De-legged crix

[spazz]

I tried to find some info about this on google but failed to come up with any real answers. My question is, if I pull the legs off my crix all at one time, instead of every time I feed Max, how long will they live? I am hoping they will not be affected in any real way. It's a fairly difficult task to de-leg baby crix and if I could just get it all over with at one time that would be great.

Anyone do this with their crix?

 

[Germ]

IMHO - it would be cruel, bad enough doing it to them just prior to being devoured if really necessary. I have never seen the need for doing this other than for a sick BD that couldn't get around or too weak to hunt. But to do it to them, then let them starve to death because they could not get to their food to be gutloaded after being dismembered. Unable to be gutloaded makes them an 'empty' diet.

 

[spazz]

I see your point about being cruel, so I won't do it. But I put the GL in a milk cap, so that wouldn't be a problem. I guess I just wanted to make it easier for Max. I see him miss so often. I even see him just give up without catching any at all. Maybe I am just over thinking it, I mean he does end up with them eventually. Missing crix and poop are proof enough of that. I guess I'd just actually like to SEE him eat more to make myself feel better. To be perfectly honest, I have only done it one time to one cricket, and it was a pain in the butt.

Wow, this is a lot like beardie therapy.

 

[Germ]

I have had a few BDs go through periods, particularly when young, that they would not eat while I watched, but if I left or got out of their line of site & peeked around the corner a minute or 2 later, there they were hunting & munching . Might be worth a try, feeding, then leaving to start out with.

 

[gilliesexotics]

Hi, honestly it is a defense type mechanism for a cricket and there shouldnt be any harm done to the cricket done right. If you pinch the crickets rear leg right at the knee by forcing your thumb nail against your index to essentially break it. The leg literally falls off on its own

The rear legs of an adult contain some moisture. It is a minute amount but why not try to get all you can from your cricket.

 

[Germ]

But I put the GL in a milk cap, so that wouldn't be a problem.

D'ya think that they would really be in the mood to sit down to dinner, after having their limbs ripped off .

 

[spazz]

I have seen a cricket eating GL while another was snaking on the guts hanging out of its abdomen. Not sure how it got squished though. And not at all pleasant, I assure you.

 

[Ozzie&Dino]

I think this is what Dino does.

I have had a few BDs go through periods, particularly when young, that they would not eat while I watched, but if I left or got out of their line of site & peeked around the corner a minute or 2 later, there they were hunting & munching . Might be worth a try, feeding, then leaving to start out with.

 

[khaleesi]

The thing that I most recently learned about crickets/hoppers/locust is that you know when you buy them in a tray and they have the piece of cardboard in that card board is a necessity because all of these bugs require something to perch on the side of. The bug requires the vertical elevation and hopper legs (large legs) as their insides crush under their own weight. If you want healthy feeders you must not remove the legs or leave them in a smooth container with no egg trays (cardboard etc) to perch on. I used to remove half of the hopper legs for my plated lizard as he was a rescue and very weak at the time. If you buy healthy feeders and take ok care of them then in turn they will nourish your BD the removal of legs I feel is inappropriate our babies are very good hunters and more than capable of dealing with the legs if we feed appropriate sized bugs hope this information helps!

 

[spazz]

Thanks for the response!

Max improved greatly at catching his food shortly after I posted this. I haven't had to pull any legs at all.