# Breeding Locusts without incubator?



## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Having almost got my dubia colony where i want it (just a matter of waiting a few months) i am moving onto my next thing on my list - locusts.

Ive read in alot of places that without the incubator, the yield wont be very high, but that if you buy an incubator, the expense will mean its cheaper to just buy a box of locusts when you need them.

So here is what i am trying to work out:

How can i produce good yields of locusts for cheaper than they are in the shop? (without an incubator)



Karl


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## forteh (Feb 9, 2009)

To incubate all you need to do is keep the laypot at about 80*F, a 9l rub sitting on a 16x11 heatmat plugged in all the time will incubate locusts fine 

If you want to be a bit more energy efficient then use a polybox and a stat.

There is nothing stopping you from leaving the tub in the main farm to incubate, I only incubate them seperately so I can cycle the tubs weekly.

Locusts arent really worth breeding unless you have a large demand for them, we get through about 100 med/large a week, breeding that many costs £2 a week in greens + the associated electricity (but I ignore that) as against 10-15 quid to buy them in tubs. If youre only getting through 10 a week then I wouldnt bother.


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

I intend to be feeding 6 beardies (4 are currently 10 weeks old, 2 are about 3 years old) and possibly a pair of CWD soon.

So i will have a fairly high demand for them.

Do you have any photos of your setup?



Karl


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## forteh (Feb 9, 2009)

Ask and ye shall receive....

Tank, the front slides up to give access for cleaning under the mesh. The right hand side is now used as a nusery for cricket tubs with 1st/2nd instars in with a heatmat at the bottom. The mesh has been removed and the opening through from the main area has got a flap over it to stop adults getting through, I usually stuff greens through flap for feeding, I very very rarely get any escape that way.



















Once the laypot has been in for a week or so (assuming there are eggs in there) I cover them with clingfilm to retain moisture and they go into the incubator. Im now using a 9l rub and heatmat aswell to keep up with demand.










Once the hoppers hatch, I collect them from under the clingfilm with a pooter and dump them into cricket tubs with a handfull of bran and some fresh greens. They stay in the nursery with constant heat till theyre bit enough to go into a faunarium (fresh hatched hoppers can climb through the vent slots in the faunarium).










Once theyve grown on a bit (usually 10-14 days) they get moved from the nursery into a large flat faunarium where they spend the rest of their life. The faunarium is kept on a heatmat constantly and fed as needed. Having a sheet of eggtray in there gives them enough room to moult through to adults, if this happens then they get put into the farm for breeding.


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## KarlW (Oct 6, 2009)

Thankyou for that.

Ill have to see if i can get the space for it.


Karl


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