Cricket cups?

[Dantarius]

Hi everyone,
I'm a beginner and was looking into getting a veiled for myself. I have raised a leopard gecko before so I am familiar with reptile care. I just wanted to do as much research into chams before I actually get one.

My main question is that I don't want crickets running around in the screen enclosure I am planning to buy (it's the medium R-zilla screen enclosure). At least as much as possible. I did see a few people using what they called cricket cups that they hung up on the side of their enclosure. I just wanted to ask any possible advice for building one and if there are any other alternatives. I do plan on teaching my cham to hand feed also, but I just wanted this as an alternative for when I am not available to feed it.

Also, what's a good way of keeping mealworms/super worms in the enclosure? Thanks in advance!

 

[RunCode3]

Hi everyone,
I'm a beginner and was looking into getting a veiled for myself. I have raised a leopard gecko before so I am familiar with reptile care. I just wanted to do as much research into chams before I actually get one.

My main question is that I don't want crickets running around in the screen enclosure I am planning to buy (it's the medium R-zilla screen enclosure). At least as much as possible. I did see a few people using what they called cricket cups that they hung up on the side of their enclosure. I just wanted to ask any possible advice for building one and if there are any other alternatives. I do plan on teaching my cham to hand feed also, but I just wanted this as an alternative for when I am not available to feed it.

Also, what's a good way of keeping mealworms/super worms in the enclosure? Thanks in advance!

What I did for my feeder cup is I took a deli cup, and poked two holes in the side, then I bent some paperclips like a backwards "N" and hooked it to the side of my cage adjacent to a fake vine-bush thing. That way I can remove the cup for cleaning and he can stand on the vine to eat from the cup. Plus, it was just about free!

 

[Sherlinwed]

Its good for some of the feeders to roam free. It keeps the cham busy and it’s a great mental and physical exercise for them. You can keep half in the cup and half roaming.

 

[Sherlinwed]

I actually dont let the supers run free. They have a tendancy to hide in places my cham cant find. I cup feed him or hand feed. Well I dont hold the supers they like to nibbble the bastards ha

 

[whereswaldo]

i made a milk carton feeder i seen online on utube my boy never would eat from the cup but went right for the milk carton was really easy to make. took like 10 mins

 

[whereswaldo]

I actually dont let the supers run free. They have a tendancy to hide in places my cham cant find. I cup feed him or hand feed. Well I dont hold the supers they like to nibbble the bastards ha

oh i cut the botom out of a deli cup like inch deep or so poked 2 holes in the botom and threaded a bread tie thru it for attachment to a branch. one tim is try to make it flat because if u hve a couple in there and its tilted they may get eaten at th same time

 

[Dantarius]

I've seen some videos online where they put some mesh inside their cricket cups, but they seem to be using "sunny-D" containers that are cut away and then they velcro a mesh in the back to allow the crickets to climb up and also allow the Cham to see the crickets. I was wondering if anyone has had experiences with this? Will the Cham have any issues with the mesh? Do the crickets tend to stay in the cup or does this allow them to jump around everywhere?

 

[brandon1]

You're right about them being Sunny-D jugs, but I'm sure it would work just as fine with a gallon or half gallon water jug. You could use velcro or, since you're getting a screen cage, poke four holes in the jug where you will put the mesh and put a twist tie through each corner of the mesh and through the jug and twist off on the outside of the cage. The cham shouldn't have any problem with the mesh, so long as it's secured because the crickets will have no chance of holding onto the mesh when he pops one. The way this design was created, I believe, was for the crickets to not be able to jump out because I don't think will jump backwards and out of the jug. But if they do it will be fine because you should allow your cham to be able to actively hunt, like Sherlinwed said, and sometimes my cham will refuse to eat from a cup so you may have to let a few roam around every now and then. A different idea that won't allow crickets to don't jump out is by using clear cup about 6" tall and cutting a small horizontal slit at the top of the cup and putting a twist tie through it, and feeding the tie through the screen and twisting it off on the outside(that's whay I do). Also, while your researching, look up feeders like hornworms, silkworms, and dubia roaches (discoids if you live in Florida). Crickets are good but they tend to smell really bad; however, dubias and discoids do not. And Hornworms get enormous offering a hydration boost and silkies offer a lot of calcium. I prefer these three feeders, along with a few others over crickets and meal/super worms. Hope all this helps and good luck.

 

[Chase]

Although this has been said already, I will reiterate it. It is good for some of the prey items to free range through out the enclosure, however, things such as superworms, silkworms, and other worms would be ideal to put in the feeder cup. I myself never really got big into the cup feeding for the simple reason that I enjoyed watching my chams chase after the crickets in their cage.

