How long before getting BD should I start Locust breeding?

[BeardiesDen]

I would really like to start breeding my own locusts for my *future* bearded dragon- she's a 7 yr old girl being shipped up to me in March. She has been fed on crickets and mealworms around 4/5 times a week with the occasional locusts as a treat. I would like to change this to a staple crickets/locusts 4/5 times a week with the occasional mealworm, as I know they aren't very good to give all the time. I think this wood be good for her, but only change it little by little as she probably has had this diet for most of her 7 yrs

Anyways I just wanted to know how long before getting her I should start my farm? I have a wooden brooding with half metal mesh top and the other is wood + 100w ceramic heat emitter. There are 2x containers in there with 3/4 dirt mixed with a little sand + perches/branches. Thermometer tested it yesterday, without the bulb it is 28 degrees most of the time during the day (it's summer in NZ so quite warm) but I think I will still use the bulb for night time/ winter. I would like to order 20 locusts (adult/winged). Would this be too much to start with? When should i start breeding so that I have a good continuous supply for a good few months before having to buy more? I don't want to start too early so that the first ones die off, but not too late so I don't have any babies ready.

sorry for the long post & any help would be great thx

 

[BeardiesDen]

:?: Nobody? 0_o That's ok!

 

[CooperDragon]

I'm sorry your post got missed. I don't have access to locusts so I'm not sure what their breeding cycles are like. With an adult dragon, you won't need as many bugs as with a young growing dragon, so that helps. I would imagine that if you have a decent colony to start from, they should be on to their next generation every few months or so.