Although most people tend to think of the bearded dragon being the predator against a cricket….sometimes things are not what they seem and a brave cricket may actually bite or nip your pet bearded dragon.
This does usually only happen when your bearded dragon chooses not to eat the crickets in its vivarium right away and the crickets are able to get used to the bearded dragon in their with them.
After a while, your bearded dragon tries to eat the cricket only for its natural reaction to kick in causing the cricket to bite your bearded dragon.
This is why we have noticed so many people reaching out and asking about treating a bearded dragon cricket bite recently after noticing the tiny little bite marks on their pet left over by a cricket.
Due to seeing so many people asking about treating a bite mark on a bearded dragon recently, we decided to publish this article to try and help as many of our readers as possible.
Is It Normal For A Cricket To Bite A Bearded Dragon?
Although rare, crickets can and will bite your bearded dragon in some situations.
The cricket is not trying to be aggressive and it is not doing this because it wants to fight your bearded dragon.
Instead, the cricket is simply trying to protect itself.
A cricket has natural instincts that tell it when it is in danger and when it needs to defend itself.
These instincts cause the cricket to open its mouth and bite whatever is threatening it in an attempt to escape.
The cricket does not know that your bearded dragon is not actually trying to hurt it and instead just wants to eat it as part of its meal.
All the cricket knows is that it is in danger and it needs to defend itself.
This is why crickets will sometimes bite your bearded dragon even if your bearded dragon has never shown any aggression towards the cricket before.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Bearded Dragon Cricket Bite?
The most common symptom of a bearded dragon cricket bite is a small puncture wound on the skin of your bearded dragon.
This puncture wound is usually not more than a few millimeters in size and is usually only visible if you are looking closely at your bearded dragon.
Another symptom of a cricket bite is that your bearded dragon may start to lick the area where it was bitten.
This is because the cricket’s saliva may cause some irritation to the skin of your bearded dragon.
Your bearded dragon may also try to scratch the area with its claws in an attempt to relieve the itchiness caused by the saliva.
In some rare cases, a cricket bite can become infected.
This is more likely to happen if the puncture wound is deep or if the cricket was carrying any bacteria in its mouth.
If you notice that the puncture wound is getting bigger or if it starts to ooze pus, then it is likely that the wound has become infected and you should take your bearded dragon to the vet as soon as possible.
How To Treat A Bearded Dragon Cricket Bite?
The best way to treat a bearded dragon cricket bite is to clean the wound with some warm water and a mild soap.
You should then dry the wound off with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment to the wound and then cover it with a bandage.
The bandage will help to keep the wound clean and will also protect it from further injury.
You should check the wound daily and reapply the antibiotic ointment if necessary.
If the wound does not seem to be healing or if it starts to look infected, then you should take your bearded dragon to the vet as soon as possible.
How To Prevent A Bearded Dragon Cricket Bite?
The best way to prevent a cricket bite is to make sure that your bearded dragon always has a good supply of food.
A well-fed bearded dragon is less likely to see a cricket as food and is therefore less likely to try to eat one.
You should also handle your crickets before giving them to your bearded dragon.
This will allow you to remove any crickets that look like they might be aggressive or that have already bitten someone.
You should also avoid handling your bearded dragon while it is eating.
This can stress your bearded dragon out and make it more likely to bite.
If you follow these steps, then you should be able to prevent most cricket bites from happening.
However, even if you do everything right, there is always a chance that your bearded dragon could still get bitten by a cricket.
If this happens, then you should follow the steps above to treat the wound and prevent it from becoming infected.
Can A Cricket Bite Seriously Injure A Bearded Dragon?
A cricket bite is not usually serious and will not cause any long-term damage to your bearded dragon.
However, in rare cases, a cricket bite can become infected.
If this happens, then you should take your bearded dragon to the vet as soon as possible.
Here are some key symptoms of an infected cricket bite to watch out for.
- The puncture wound starts to ooze pus.
- The puncture wound becomes bigger.
- The infected area starts to spread.
- Redness and swelling around the bite site.
Conclusion
Bearded dragons are not immune to cricket bites, and although most bites will not cause any long-term damage, some can become infected. It is important to be able to identify the symptoms of an infected cricket bite so that you can get your bearded dragon the treatment it needs as soon as possible.
