Locusts: good feeders?

[Kada]

I literally posted this above you. It is a valid concern for the adult locust, at least in the West.

Yes, indeed! it seems a worry I was originally asking about the species found by people in their pet shops earlier (I think in UK?). Curious to know what they are using

 

[SpookySpooder]

I have to assume the locust are fed off before they molt into their barbs. (If they even have them over there)

Maybe the ones who don't get fed off soon enough get used as breeding stock?

I'm not intimate with locust feeders so I'm just guessing.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I have to assume the locust are fed off before they molt into their barbs. (If they even have them over there)

Maybe the ones who don't get fed off soon enough get used as breeding stock?

I'm not intimate with locust feeders so I'm just guessing.

Yeah they could be dangerous but most tarantulas will crush them before they get a chance to kick out there hind legs .. but yes like feeding live mice it’s dangerous although maybe slightly less dangerous .
I prefer food that doesn’t fite back , with exception of super worms . I don’t feed mice period just that’s an example of danger .
Why risk it? Locust work fine for Europe?

 

[SpookySpooder]

Locust are a fine feeder I've seen them used many times, however I have not seen a fully grown locust with barbs fed to a T, that sounds irresponsible.

Also, they can kick even after they're dead. They can kick even decapitated, same as crickets.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Locust are a fine feeder I've seen them used many times, however I have not seen a fully grown locust with barbs fed to a T, that sounds irresponsible.

Also, they can kick even after they're dead. They can kick even decapitated, same as crickets.

Yeah I’m not even familiar which size they feed off in Europe as they don’t sell them in USA . Clearly not the big dangerous ones??
those barbs remind me of praying mantis claws..

 

[SpookySpooder]

Kind of, just inverted. While mantids use their barbs to impale, clamp, and secure prey... Locust use their leg barbs to inflict puncture wounds and lacerations.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Kind of, just inverted. While mantids use their barbs to impale, clamp, and secure prey... Locust use their leg barbs to inflict puncture wounds and lacerations.

yep definitely strong kicks !

WATCH: Leg-Snapping Study Spotlights Bug's Amazing Strength

WATCH: Leg-Snapping Study Spotlights Bug's Amazing Strength

www.huffpost.com

Yeah found a basic picture of those barbs ..

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/a-Locust-and-b-the-simplified-internal-anatomy-of-its-leg-adapted-from-fig-1-on-p_fig1_5240660

 

[SpookySpooder]

I imagine the locust kick to be the insect equivalent of a hydraulic tension-loaded bat with nails.

It's no wonder these things were written off as Bibical plagues, have you seen the giant ones from Africa?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I imagine the locust kick to be the insect equivalent of a hydraulic tension-loaded bat with nails.

It's no wonder these things were written off as Bibical plagues, have you seen the giant ones from Africa?

Yes I’ve watched videos about them and stuff , real shame the Rocky Mountains locust went extinct or we’d have loads of them here in the northern USA . They eradicate whole areas of plant Life pretty fast ! How large do the African ones-get?

 

[Chris73G]

Yeah I’m not even familiar which size they feed off in Europe

You can buy locusts (schistoccrca gregaria and locusta migratoria) as feeders an all sizes here in germany, just like crickets, roaches and superworms, so you can just feed locusts as big as crickets or a little bigger or smaller to the t´s.
Medium sized locusts are my main feeders. They don´t smell, are easy to catch, don´t burrow down into the substrate or hide, don´t reproduce themselves in the t´s enclosure, my t´s like them and they are as cute as a feeder can be.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

You can buy locusts (schistoccrca gregaria and locusta migratoria) as feeders an all sizes here in germany, just like crickets, roaches and superworms, so you can just feed locusts as big as crickets or a little bigger or smaller to the t´s.
Medium sized locusts are my main feeders. They don´t smell, are easy to catch, don´t burrow down into the substrate or hide, don´t reproduce themselves in the t´s enclosure, my t´s like them and they are as cute as a feeder can be.

Nice I was referring to the extinct native species to America, but wow that’s awesome in Germany and Europe you can get more diverse feeders . Roaches and super worms are best feeder I can get here, and larger Ts seem too be a bottomless pit sometimes.