# Live Crickets vs Canned Crickets



## Tiger Lily (Dec 28, 2009)

Im due to get my first bearded dragon early this year and ive stumbled upon a moral dilemma. I know beardies are generally fed live crickets but is there anyone here who uses tinned crickets? I must say i feel slightly uncomfortable with the thought of feeding my lizard live crickets. Did anyone else experience this? and what do you think of using canned crickets and vibrating feeding dish. 

Thanks


----------



## Pendragon (Dec 8, 2008)

Hi,

I was the same, I hate spiders, but I can't bare to kill them, I think all creatures have a right to live, but then I eat meat!?

:lol2:

I reason that I'm higher up the food chain than a cow, so it's ok, the same aplys to beardies, they are higher up the food chain than crickets. You will get used to it, but if you can't then I would sugest a different animal. Cresties are great, and I only feed mine live once a week.

But I would stear clear of caned crix, there isn't much nutrition in a live gut loaded cricket, let alone a dead canned one : victory:

Jay


----------



## Griff2294 (Jun 3, 2009)

jabba1967 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I was the same, I hate spiders, but I can't bare to kill them, I think all creatures have a right to live, but then I eat meat!?
> 
> ...


Sort of agree with this(can't completely agree because I only got my beardie yesterday and I still feel a bit bad lol), when I was looking at getting my first snakes I thought I would feel really bad about feeding the mice/rats/multi's, but you do get used to it. It's weird actually, I felt bad when I picked up a fresh killed multi for my non-eating cali king, but then I considered it is sort of the same as just getting a frozen one.. I think I will get used to feeding the live food, but you do notice, the deaths of the bugs are very quick and I also doubt that there brains have the ability to really know what is going on : victory:


----------



## Guest (Jan 1, 2010)

Griff2294 said:


> Sort of agree with this(can't completely agree because I only got my beardie yesterday and I still feel a bit bad lol), when I was looking at getting my first snakes I thought I would feel really bad about feeding the mice/rats/multi's, but you do get used to it. It's weird actually, I felt bad when I picked up a fresh killed multi for my non-eating cali king, but then I considered it is sort of the same as just getting a frozen one.. I think I will get used to feeding the live food, but you do notice, the deaths of the bugs are very quick and I also doubt that there brains have the ability to really know what is going on : victory:


Yeah most insects don't feel pain, they lack nerve endings (or so I have heard)
Oh and canned crickets are rubbish, at first you may hate live crickets etc. but you lean to cope :lol2: locusts or dubai's are another alternative :2thumb:


----------



## Tiger Lily (Dec 28, 2009)

Ive researched and apparantly the canned crickets im looking at are prepared so they have the same nutritional value as live crickets. Feeding dead mice to a snake wouldnt bother me, sending crickets to their death kinda does bother me, regardless of how insignificant of an animal they are. Im getting a beardie, theres no changing that. Im just trying to consider all possibilities. I want the best for my beardie, its my responsibility to give it the best life i can, i suppose if that means feeding it live crickets then im just going to have to deal with that. Just doesnt sit right with me.


----------



## Guest (Jan 1, 2010)

Tiger Lily said:


> Ive researched and apparantly the canned crickets im looking at are prepared so they have the same nutritional value as live crickets. Feeding dead mice to a snake wouldnt bother me, sending crickets to their death kinda does bother me, regardless of how insignificant of an animal they are. Im getting a beardie, theres no changing that. Im just trying to consider all possibilities. I want the best for my beardie, its my responsibility to give it the best life i can, i suppose if that means feeding it live crickets then im just going to have to deal with that. Just doesnt sit right with me.


I know how you feel, I hate killing things, the way I see it, give them a great life where they are fed nice food :2thumb: beardies eat live insects in the wild and I think it is only right to feed them live in captivity as mental stimulation : victory:


----------



## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

In order to give your beardie the best life it desurves you will have to feed live crickets because you need to stimulate natural behavour in your beardie i.e hunting for its dinner, just think how boring it could get in that viv all day with nothing to hunt or really do. im sorry to be so blunt about it but its true. =]


----------



## Tiger Lily (Dec 28, 2009)

I appriciate all your honest replies. I think ultimately i will be able to get use to using live crickets, i just have to look at in in respect to the food chain. I think the main reason im finding it difficult is the fact that im a nurse and obviously im working with people and not animals, but its hard to drop the mentality of do no harm, even when it comes to crickets lol. Im sure ill be fine.


