# Locusts need a clean



## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Hi all, I have just brought my small son some locusts as pets. Had them 3 weeks already and only 1 has died. I have them in a plastic pet carrier type thing with a flap lid on the top. My question is how on earth do I clean them out ? They mostly sit up near the lid and jump all over the place as soon as I touch the tank so I can just imagine that as soon as I lift the lid enough to get my hand in they'll be everywhere......... mg: please help


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> Hi all, I have just brought my small son some locusts as pets. Had them 3 weeks already and only 1 has died. I have them in a plastic pet carrier type thing with a flap lid on the top. My question is how on earth do I clean them out ? They mostly sit up near the lid and jump all over the place as soon as I touch the tank so I can just imagine that as soon as I lift the lid enough to get my hand in they'll be everywhere......... mg: please help


 
Hi ASE :welcome: to the forum.

If you put the tub containing the locusts in a cool spot for half an hour, say in the fridge or outside on window sill) the locusts will cool down and become less active, they wont die, providing it isnt absolutely freezing and only for half an hour to an hour. 

you should then be able to put the lid with the locusts on into another tub (storage tub, clean bin, etc), or shake them off, and tip all the others in too. Then you can clean the origional tub, put new decor in if needed, and replace locusts and fresh food. After the operation they will soon become more active if placed in room temp

Hope this helps, ask if you have any more questions.:2thumb:

P.S, you seem like a cool parent, when i was small i would have loved locusts:devil::lol2:

P.S, just so you know for next time, the enclosure that you described is called a Faunarium: victory:


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

other option is do it in the Bath, where if they do escape the container they won't be able to get out of the bath.


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Thanks bw89 that was a great welcome and great advice ) I will be putting the poor mites in the fridge tomorrow while my son is at nursery and before my other half comes home else they'd both be crying but for different reasons )

Thanks for calling me a 'cool parent' that made my day )


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Thanks also to Thething84 - I will be using this method aswell after I've chilled them just to be on the safe side )


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> Thanks bw89 that was a great welcome and great advice ) I will be putting the poor mites in the fridge tomorrow while my son is at nursery and before my other half comes home else they'd both be crying but for different reasons )
> 
> Thanks for calling me a 'cool parent' that made my day )


 
No problem, hope the cleaning goes well:Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## awh (Aug 20, 2008)

once you hav put them in the fridge check on them every five minutes then when you feel they are slow enough do the change you may find half an hour is to long


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Done it )
Cant say I enjoyed the sensation of them clinging to my hands as i put them into a holding box - yuk - but it worked and they now have a clean spotless 'faunarium' (good word bw89) ) Oh and the 1 that died - is actually alive as I still have 14 )
They are already hopping around enjoying the sunshine in the kitchen - amazing )
Thank you everyone and when he decides he wants a lizard instead of locusts I'll be back ) x x x


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

:lol2: your welcome, i have lizards that love locusts, but i have kept them as a pet themselves as they are fascinating. Glad the one you thought was dead wasnt:2thumb:


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## thething84 (Apr 26, 2010)

u soon get used to them clinging to you when you feed crickets, locusts and roaches to lizrds reagularly. lol. so much hassle trying to use tweezers. so use handnow. lol. 

just ensure you got plenty of ventilation as locusts do not like humidity.


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

*O.m.g !!!!*

O.M.G 

I have a mutant locust !! Overnight 1 has doubled it's size, gone really pale and has HUGE wings !!

I'm scared :gasp:


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## PAB (Aug 4, 2010)

ASE said:


> O.M.G
> 
> I have a mutant locust !! Overnight 1 has doubled it's size, gone really pale and has HUGE wings !!
> 
> I'm scared :gasp:


Oh no dont look at it and you will be ok. Its quite normal.


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## scotgirl7870 (Apr 28, 2011)

Lol, it's just moulted and will get darker when it's skeleton hardens


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## xtyler123x (Mar 11, 2011)

its turned into an adult locust


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

reminds me, i need to clean out my breeding box of locusts. not something i relish but needs must.


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

They do moult quite regularly, and have quite a short life span anyway. I buy them in bulk to feed my dragon, and have them in a faunarium and feed them etc to try and minimise the amount that die, but I still lose about half each time, and once they have wings that's the final moult I believe before they die :'(


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

*Phew !!*

Thank you everyone, i feel better now !! 

It was such a shock to of said night night (yeah I admit I talk to them :blush: ) to 15 small black and yellow mites then waking up to this great hoofing peach coloured thing with dragonfly wings ???

Just got up now, in the middle of the night for a drink and it looks like i can see another one sitting on the glass waiting to scare me in the morning too !!

