be free from pesticides and herbicides. If you worm your beardie yearly, they are probably fine, otherwise I would avoid them.

[Munchie93]

I’ve fed my other lizard wild caught bugs and never had a problem with them having worms. I’ve had a rainbow skin for years and it died due to old age, same thing with my gecko and the Texan horned lizard I’ve had. They’ve mainly ate wild caught bugs and I’ve never had a problem with them. Is a bearded dragon more susceptible to getting worms than other lizards? Cause lots of people seem worried about it including me. I’ve never had a bearded dragon before that’s why I’m being cautious.

[Zoodulcis]

It is possible to feed lizards pill bugs all of their lives with no problems. However, it is a bit of Russian roulette. Virtually all pillbugs carry thorny headed worms, a gastrointestinal parasite. These nasties attach themselves to the gut of the animal host. For reasons scientists are uncertain of, a severe infestation of this endoparasite affects some lizards all lot, but many not at all. A lizard suffering from this parasite will display “Ill thrift, weight loss, anorexia, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort or colic…” Ill thrift is a veterinary term that indicates the animal is ‘poorly’ dull eyes, dull skin, lethargic, and so forth without being outright ill. So in the end, the choice is yours, take the risk or not. This parasite is easily eliminated by inexpensive yearly worming, so if you want to continue to give your pet pill bugs, there is probably no harm in it, but it’s good to be informed that there are risks.

[Munchie93]

Thanks for the info. I didn’t say I was going to keep giving him pill bugs, I didn’t know they carried worms and was just saying what my experience was with wild caught bugs. If I did want to continue feeding him wild caught bugs there is a dewormer he could get so he doesn’t catch worms? I didn’t know that. I thought it was to get rid of the worms once he has them. Also, will he go off crickets? Like quit eating them like he used to. Cause Horney seems to be interested in fruits and veggies more than bugs lately. I was just wondering if he would transition himself to eat mostly salads and not as many bugs.

[Zoodulcis]

To the best of my knowledge, there is no way to prevent initial worm infestation, only to deal with it on a yearly basis.

One of fun things about beardies is their astonishing growth rate. This is made possible by the youngsters being almost entirely carnivorous. This changes after sexual maturity, when they become mostly, but not entirely, vegetarian. Expect Horny to exhibit this transition in the next several weeks.

[Munchie93]

Would he know when to quit eating as many bugs himself? Or do I just quit offering him as many? Cause if I feed him bugs he will eat them, but if I put veggies in his cage he will quit eating the bugs and go straight for the veggies. He is also starting to eat fruits and veggies that aren’t green.

[Zoodulcis]

It sounds to me like his behavior is right on track. His brain is telling his developing body what it needs. I would offer him both, and if he is leaving bugs behind in favor of veggies consistently, cut back on the bugs a little. That will prevent bugs from hanging out in his enclosure and saves you money!

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