LOCUSTS! Calling locust keepers

[privateeyeeye]

So we have a small gecko who is great, and lots of locusts, who aren't.

How do I keep my locusts in the stage between not getting too big for the gecko to eat, ie with wings, but not dying from the cold?

At the moment the gecko cage is so big the locusts can go in with him, and have a bit of the heat pad. This works well, but they get so big so fast ! Can I just feed them once every three days? If their locust homes is out the cage they bloody die, the ungrateful little buggers.

Keeping the locusts cool and not feeding them should keep them a reasonable size for a fair few days . I don't usually feed mine at all and just leave them in the tub they come in. You can just dust them with vitamins rather than gut loading, if your worried about the gecko getting vitamins.

Or buy a smaller size and just give the gecko more. That way if the locusts DO grow they won't be too big for the gecko.

Thanks - I bought hatchlings and they have doubled in size over the weekend!

I think I will leave them where they have the heat but just feed them less.

@Halfeatentoast how long do your last unfed? I find getting them a faff so prefer to shop less.

I guess around a week, but then I keep them cool. Heat speeds the metabolism and makes them grow.

Great thread title, I was envisaging a Biblical plague.

Locusts can be challenging to keep in a particular stage of development because they grow and molt rapidly. However, there are a few things you can try to slow down their growth and keep them in the desired stage:
Lower the temperature: Locusts thrive in warm temperatures, so keeping them in a cooler environment can slow their growth. You can try keeping them in a room that is not heated or cooled, or use a separate container with a cooler temperature.
Limit their food: As you suggested, feeding them less frequently can also slow their growth. However, make sure they are still getting adequate nutrition to stay healthy.
Separate them by size: If you have a lot of locusts, you can separate them by size to keep the smaller ones from being eaten by the gecko. This can also help control their growth.
Use a locust pen: You can create a separate enclosure for the locusts that provides heat and shelter but keeps them separate from the gecko. This will allow you to control their environment more precisely and prevent them from becoming too large too quickly.
Remember to always provide clean water and food for the locusts, and monitor their health closely. If you notice any signs of illness or death, remove them from the enclosure immediately to prevent the spread of disease.

Can your gecko be persuaded to eat mealworms instead? They are so much easier to breed / keep alive than locusts ime. Our gecko is currently refusing locusts (always hated eating crickets, which is fine, we all dislike crickets too!) and is surviving very happily on homegrown mealworms and mealworm larvae. The mealworms are well fed on fresh veg, and regularly vitamin-dusted, and we feed mostly freshly-moulted ones which are easiest to digest. I worry a bit about it not being the most varied diet, but it's hard to get a gecko to eat something it doesn't want to, they're known for being notoriously picky eaters!