What a shame they're into their last days of life though, my son will be soo upset - ok, and i will too


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

*P.S*

P.S Just thought, how long can i expect them to live for now because I've just spent £1.50 on a bloody living lettuce for them :devil:


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

:hmm:It depends on the environment i think, iv heard from 1 week to 50 odd days. You have two options, you could either wait for your lovely locusts to depart this life and (if you want) buy another tub of small locusts to keep. Or, you could breed them:devil:. Just put in a tub of moist soil for them to lay their eggs and keep it somewhere warm or put a small heatmat beneath it. Soon you will have lots of little babies and you and your son can watch the whole process, which is amazing. Although, you might not want that many locusts :lol2:.
As i said, your locusts may last another month or two for you to enjoy.


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Oh thats good then although I'm not relishing the thought of picking those massive things up to clean them out half chilled or not !!!

Yes, i've woken up to another one of them this morning sitting in the sun tanning his peachy bod mg:

I'll pass on the midwife job and just buy another tub if my son wants more or i'll try and persuade him to have a kitten to cuddle instead :lol2:


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

ASE said:


> Oh thats good then although I'm not relishing the thought of picking those massive things up to clean them out half chilled or not !!!
> 
> Yes, i've woken up to another one of them this morning sitting in the sun tanning his peachy bod mg:
> 
> I'll pass on the midwife job and just buy another tub if my son wants more or i'll try and persuade him to have a kitten to cuddle instead :lol2:


Or get him a dragon... to feed the locusts to :no1:

Obviously after researching their proper care......


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> Oh thats good then although I'm not relishing the thought of picking those massive things up to clean them out half chilled or not !!! *If you hold a peice of cut fruit to the locust, it may well walk onto the fruit of it's own accord to eat, then you can move it to a seperate enclosure, shoo him off and repeat. No touching involved*
> 
> Yes, i've woken up to another one of them this morning sitting in the sun tanning his peachy bod mg:
> 
> I'll pass on the midwife job and just buy another tub if my son wants more or i'll try and persuade him to have a kitten to cuddle instead :lol2:


If you wanted to step it up, have a look at a stick insect or Mantis, both live longer and have different lifestyles and are fascinating toooo. But then again, a stick insect, i find at least, is less willing to cuddle than a kitten.:whistling2: Hope the insect keeping goes well:2thumb:


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

My son would love a dragon, he spends ages kissing up the glass of a very friendly active one at our local pet shop, it's sooo sweet :flrt: 
He is only 3 though so it's muggins here that would have to actually deal with it !!

Had the honour of watching one emerge today, we sat glued to the tank, it was amazing :notworthy:

Another question has now arisen then - do adult locusts not jump ? I haven't seen these do it yet and I just wondered given the fruit advice ?


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> My son would love a dragon, he spends ages kissing up the glass of a very friendly active one at our local pet shop, it's sooo sweet :flrt:
> He is only 3 though so it's muggins here that would have to actually deal with it !!
> 
> Had the honour of watching one emerge today, we sat glued to the tank, it was amazing :notworthy:
> ...


Yes the adults can jump, and they can fly short distances too. However, they usually only do so when they feel threatened: victory:: victory:


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Fly - of course, they have them huge wings now - what a silly cow I am :whistling2:

They can forget the fruit then, it's the fridge all the way and maybe the bbq tongs :lol2:
Thank you again bw89, your a star :no1:


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

ASE said:


> Fly - of course, they have them huge wings now - what a silly cow I am :whistling2:
> 
> They can forget the fruit then, it's the fridge all the way and maybe the bbq tongs :lol2:
> Thank you again bw89, your a star :no1:


Haha, don't be daft, I didn't know if the adults could jump and i've been buying them for 7 months! In all honesty, I thought the wings were a decoy as well, never seen one fly! You soon get sick of tongs, you can pick them up if you grab them, say, on either side where their hips would be if they were human. I used to grab the tails, but they soon learn to bend round and deposit some lovely brown liquid on your finger :censor:


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> Fly - of course, they have them huge wings now - what a silly cow I am :whistling2:
> 
> They can forget the fruit then, it's the fridge all the way and maybe the bbq tongs :lol2:
> Thank you again bw89, your a star :no1:


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

I have been known to twinkle

As Mstypical said, they hardly ever fly and are quite useless at it really. Maybe it’s an oven-mitt or tongs jobby :whistling2:But if they ever get the better of you at least you now have a list of weopons and tools to use.


