Grasshopper Piggies

[ChamelaChameleon]

I keep my nymphs on top of the reptibreeze in a critter keeper. This seems to help with heat and molting. These are fed to the Chameleons. In the pic, you can see the critter keeper on top.

 

[Andrew1283]

Since I started feeding this blend of mustard greens, arugala, and boy choy along with my own powderized multi grain blend their molting has exploded. All of my 100 hoppers seem to be coming up to maturity at once. I don’t care about the cost of getting this started. If I have 50 breeding males and 50 breeding females I should have a huge supply of babies by fall at the latent

https://www.aerofarms.com/product/micro-spicy-mix/

If anyone wants to try my mix just give me your address on a private message and send me a few bucks for shipping.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

Initially, I thought the up turned tail meant, I'm ready to mate. After a few days of observation, the males completely ignored her up turned tail. Maybe the up turned tail means leave me alone, I've got eggs. Time to tap in our resident experts.
@SauceGandhi @Motherlode Chameleon what could this behavior indicate?

I think that grasshopper behavior can mean multiple behaviors ranging from releasing pheromones to breed, shedding to a new instar or just pooping.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[elizaann2]

That’s beautiful Elizanne! Def try to elevate their food off the floor because their poop will just rain down on it and make it nasty. And no food in the lay bin too.

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll make those changes

 

[elizaann2]

I tried to mimic what Dean does, since he’s clearly having success with his setups. Also got some ideas from a Zoo’s post that breeds their own locusts. The chicken wire towers are super easy and cheap to make and get them closer to basking, while raising up their food.

I think I have some of this in my garage! Thanks for the idea

 

[Andrew1283]

I think that grasshopper behavior can mean multiple behaviors ranging from releasing pheromones to breed, shedding to a new instar or just pooping.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

I do notice a lot of 4th and 5th instar females doing this and they’re not ready to mate

 

[Andrew1283]

Also I wonder if soft bodied hoppers sometimes drop prematurely from a shed and hit the hard ground while they’re still delicate. A fall like that from 3’ up head first could do some damage. At this stage they’re so soft their legs aren’t even functional

 

[Andrew1283]

Mature hopper disabled after last molt. This is about 8 hours after molting and the legs and wings are not functional. I feed anything like this off to my chams so it’s not a waste.

 

[Andrew1283]

And I have plenty of mature hoppers so no sweat.

 

[MissSkittles]

Mature hopper disabled after last molt. This is about 8 hours after molting and the legs and wings are not functional. I feed anything like this off to my chams so it’s not a waste.

Aww...poor thing. Have you tried making a tiny little wheelchair for him? You could get one of those little fingerboards and secure his rear end onto it so he can still get around.

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

Aww...poor thing. Have you tried making a tiny little wheelchair for him? You could get one of those little fingerboards and secure his rear end onto it so he can still get around.

Nurse Skittles to the rescue! Even grasshoppers need luv

 

[elizaann2]

And I have plenty of mature hoppers so no sweat.

Oh my gosh! You are hopper-rich!!

 

[Andrew1283]

I want to know what’s an acceptable death rate from hatchlings to final mature breeding adults. All of the parameters have to be perfect through all the 6 instars and multiple molts. If a hundred nymphs are hatched, maybe 20% make it through all the molts to breeding adults? I wonder how many Dean has die. But then again he rarely sells breeding adults. It takes long enough to get to third instar

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

Also I wonder if soft bodied hoppers sometimes drop prematurely from a shed and hit the hard ground while they’re still delicate. A fall like that from 3’ up head first could do some damage. At this stage they’re so soft their legs aren’t even functional

I have had success by hang the freshly molted, appears to be dying, hopper on the cage allowing everything to dry/form.

 

[MissSkittles]

I have had success by hang the freshly molted, appears to be dying, hopper on the cage allowing everything to dry/form. View attachment 351831

I'm hoping that's the molted exoskeleton of that hopper and not anything really crazy going on.

 

[Andrew1283]

I have had success by hang the freshly molted, appears to be dying, hopper on the cage allowing everything to dry/form. View attachment 351831

I’ve done that too! If they’re missing a leg or two that’s OK but several missing or deformed legs…they don’t stand a chance and it’s feeding time for them

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

HELP! One of my Gray Bird hoppers laid eggs and a egg sack on top of the soil. Also, I have 2 Spotted Bird holes with no eggs. I burried the eggs. Should I change my soil? I use 1/2 coco fiber and 1/2 play sand.

 

[Andrew1283]

HELP! One of my Gray Bird hoppers laid eggs and a egg sack on top of the soil. Also, I have 2 Spotted Bird holes with no eggs. I burried the eggs. Should I change my soil? I use 1/2 coco fiber and 1/2 play sand.

View attachment 351844

Can you stick your pinky finger down easily in that sandy soil?

 

[ChamelaChameleon]

Can you stick your pinky finger down easily in that sandy soil?

Yes, and it is slightly moist.

 

[Andrew1283]

Im chalking this all up to natural selection. If there’s 100 million hoppers each year and by the grace of God, 1 out of 100 survive to adulthood through several molts, predators, pesticides, and illness AND they go on to mate, and successfully lay eggs, they lay 100 eggs each and guess what? There’s 100 million hoppers next year.