How to Breed Grasshoppers
Grasshoppers can be a great replacement for crickets in many reptiles' diets, though breeding them is more difficult and more time intensive. For many pet owners, this extra work is well worth it, as grasshoppers have advantages over crickets. Aside from being larger than most crickets and therefore better suited to larger reptiles, grasshoppers also have the advantage of not fearing light. This means that grasshoppers are unlikely to hide under rocks or in crevices.
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Things You'll Need
- 20 gallon aquarium with screen top
- Wire cutters
- Small lengths of wire
- Paper towels
- Branches
- Heating pad
- Incandescent light
- Vivarium thermometer
- Water jar
- Grasses or wheat
- Shallow dish
- Mulch
- Ten pairs of adult grasshoppers
- Container with lid
Instructions
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Preparing the Enclosure
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1
Clean and dry a medium-sized aquarium with a fitted screen top. A 20-gallon or larger aquarium should be suitable.
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2
Cut a hole large enough to put your hand through into the top of the screen, using wire cutters. Retain the cut portion of the screen and put it back on, securing it with wire. This will create a small door that can be removed when you need to access the inside of the aquarium, and will prevent grasshoppers from jumping out.
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3
Line the bottom of the container with a simple substrate of paper towels. Add branches to the enclosure to give the grasshoppers something to climb on.
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4
Place a heating pad under the enclosure and attach an incandescent light to the top. The heating pad will need to stay on 24 hours a day, but the light is only necessary during the day.
Place a vivarium thermometer in the enclosure to ensure that you are maintaining a temperature between 83 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
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5
Place wheat or cut grass with stems in a small jar of water, making sure that the grass fills the entire jar. Place the jar with the grass or wheat into the enclosure. This is the food source.
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6
Place a shallow dish in the enclosure and fill it with damp mulch. This is where the grasshoppers will lay their eggs.
Breeding Grasshoppers
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7
Purchase your initial breeding supply of grasshoppers and place them in the enclosure. Ten pairs of adults should be enough to begin with.
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8
Observe the grasshoppers to see when they lay eggs. Once you notice the females have begun to lay egg parcels, wait a week and remove the mulch substrate to a small, lidded container and replace the mulch in the grasshopper container.
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Incubate the egg parcels in the separate, covered container at the same temperature the adults are kept, 83 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.
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10
Remove the cover after about 11 days, or when you begin to notice the eggs hatching.
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11
Keep the hatchling grasshoppers separate from the adults until they are matured, about three to four weeks.
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Tips & Warnings
Soak a tissue in a solution of sugar and water and place it in the enclosure. This prevents cannibalism.
If the grass or wheat in your jar does not fit tightly, your grasshoppers may jump into the water and drown.
