JimO
Established Member
I have a collection site that I'm confident hasn't been sprayed with any pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc. It is loaded with several species of small green grasshoppers. Given that these grasshoppers breed seasonally, it probably isn't practical to set up a breeding colony. However, I was thinking that I could set up an enclosure with some suitable soil, keep and feed up to 100 adult grasshoppers and remove them after they lay eggs. When the nymphs emerge, I could then keep them well fed and use them as feeders for as long as they last.
I'm sure others have tried this and I'd like to avoid re-inventing the proverbial wheel, so if you can direct me to any threads or information on the internet outside of this site, I'd appreciate it. I did find this helpful thread from 2008:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/grasshopper-rearing-15024/
It gives great basic information. But, I was considering a much larger enclosure kept outdoors. I would have a tray of well drained soil about half the size of the enclosure and place the enclosure over grass (I never use chemicals on my grass - it doesn't look manicured, but I like it that way). That way, the grasshoppers have a choice of feeding on grasses or food that I place in the enclosure.
I'm sure others have tried this and I'd like to avoid re-inventing the proverbial wheel, so if you can direct me to any threads or information on the internet outside of this site, I'd appreciate it. I did find this helpful thread from 2008:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/grasshopper-rearing-15024/
It gives great basic information. But, I was considering a much larger enclosure kept outdoors. I would have a tray of well drained soil about half the size of the enclosure and place the enclosure over grass (I never use chemicals on my grass - it doesn't look manicured, but I like it that way). That way, the grasshoppers have a choice of feeding on grasses or food that I place in the enclosure.