----------



## Griff2294 (Jun 3, 2009)

Tiger Lily said:


> I appriciate all your honest replies. I think ultimately i will be able to get use to using live crickets, i just have to look at in in respect to the food chain. I think the main reason im finding it difficult is the fact that im a nurse and obviously im working with people and not animals, but its hard to drop the mentality of do no harm, even when it comes to crickets lol. Im sure ill be fine.


 I'm finding it hard to get used to crickets, mainly because they scare the :censor: out of me :lol2:


----------



## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

After a while you won't worry too much but i still feel bad if i accidently take ones leg off or something!


----------



## kirsten (Jan 13, 2008)

tbh, i hate crix, and i know it's more expensive, but i'd use locusts.


----------



## fiesta599 (Jun 11, 2009)

when i got bindi 6 mths ago i felt the same as u and nearly didnt get her due to that fact.live insects scare the :censor: out of me.it does get better with time.i fed my first locusts to my cresties last nite and it actually wasnt as bad as i thought it would.took me six mths but i did it:2thumb: b4 that she had a wide range of livefood just not locusts as they scare me the most.
i give my livefood the best i can do whilst thier alive ie food,water gel,regular cleaning of their houses etc.my friend says i look after the livefood better than she feeds her kids as i like buying organic from m+s if money permitts.you do get used to it and ur animals will love you for it.


----------



## NINJATURTLETOM (Sep 1, 2009)

Also gotta think where there beardies just feeding off the same dish their not getting the same exercise or thrill of chasing the cricket around the tank. I do feel a bit bad sending crickets to their death coz I keep them as just like a normal pet, got them a set up, feed them look after them etc.


----------



## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

The better you keep your crickets the more nutritious they will be and i guess its what they desurve a nice life, considering you are sending them to their death.


----------



## HadesDragons (Jun 30, 2007)

You'll find that a lot of beardies won't even react to non-veg food that's not moving, which would make feeding pre-killed crickets a nightmare.

Possibly a daft question, but have you ever watched a beardie feed? If not, is there anyone near to you that you could visit, and perhaps feed their beardie? You might find that it's a lot easier than you think and that you're ok with it when it actually comes down to it, or it may totally put you off the idea of getting a beardie (in which case it's better to find out before you get the beardie). : victory:


----------



## Tiger Lily (Dec 28, 2009)

HadesDragons said:


> You'll find that a lot of beardies won't even react to non-veg food that's not moving, which would make feeding pre-killed crickets a nightmare.
> 
> Possibly a daft question, but have you ever watched a beardie feed? If not, is there anyone near to you that you could visit, and perhaps feed their beardie? You might find that it's a lot easier than you think and that you're ok with it when it actually comes down to it, or it may totally put you off the idea of getting a beardie (in which case it's better to find out before you get the beardie). : victory:


Good idea! No i dont know anyone with a beardie but i will be visiting a few reptile shops next week so maybe i can ask if i can observe them at feeding time. Ill just have to get on with it. Ive thought about it and kinda accepted it.


----------



## liz200898 (Oct 13, 2008)

Thats a good idea they should be more than happy about you watching hope it goes well =]


----------



## Rory's Mum (Feb 5, 2011)

Tiger Lily said:


> Im due to get my first bearded dragon early this year and ive stumbled upon a moral dilemma. I know beardies are generally fed live crickets but is there anyone here who uses tinned crickets? I must say i feel slightly uncomfortable with the thought of feeding my lizard live crickets. Did anyone else experience this? and what do you think of using canned crickets and vibrating feeding dish.
> 
> Thanks


Our bearded dragon Rory loves can- o- crickets :2thumb: We were unable to get live bait during our arctic weather so had no choice.He now will not eat live crickets but scoffs tinned ones.He is growing and is perfectly healthy. Hope this helps as everyone says live is best but has anyone asked a Dragon? :lol2:


----------



## OliverW (Dec 8, 2010)

Griff2294 said:


> I'm finding it hard to get used to crickets, mainly because they scare the :censor: out of me :lol2:


:lol2: I'm the same I hate crickets and think there horrible so that's how I justify killing them by giving them to my crestie.


----------



## berbers (May 29, 2010)

crickets are vile little buggers and deserve their fate!!! when i first got my skinks and couldnt bring myself to touch them and had to use chopsticks to get them out of the tub. soon got used to it tho, feeding time is now a joy to see them meet their doooom!


----------