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

An oven mit too - good call :2thumb:

I'll tackle them later in the week when I've got my equipment together - i'm going to look like a ghost buster :lol2:


P.S - love your pit MSTYPICAL, your very lucky !! I miss my old man, I had him for 15 years


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

ASE said:


> An oven mit too - good call :2thumb:
> 
> I'll tackle them later in the week when I've got my equipment together - i'm going to look like a ghost buster :lol2:
> 
> ...


Aw did you see a pic before I took them off? Had a nosy opinionated family member spying on me so took them all off for a while :whip:

She is the best :no1:


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

Yes i saw the pics, glad I was being nosey when I was then else I'd of missed her.

Despite what some people say they are the best. My boy was soo loving and enjoyed nothing more than cuddles - he loved his mummy :flrt:


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## mstypical (Feb 16, 2011)

ASE said:


> Yes i saw the pics, glad I was being nosey when I was then else I'd of missed her.
> 
> Despite what some people say they are the best. My boy was soo loving and enjoyed nothing more than cuddles - he loved his mummy :flrt:


I think only other owners will ever understand to be honest. Mine is extremely laid back, sometimes annoyingly so, she slept through my car being stolen :censor: hardly a guard dog, never mind an aggressive animal! She does this funny thing of 'thinking she's a puppy' and trying to sit on your knee, when you think she broke a XL harness because she's too wide for it, you see she shouldn't really be trying to sit on my knee!


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

WELL HERE I AM 8 WEEKS OR SO DOWN THE LINE AND I'VE TURNED INTO QUITE A GOOD LITTLE CRICKET KEEPER I THINK AS I HAVE ONLY LOST 3 (RIP LITTLE ONES) 

I NOW FIND MYSELF IN A DIFFICULT POSITION AS THEIR MUMMY AND I HAVE A RATHER DELICATE QUESTION.........

OVER 18's ONLY PLEASE NEED READ ON...........

I SEEM TO OF RAISED A BUNCH OF DIRTY LITTLE HOPPERS WHO ARE AT IT MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THEY'RE AT IT SOOO MUCH THEY'RE TURNING GREEN AGAIN.......... WHAT'S GOING ON ?

WELL, I KNOW 'WHAT' IS GOING ON AND I'M RATHER SHOCKED :blush: BUT WHY SO MUCH AND WHY THE COLOUR CHANGE ??


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## mack-bell (May 11, 2009)

Colour changed can come from the food.
If I feed carrots to the small crickets they get beautiful orange and same for the mealworms. Dunno if it works with green food, too


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

Just read more up, and it is acually solitary locusts that turn green. But the behaviour you mention sounds more like the gregarious (yellow and black) form. You may be able to tempt them to change back to yellow and black with a tepid mist.

congrats on your success.: victory:

mack-bell mealworms are orange anyway.

Bill


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

THANK YOU BOTH BUT MINE HAVE EATEN GREEN FOOD 98% OF THE TIME, THEY'RE HOOKED ON EXPENSIVE LIVING LETTUCE :roll: 

PLUS THERE'S 11 OF THE FRISKY LITTLE BOGGERS SO THEY'RE NOT SOLITARY..........

BUT, I'VE JUST SPENT SOME MINUTES WATCHING THEM (NOT IN A PERVEY WAY YOU UNDERSTAND) :whistling2:

AND, I THINK I MAY OF COME TO A CONCLUSION - 6 ARE GREEN NOW AND 5 ARE STILL BROWN. ALL THE GREEN ONES ARE WHAT I TELL MY SON - HAVING A PIGGY BACK...........

SO, GREEN MUST BE THE BOYS AND BROWN THE GIRLS.

WHY THOUGH ARE THEY AT IT LIKE RABBITS SUDDENLY ? AS I TYPE THERE ARE 6 OF THEM PLAYING RUDIES :whistling2:


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## mack-bell (May 11, 2009)

bw89 said:


> mack-bell mealworms are orange anyway.
> 
> Bill



Yup I know but you see an extreme difference when you feed carrots ;-)


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> THANK YOU BOTH BUT MINE HAVE EATEN GREEN FOOD 98% OF THE TIME, THEY'RE HOOKED ON EXPENSIVE LIVING LETTUCE :roll:
> 
> PLUS THERE'S 11 OF THE FRISKY LITTLE BOGGERS SO THEY'RE NOT SOLITARY..........
> 
> ...


LOL It doesnt literally mean they are solitary, it's just what the "less-productive" side of their lives are called. I doubt it is he food changing their colour as green is one of their wild forms (I could be very wrong)



mack-bell said:


> Yup I know but you see an extreme difference when you feed carrots ;-)


Iv always fed carrots and never seen a difference. Strange. lol


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

bw89 said:


> LOL It doesnt literally mean they are solitary, it's just what the "less-productive" side of their lives are called. I doubt it is he food changing their colour as green is one of their wild forms
> 
> 
> OH I SEE, SORRY BW89 :blush:
> ...


