Hatchling care

Depending on the species and size of the ootheca, you can have anywhere from 6-200 nymphs per ootheca. Most nymphs at the first instar are very fast and agile. Handling them can be a challenge.

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At this stage at least most species are not nearly as aggressive to each other as they can be at later instars. Depending on the quantity of nymphs that hatched, I will often place the whole hatching cup into a 12x12x12 net cage with Excelsior for extra climbing space.  temperatures and humidity will be the same as the parent species but feedings are more frequent. 

First instar nymphs are very tiny compared to their adult counterpart. the majority of species are large enough to take on melanogaster fruit flies within 12-24 hours after hatching. Some of the smaller species or those with smaller raptorial claws will need smaller feeders such as spring tails. Brunners despite their longer body and bigger size at hatching can be very skittish around food and will often only eat springtails.

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I offer feeders starting at 12 hours after hatching, though not all species will start eating right away. Don't be too concerned if they have yet to feed after 24 hours. There are a few species that take a few days before they begin taking food. Offer a few different varieties will help you understand what your nymph prefers.