[Abitconfused]

My little boy was given three locusts yesterday (don't ask, it was a strange day) and I'm trying to figure out what I need to be doing. A lot of the info online is geared towards breeding them for reptile food which isn't that helpful. Could anybody help me with the following questions please?
1) How much space do they need to be happy?
2) The little tank we were given has slit vents in, are they likely to get out?
3) Best thing to put down for them? I used Carefresh yesterday as that's what we had in for our rabbit, but the little guys have pooped A LOT so I think I'm going to need a cheaper option.
4) Last thing - odds on them breeding? I'd rather avoid. Do I just encourage one of them to dodge the washing up, tell another that the others said it was getting fat etc to kill the mood?

Thanks in advance. And yes, I'm aware that I'm posting on a reptile forum and all of my pets are snake food ?

 

[dcap]

Whatever caresheet you have found that is aimed at breeding locusts should be perfectly suited for 'just' keeping them. Since they will only breed if they are kept/fed properly.

There is a formula on-line somewhere for ideal locust habitat size, it is based on adult locust size and just one locust but there is a multiplication factor for multiple locusts. I can't remember the link, but a good google should help you. You will of course need a heating system, a thermostat, and a good digital thermometer, so if carefresh (whatever that is?) is expensive then you might be in for a bit of a shock at the cost of the suitable vivarium, heater, stat and UV lighting system.

There is one thing you have incorrect though, locusts aren't snake food. They are lizard food. But can also be used to feed to invertebrates, so your locust habitat needs to be secure to ensure that any house spiders you have cannot get in or if you have free-roaming lizards in your house they may also be a risk factor to consider.

Also (and its not been scientifically proven, yet) they will only breed if you play them Barry White music, so if you have good taste in music then all should be fine.

 

[Abitconfused]

Thank you, that's all really helpful! I'll look up the formula now.
I'm a bit confused about heat etc. Most of what I've read says they're fine without it, is that not true? Please excuse any stupid questions, this is totally new to me and I want to make sure I look after them properly. They're in a warm spot at the moment and seem pretty active.
Oh and Carefresh is an animal bedding/litter that we use for our house bunny, all I had to hand. I think the locusts are going to need cleaning out daily so it would mount up! Essential expenses for them are a different matter

 

[Abitconfused]

Radio 6 here, is that ok?'

 

[dcap]

Not needing any heat very much depends on where in the world you are and what your room temps are.

For example - when I brumate my colubrid (snakes) over winter I could pop some of them in my insulated (but totally unheated garage)
... someone from Canada or Alaska reading that would totally freak out!!

 

[dcap]

don't be throwing the poop away in normal trash though as it contains their eggs (assuming they are breeding size and at least one female) - so I've heard their waste needs to be either microwaved for 10 minutes (sounds excessive to me, might be a typo, but that is what the internets said) to prevent plagues swarming from the rubbish tip. You could probably freeze the poop instead for about a month to be sure, but I'd worry about it being mixed with your food.

sent from my LG Nexus 4 on tapadetaptap

 

[el Snappo]

Last thing - odds on them breeding? I'd rather avoid. Do I just encourage one of them to dodge the washing up, tell another that the others said it was getting fat etc to kill the mood?

Also (and its not been scientifically proven, yet) they will only breed if you play them Barry White music .....

This is what I like!


And, is not news paper okay for the floor? I thought that's what they used, in school. But, yeah; That was a Very long time ago. I hardly remember. And I reckon the teachers were flying by their seats too.