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

HAHA, Little monkeys

As I said I might be wrong. My conclusion came after reading this wikapedia page on Desert Locust. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_locust I think when numbers increase and the Locust constantly brush against each other they turn yellow and lack (their swarming colours), but I think you have probably given them plenty of space therefor they have turned green but still continue to mate. Just a suggestion.

Eithr way they sound happy :lol2:.


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

OH YES, HAPPY THEY MOST DEFINITELY ARE - WELL, THE MALES ARE ANYWAY !!!

THANKS FOR THE LINK BW89, HAD TO LAUGH, THE PICTURE ON THERE IS THE PICTURE ON MY WINDOW SILL 

SEE, THE ONE ON TOP IS GREEN, THE ONE UNDERNEATH IS BROWN. 

SO, THEY MAY JUST OF REACHED THE STAGE IN THEIR LIFE WHEN MALES LOOK DIFFERENT ?? UP UNTIL NOW THEY HAVE ALL BEEN BROWN. EXCEPT BEFORE THEY GREW WINGS AND THEN THEY WERE ALL GREGARIOUS.

IT MIGHT ALSO BE BECAUSE I JUST PUT THEIR FOOD IN 1 CORNER SO THEY'RE ALWAYS CLIMBING OVER EACH OTHER TO FEED. ALL THAT RUBBING UP AGAINST EACH OTHER IS MAKING THEM REACT JUST THE SAME AS WE DO WHEN WE'RE PACKED INTO A SWEATY CLUB AND WE'RE SUDDENLY IN LOVE WITH THE PERSON NEXT TO US <3


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> OH YES, HAPPY THEY MOST DEFINITELY ARE - WELL, THE MALES ARE ANYWAY !!!
> 
> THANKS FOR THE LINK BW89, HAD TO LAUGH, THE PICTURE ON THERE IS THE PICTURE ON MY WINDOW SILL [URL="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Schistocerca_gregaria_01.jpg/220px-Schistocerca_gregaria_01.jpg"]image[/URL]
> 
> ...


Yes the males will definately be happy, but he females should be happy too what with the good level of care and all the food you've been giving them.: victory:

Here is another good site with an illustration of the life-cyle which may be of interest More about locusts

According to this site, in the solitary phase females are larger, but the sizes kind of even out in the gregarious phase. But there must be some logic in the brown female/green males in theory.

If you want to try and get them to slow down a bit, you could try spreading the food a litle bit (more cleaning required) or perhaps to cool down the enclosure a little.

If you want to let nature take it's course, but _dont_ want lots of babies, keep a moist cup or container of soil in the enclosure about 5" deep, let them lay for about 5 days (you can add another laying box if you wish) and refrigerate the cup for a day or two, which will kill the eggs with no suffering. Laying is a very interesting process to wach:roll2:

Any more questions, just ask:2thumb:
Bill


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

THANKS BW89 - I MEAN BILL - YOUR THE FOUNTAIN OF ALL KNOWLEDGE :notworthy:

I MIGHT MOVE THEM OFF THE WINDOW SILL AND SPREAD OUT THEIR DINNER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS......

I HAVE NEVER PUT THEM ANYTHING TO LAY IN AS I DIDN'T WANT BABIES. MY LOGIC WAS THAT THEY WOULD LAY IF THEY NEEDED TO IN THE BRAN ON THE FLOOR BUT AS IT WASN'T SUITABLE THEY WOULDN'T DEVELOP. THEY HAVE DONE THIS AS I'VE SEEN TONS OF EGGS WHILE CLEANING BUT NEVER SEEN THEM DO IT. I MAY GET THEM SOME SAND THEN AND DO AS YOU SAY BECAUSE IF NOTHING ELSE IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO WATCH..............

THAT'S IF THE MALES EVER GET OFF THE POOR GIRLS LONG ENOUGH FOR THEM TO DO IT !!!

THANK YOU :2thumb:


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

ASE said:


> THANKS BW89 - I MEAN BILL - YOUR THE FOUNTAIN OF ALL KNOWLEDGE :notworthy:
> 
> I MIGHT MOVE THEM OFF THE WINDOW SILL AND SPREAD OUT THEIR DINNER AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS......
> 
> ...


Your very welcome.

It seems as though they are happy to lay in the bran, and as the moisture level and heating would be too low, I dont think they will hatch, your right.