However- I did it different than everyone above has suggested... The way I had my chams set up, at the canopy I would gently place a plastic bowl that I purchased for "cup" feeding. I made it so it was not likely to fall, by adjusting the branches, and the flexible vines around it. I also stayed in the room while they were feeding. I also would split food items up, meaning I would give 5 or so crickets for the cham to chase around, and then 5 or so worms, for them to eat out of the bowl. Worked for me, and I knew how much they were eating, and could record observations if anything was not normal.

LPR08

 

[Dantarius]

Thanks everyone for your advice! I've always believed in training your pets to eat its food in many ways in case one method is no longer available. I live in Los Angeles and its kinda hard to find any local dubias sellers. I know I can order online for feeders, but does anyone who lives close to LA have any suggestions as to where to pick up feeders?

 

[sdheli420]

I've seen some videos online where they put some mesh inside their cricket cups, but they seem to be using "sunny-D" containers that are cut away and then they velcro a mesh in the back to allow the crickets to climb up and also allow the Cham to see the crickets. I was wondering if anyone has had experiences with this? Will the Cham have any issues with the mesh? Do the crickets tend to stay in the cup or does this allow them to jump around everywhere?

this is my sunny-d-deathtrap everyone has deemed it..LOL

they work quite well and i assume making one a lil smaller should be no problem..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xCyPmEYInk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1acx7nkCLg

 

[sdheli420]

Although this has been said already, I will reiterate it. It is good for some of the prey items to free range through out the enclosure, however, things such as superworms, silkworms, and other worms would be ideal to put in the feeder cup. I myself never really got big into the cup feeding for the simple reason that I enjoyed watching my chams chase after the crickets in their cage.

However- I did it different than everyone above has suggested... The way I had my chams set up, at the canopy I would gently place a plastic bowl that I purchased for "cup" feeding. I made it so it was not likely to fall, by adjusting the branches, and the flexible vines around it. I also stayed in the room while they were feeding. I also would split food items up, meaning I would give 5 or so crickets for the cham to chase around, and then 5 or so worms, for them to eat out of the bowl. Worked for me, and I knew how much they were eating, and could record observations if anything was not normal.

LPR08

i also let some silk worms and hornworms roam free on the tree..

 

[RunCode3]

Although this has been said already, I will reiterate it. It is good for some of the prey items to free range through out the enclosure, however, things such as superworms, silkworms, and other worms would be ideal to put in the feeder cup. I myself never really got big into the cup feeding for the simple reason that I enjoyed watching my chams chase after the crickets in their cage.

However- I did it different than everyone above has suggested... The way I had my chams set up, at the canopy I would gently place a plastic bowl that I purchased for "cup" feeding. I made it so it was not likely to fall, by adjusting the branches, and the flexible vines around it. I also stayed in the room while they were feeding. I also would split food items up, meaning I would give 5 or so crickets for the cham to chase around, and then 5 or so worms, for them to eat out of the bowl. Worked for me, and I knew how much they were eating, and could record observations if anything was not normal.

LPR08

The problem I have is Ive had some med size crickets escape the cup and roam free. a week later when I clean the cage, I will see them hiding on the bottom of the cage under the plant water catcher. My cham hasnt gone past the top 1/2 of the cage. I think that if I were to feed him w/o the cup, the crickets would just accumulate at the bottom of the cage and he wouldn't eat.

Maybe large crickets will climb up the walls of the cage? I will try and place some larger cricekts on the screen when I feed him today.

 

[sdheli420]

The problem I have is Ive had some med size crickets escape the cup and roam free. a week later when I clean the cage, I will see them hiding on the bottom of the cage under the plant water catcher. My cham hasnt gone past the top 1/2 of the cage. I think that if I were to feed him w/o the cup, the crickets would just accumulate at the bottom of the cage and he wouldn't eat.

Maybe large crickets will climb up the walls of the cage? I will try and place some larger cricekts on the screen when I feed him today.

never know till you try..check it out and see what you get..

heres my worm holder..worms are easier to keep in one place, just with they were more nutritious!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H7iKUfbbRs&feature=youtu.be

 

[tagtill]

i use small bird feeder cups, put a small amount of salad in the bottom, sprinkle repashy all in one & the crickets stay in the pot for the food lol

 

[Dantarius]

Oh! I didn't think about bird feeder cups! That's a great idea. I"ll probably use those for my worm type feeders!