Next project - locust housing/breeding - advice wanted

[SliK JiM]

Right, having finished my last project, I needed another. I've always fancied breeding locusts (or trying to) and they need a better 'house' anyway, so I'm going to build something for them!

Here's my first plan:

No real sizes thought of yet, was just brainstorming.

So, the basic idea is to have a screen top and door with the rest of the sides wooden. Inside the housing there will be a screen bottom to let poop and what not through, and then a "breeding station" into which jars filled with sand will be able to be screwed in and out of to allow the locusts to deposit their egg sacks and then for me to be able to remove them to warm and grow the locusts! I'll have some sort of small energy saving bulb in there to provide some light and heat but nothing major!

What do you all think? Any suggestions? I might need to rethink the door idea as I dont want all the locusts getting out when I got to grab a few! So I might split the door 25% to 75%? But who knows! It's all an idea so far!

 

[FroggtheCham]

You can keep the large front screen door to keep it easy to clean etc, and add a small "door" or two with in the large screen door. This way you can use the small "doors" to reach in and gather your feeders with out having to open up too much space for escapees. Glue plastic, like painting plastic around the small door opening and cut slits from the center in a star pattern, will allow you to put your arm in and out and no locusts should get out around your arm. Just a thought......

 

[Todnedo]

I used 2 sliding plexiglass doors. You want to make sure there are no holes or cracks big enough for the newly hatched hoppers to escape.

 

[fluxlizard]

Hey Todnedo-

Where did you get your starters?

I've always wanted to try these.

 

[SliK JiM]

Cheers Tod.

That's the sort of thing I'm thinking about, Only I will make it taller (due to space constraints). How easy is it to get the little locusts if you're reaching from the top? The bigguns are stupid and easy to catch, but the little ones are just so little! lol.

As long as they aren't smaller than the normal mesh I use there should be any issues!

Questions
What size bulb have you got on top?
Have you treated the wood at all?
Finally, why the live plants and what are they?

Flux

I still forget that you guys cant really get these in the states! One of the only advantages of living in the UK for chameleon keeping!

 

[Todnedo]

Hey Todnedo-

Where did you get your starters?

I've always wanted to try these.

They are wild collected native hoppers.

 

[fluxlizard]

Do they go all winter for you? Do you have to refrigerate the eggs to get them to hatch?

 

[Todnedo]

Cheers Tod.

That's the sort of thing I'm thinking about, Only I will make it taller (due to space constraints). How easy is it to get the little locusts if you're reaching from the top? The bigguns are stupid and easy to catch, but the little ones are just so little! lol.

As long as they aren't smaller than the normal mesh I use there should be any issues!

Questions
What size bulb have you got on top?
Have you treated the wood at all?
Finally, why the live plants and what are they?

Flux

I still forget that you guys cant really get these in the states! One of the only advantages of living in the UK for chameleon keeping!

I use a deli cup to catch the smaller ones on the sides of the screen.
40W bulb
No treated wood the hoppers chew on the wood frame.
That is grass and weeds from my back yard for food and there is some collard greens and kale for them to eat too.
I also give them oats, bran and wheat germ.

 

[Todnedo]

Do they go all winter for you? Do you have to refrigerate the eggs to get them to hatch?

Some species will breed year round but others need a diapause and hatch in the spring.

 

[fluxlizard]

I'm only a state over and we have some that look exactly like that.

So, probably same or closely related.

So, what about yours? Year round and do you have to refridgerate the eggs?

 

[weezyboi94]

I've been breeding hoppers for a while and i use a glass aquarium with a screen top. Works fine. Your design should do well for the hoppers.
Hey Tod
Just wondering, how many hoppers did you start with to get to that kind of a population ?
And how the heck do you change out those lettuce leaves without having any escape ?, or do they...
thanks

 

[Todnedo]

I'm only a state over and we have some that look exactly like that.

So, probably same or closely related.

So, what about yours? Year round and do you have to refridgerate the eggs?

I didnt refridgerate them and they hatched in March and April.
Greenstriped grasshoppers breed year round in captivity.
http://www.sidney.ars.usda.gov/grasshopper/ID_Tools/F_Sheets/greenstr.htm

 

[Todnedo]

I've been breeding hoppers for a while and i use a glass aquarium with a screen top. Works fine. Your design should do well for the hoppers.
Hey Tod
Just wondering, how many hoppers did you start with to get to that kind of a population ?
And how the heck do you change out those lettuce leaves without having any escape ?, or do they...
thanks

The greens in the pic were devoured in 24 hrs/ not much more than a inch long stem to remove.

 

[SliK JiM]

I use a deli cup to catch the smaller ones on the sides of the screen.
40W bulb
No treated wood the hoppers chew on the wood frame.
That is grass and weeds from my back yard for food and there is some collard greens and kale for them to eat too.
I also give them oats, bran and wheat germ.

Cool thanks!

Sounds like my plan will work out!

Mine should breed year round and pretty quickly too!