If you want to watch them laying in a see-through cup (this is cool because they often do it at the side of the cup and you can sometimes see the eggs being laid) then i recommend it. As a boy who grew up loving anything animal/science like it has brought me many happy memories doing his sort of thing. At the moment I have a woodlouse colony, snail colony, earthworm colony, and mouse colony. I haven't changed a bit:lol2:.
Bill


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

MY SON'S ANIMAL MAD TOO - HOPE THAT DOEN'T MEAN I'M GOING TO END UP WITH A HOUSEFULL OF CREATURES :gasp:

I COULD COPE WITH THE WORMS AND SNAILS AND 1 OR 2 MICE BUT A COLONY - AND WOODLICE - NOT ON YOUR NELLY !!!

YOU MUST HAVE A VERY UNDERSTANDING WIFE :lol2:


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

LOL. No my mum was very leanient with the animals when i was young, all insect enjoying was done in the garden, and I didn't get my first Snake until i had express permission. After all every boy should respect his mother:lol2:. But I keep my insects and colonies outside in the shed, and my gf is fine with it because they arent in the house. It also helps that she is an animal lover too:Na_Na_Na_Na:

Also I have each colony for different reasons:
I am growing the woodlice for my vivariums as cleaner insects (they do a good job of cleaning the soils in the viv, although I still clean them too)

The snails are being bred as a part of my Savannah Monitors diet

The mice are for my Snakes (they are given good lives and culled humanely)

And the mealworms supplement a lot of my animals diet.

If i didnt breed the insects and mice it would cost a lot more for me to keep my animals, and it is coupled by the fact that i enjoy doing this sort of thing presents me with very much happiness in keeping Reptiles.: victory:

Bill


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

:lol2: SILLY ME, I THOUGHT YOU MEANT AS PETS - I SHOULD OF KNOWN BETTER !!!


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

Well, tehnically no, but I do care for them as good as pets. : victory:

Bill

EDIT: I have kept locusts as pets though


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

SEE I COULDN'T DO THAT, I'D JUST ABOUT SCRAPE BY FEEDING INSECTS TO SOMETHING AS LONG AS I HADN'T LOOKED AFTER THEM FOR TOO LONG - COULDN'T FEED MY LITTLE HOPPERS TO ANYTHING NOW - BUT, MICE, LOOKING AFTER THEM THEN KILLING THEM - NO WAY !!!! BUT THEN I'M A PROPER SOPPY COW AND CAN'T EVEN WATCH NATURE PROGRAMMES WITHOUT CRYING MY EYES OUT WHEN THE LION CATCHES THE POOR ANTELOPE


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

Yes, Reptile keeping does seem to make the heart grow colder, and the only defence i have is my animals need to eat, and frozen mice aren't available here like in the UK. The mice i have found that were pre killed I am dubious about their living conditions as the Spanish don't exactly have an animal friendly reputation.

My gf wont let herself get attached to the mice, and I have developed a kind of mind-block thing from having to do things i didnt want to, I sort of have to detatch myself from the situation, and make it as pain-free and stress-less as possible for the animal in question. This makes putting an animal down a more manageable thing for me to do when time comes to have to do it, but I know some couldn't even dream of doing it.

Bill


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

I do beg your pardon, it's just hit me that I've spent the past 2 days SHOUTING !! I never even noticed !! It's scarey that I'm allowed to drive :gasp:

Yes, it must be very hard - your very brave !! I'd ball my eyes out, end up kissing it and cuddling it, putting it back to bed and then spending the next few days trying to pursuade my 15 foot boa that lettuce was really alot better for him than a grotty smelly mouse :lol2:
Anyway, off to bed for me. Promised to take little man to the pet shop in the morning, I said to see the fish but he said he wanted to just see the big hairy spider :eek4: Lord help me !!!


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## bw89 (Jan 11, 2010)

LOL, hope your boy enjoy's the Spiders, and dont worry about the shouting lol, easier to read.

And i wouldn't want to try and tempt a large boa with veg, then im the only peice of meat present :lol2:

Night

Bill


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

I think it's easier too but alot of people moan.... just spotted the size bar though so how's this :2thumb:

Oh i think he'll enjoy it, it's only just gone 9 and he's bugging me to get ready already :roll:

Hmm i hadn't thought of that, maybe he could have a sausage or two then


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## ASE (Jun 8, 2011)

*R.i.p my little hoppers*

Just lost our last 2 locusts this week (

Think they had a good life though and a long one - 5 months + with tons of lettuce )

They were very interesting to watch and my son loved checking them out everyday but we wont be having more - i got him a puppy last month )

Thanks to all who helped me become a good locust mummy x x x


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