# cleaning and maintaining locusts



## DanYeomans (Jun 9, 2011)

I have finally got my locusts and they are looking great however when I open the lid they jump everywhere so I will get some escapes if I carry on. If I put a pair of tights over the tub then put the lid on top will this be ok or will it affect there ventilation? (so I can use the legs of the tights like sleeves) Also how often do you clean locusts out? as I know they like to be clean and there's already loads of poo in there tub and its only been 3 days!


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## DanYeomans (Jun 9, 2011)

anyone?


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## heatherjhenshaw (Jan 30, 2010)

Tights do work as a means of them not escaping BUT the adult locusts do nibble thru the tights and cause holes so you need to replace quite often. As for cleaning, I just stick the Hoover in the bottom when I think it needs it (yes I do get the odd locust) . I'm afraid I haven't found a solution to escapes as yet....if you find one let me know, all I will say is they are easy to recapture


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## DanYeomans (Jun 9, 2011)

heatherjhenshaw said:


> Tights do work as a means of them not escaping BUT the adult locusts do nibble thru the tights and cause holes so you need to replace quite often. As for cleaning, I just stick the Hoover in the bottom when I think it needs it (yes I do get the odd locust) . I'm afraid I haven't found a solution to escapes as yet....if you find one let me know, all I will say is they are easy to recapture


Thanks, its mainly the small locusts that cause concern anyway so i will try tights


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

We've always used faunariums. They have a hatch on the top so you can pick locusts out and replace food without them jumping out. Cleaning is usually done when they're gone or before new ones are added if there's a few left. Just put the remaining few in a tub and then clean the faunarium.


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## DanYeomans (Jun 9, 2011)

_simon_ said:


> We've always used faunariums. They have a hatch on the top so you can pick locusts out and replace food without them jumping out. Cleaning is usually done when they're gone or before new ones are added if there's a few left. Just put the remaining few in a tub and then clean the faunarium.


the problem is im breeding them so there hopefully there will always be locusts in there


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## vukic (Apr 9, 2010)

The cleaning problem sounds interesting... Let is know when you.do sort it.. 

Sent from my ST26i using Tapatalk


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## DanYeomans (Jun 9, 2011)

I cleaned the main adult tub out today and surprisingly it was rather easy. I took them off all heat for a good hour which slowed them right down . I have a empty tub with nothing in it and simply open the main adult tub pick one out and place it in the empty tub and repeat. Just like taking crickets from one tub to the other but on a bigger scale. It was nice and easy and only 1 or 2 actually got out which where caught almost instantly.


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## tropicaljoey (Feb 27, 2013)

DanYeomans said:


> I cleaned the main adult tub out today and surprisingly it was rather easy. I took them off all heat for a good hour which slowed them right down . I have a empty tub with nothing in it and simply open the main adult tub pick one out and place it in the empty tub and repeat. Just like taking crickets from one tub to the other but on a bigger scale. It was nice and easy and only 1 or 2 actually got out which where caught almost instantly.


that's exactly what i used to do with mine:2thumb:, worked great, had a couple of escapes like you but got them all back in eventually, i got rid of my locusts in the end as they didn't breed! i had the set up all wrong i think but i have cockroaches now so all good, love locusts though!


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## DanYeomans (Jun 9, 2011)

tropicaljoey said:


> that's exactly what i used to do with mine:2thumb:, worked great, had a couple of escapes like you but got them all back in eventually, i got rid of my locusts in the end as they didn't breed! i had the set up all wrong i think but i have cockroaches now so all good, love locusts though!


Yes I have cockroaches too. My goal is to have locusts, roaches and some form of worm to create a good varied diet for my reptiles. And by breeding them myself it is very low cost. I seem to be doing ok with my locusts fingers crossed, once I made a few modifications they seemed to be doing a lot better


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