# My locusts won't mate!



## Optikal (Feb 4, 2009)

I bought a couple of packs of 5th instar locust last week and now most of them have become adults. However, even with a spot bulb, loads of food, water gel and climbing spaces, there's still no nookie going on.

Any idea on how to spark breeding behaviour in them?


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## forteh (Feb 9, 2009)

Ive had a farm set up for about 5 weeks now with 10-20 adults introduced from day one, there was no sign of mating for the 1st 2weeks. Then I found out that the female are brown and males are yellow - was expecting lesbian locusts to mate :blush:

Bought a fresh pack of males and females and put them in there, have since seen a few of them at it (quite often the males sit on the females backs without actually doing anything though) and 1 set of eggs has been laid. Unfortunately they dozy locust chose to ignore the sand and laid them in the corner where they promptly dried out :bash:

So in 5 weeks there has been 1 mislay and thats it, give them time and they will lay more 

They are in a wooden viv with acrylic front and 6 x 70mm diameter meshed vents. Heat is from a heatmat on the bottom running on a stat set to about 87F. There is a spotlamp on a dimmer switch set on a timer for 7:30-21:30, the dimmer is set to give a temp of 85F without the mat.

The humidity is about 1-2% higher than the room itself, currently about 55% but has been as low as 37%.

Food is generally cabbage, they prefer savoy or red, they dont like kale and not keen on white. There is also a tub of crushed branflakes in there aswell.

The largest (4th & 5th instar) locusts from the bulk bags that are too big for the geckos are dumped into the farm to mature and breed


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## madaboutreptiles (Jun 5, 2007)

Have you tried dimming the lights a little..................a nice bottle of red wine..........a few candles here and there.......and a nice bunch of red roses....





It usually works for me..............................:flrt:


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## Patthecat12 (Mar 28, 2008)

I had recent success on breeding locusts and the only thing i did was , 
1) Put in tank
2) Give grass and dandelions 
3) Give lots of heat (they do come from the desert, myn are ontop my CWD viv and also has a heat-mat underneath)
4) Patience
5) Give them Somewhere to lay it is remarkable truly how far they can reach down at least 5 times there own length
6) Get loads of babies, be happy, all reptiles happy, all healthy as they have had the bet to eat since the start and now your lizards have as well


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## Roonstar (Jan 27, 2009)

Optikal said:


> I bought a couple of packs of 5th instar locust last week and now most of them have become adults. However, even with a spot bulb, loads of food, water gel and climbing spaces, there's still no nookie going on.
> 
> Any idea on how to spark breeding behaviour in them?


Are you sure you have got male and females?


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## connor 1213 (Apr 6, 2009)

Optikal said:


> I bought a couple of packs of 5th instar locust last week and now most of them have become adults. However, even with a spot bulb, loads of food, water gel and climbing spaces, there's still no nookie going on.
> 
> Any idea on how to spark breeding behaviour in them?


put some sexy music and candle light dinner in maybe that will help

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:


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## ratley (Nov 17, 2007)

Whatever you do dont through the laying medium away!!!
I very nearly did this, but they hatched today!!! :2thumb:


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