# Locusts keep dying



## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

Hi,

My feeder locusts keep dying within a week of my buying them.

I give them fresh water and cabbage or lettuce.

They seem to turn black and go hollow.

:gasp:


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## rafjamier (Aug 3, 2011)

I dont give mine any water, i have roughly 50 medium locusts in a exoterra 12x12x12 with places for them to hang off and have sand in the bottom, feed them as much cabbage as they can eat but dont give them any water, i give them 2 sprays of water once every 10 days as they get alot of the moisture they need from the cabbage!

Hopefully this will help you keep them alive a bit longer!


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## rafjamier (Aug 3, 2011)

Oh and every 5-7 days i give them a small piece of apple and pear as a bit of a change in their diet!


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

Thank's for the advice, I have been told that they need heat - is this true ??


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## REDDEV1L (Nov 27, 2008)

They should do fine at room temp unless you're trying to breed them.
I fed mine cabbage (Organic! as i've had deaths from normal), with a pot of wheat bran always available. Every now and again i'd give them some carrot. 

You do generally get a couple of deaths per box tho.


One thing to note, if you observe them for a while, do they seem to be squeezing/rubbing their back legs on their abdomen ?? If so this can be a sign that they've ingested insecticide from the veg.


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

lettuce has no nutritional content so try not to feed them that.

ANY veg you feed them you should always was thoroughly. I wash mine 2-3 times to be sure then pat dry with a towel. I keep the feeder locusts in a medium 12" x 8" x 8" faunarium with egg crate on one side so that they can hide under it etc and they seem to thrive.


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## MustLoveSnails (Aug 2, 2009)

I don't know if it'd work with feeders but when I had a colony for pets I fed them grasses I grew myself and they thrived....


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

swift_wraith said:


> *lettuce has no nutritional content so try not to feed them that.*
> 
> ANY veg you feed them you should always was thoroughly. I wash mine 2-3 times to be sure then pat dry with a towel. I keep the feeder locusts in a medium 12" x 8" x 8" faunarium with egg crate on one side so that they can hide under it etc and they seem to thrive.


I keep reading this about lettuce... I don't use it, and wouldn't recommend it for locusts, but it has no nutrition what so ever ????? Are you sure ?


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

Locusts, just like reptiles need to be warm to digest food. The best conditions to keep them in is...

Warm, 30-35c daytime. Dry, no water needed. Good ventilation. Food cabbage greens, grasses and bran available in a shallow jar lid, or similar container. 

The locusts you are buying are desert locusts, that is a clue. Locusts tend not to find find many apples or pears in the desert. 

They will do better with food rather than without it (surprize surprize) , but will even better with heat, so that the food can be digested.


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

data sheet for iceburg lettuce
Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw

a typical 72g serving contains 68.9g water


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## violentchopper (Jun 20, 2008)

Blaptica said:


> I keep reading this about lettuce... I don't use it, and wouldn't recommend it for locusts, but it has no nutrition what so ever ????? Are you sure ?


I wouldn't feed it to any animal either. Imagine eating a few of them until your are full up. You will be very I'll.


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

swift_wraith said:


> data sheet for iceburg lettuce
> Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw
> 
> a typical 72g serving contains 68.9g water


Most vegtables are mostly water ! Lettuce is no exception. Iceberg lettuce is particularly bad. The name is a bit of a give away. Even according to the same website, dandelions (one of the most nutritious leavy greens) are 47.1g of water for every 55g serving. 

I made it clear that I do not recommend using lettuce. But it is not true to say "it has no nutrition".


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## Blaptica (Jun 26, 2008)

violentchopper said:


> I wouldn't feed it to any animal either. Imagine eating a few of them until your are full up. You will be very I'll.


That would also be true if you ate raw green cabbage or grass until you felt full up.


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

ok i stand corrected, i should have said lettuce has _very little_ nutritional value and not no nutritional value.


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