# Breeding Locusts



## vanassen (May 29, 2010)

Hi

I am going to attempt to start breeding locusts as i seem to be spending so much a week on buying livefood.

I have been out this week and bought a Exo-Terra 45x45x45 which looks to be ample size for the amount im going to breed. Also i am just going to use the one tank then just try and pick them out when i need to feed my geckos.

Couple of questions i have:

What sort of bulb do you put above your mesh top tank, just an ordinary bulb or...?

What hygiene precautions do you take in terms of keeping the locusts disease/bacteria free...do you clean the tank every so often? 

Thanks


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

Normal 60w spotlight bulb will usually get the right temps. If it gets too hot, move it away from the exo terra & vice versa if its too cold. Locusts, like most animals will thermoregulate, moving away if too hot to a cooler area.

Hygene wise, I have mine in a custom made box with a mesh floor, that way the poopage falls through, can be brushed through at cleaning time.

I dont clean the habitat bar general tidying, poop removal.

The hardest part of locust breeding is getting the laying substrate correct. Theres loads of threads on locust rearing in here, read up.


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## vanassen (May 29, 2010)

Thanks, quite like the idea of a mesh floor where the poo can just fall through mite try and incorporate that into my tank somehow.


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

just make sure the mesh holes arent too wide as you may get escapees. I used mesh from B&Q (0.5mm holes) but theres plenty of other places that will do it cheaper.

edit, heres mine, not quite complete, needed the jars with laying medium adding at front & plastic tubs removing.


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## vanassen (May 29, 2010)

Very nice, like the setup. Great idea about the mesh. 

Just out of interest what do you yourself use as substrate for the locusts to lay there eggs?

Read that sand is best but having some trouble seeing what type of sand people use.


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## swift_wraith (Jan 4, 2009)

i've been using river sand with a vermicilite layer on the bottom but no luck with that. I asked this exact question about a week back, Will quote from an answer i got.



theboyw said:


> I will try and describe step by step how i have made these laying pots, and obviously you will have to change according to the size of your breeding tank, i do have an earlier post with a pick and brief description of my breeding tank.
> Plastic pot is 6" deep i stuff the bottom of the pot full of kitchen towel and then soak in water and i mean soak the end result should be about 1 1/2" depth of soaked kitchen towel.
> I then place straws in each corner of the pot down to the kitchen towel then fill the pot with damp sharp sand. sharp sand most be suitable for lawn top dressings as this will be thames or river washed and not marine sand.
> Then all you have to do is place in the appropriate place in your breeding tank, i never have mine in direct light as this will keep the humidity down in your tank but they are placed on top of a 28w heat mat that comes on 1 hour before the light goes off in the breeding tank this will simulate perfect breeding conditions as the pots will be moist and warm.
> ...


Will be trying this out this week, am getting some pots tomorrow at during lunch at work.


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## vanassen (May 29, 2010)

Oh rite gd luck, let me know how you get on with that, I'm going to set mine up properly over the wkd and just try using sharp sand and spraying it each day.


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