Kyle.
I know you’re a science guy: Do some control tests and what not.
One culture with all natural dirt, leaves and wood from where you found them. "This is your control" ironic that this culture is your control but you actually have the least control over what they do.
Have at least two other cultures kept all natural and put them in different parts of your home a warmer place and the other in a cooler place.
As a human being I/we are all about control but we must allow animals to be and anyone's greatest chance of breeding success is with giving them all the materials they know how to use.
Sand, dirt, leaf litter, and wood in all its different stages of decomposition. Keeping in mind many animals will make good use of manmade shelters and materials, ex snakes under tin and spiders making a home in draft free corners of houses and sheds.
One culture should be kept how you like to keep them; hell if I know anything, you might have much more success with this culture. We don’t know that’s why we must try many different tests out.
This is four cultures in total.
This could be something as simple as a diet chance or as complex as a symbiotic relationship with the bacteria passing through its digestive tract every day.
This could be temperature related. I don’t know
But I can tell you that once you are successful in getting ooths and nymphs to go through all there life stages and lay fertile ooths all over again, that is when you can start taking away from them. IE remove different materials one at a time such as dirt replace it with the coco fiber, or wood replace with egg crates.
Before I get any reptile, or insect I ask a good breeder who has seen them go through all there life stages over and over again.
But if something new comes to the table that resists all our preconceived notions of reptile or insect husbandry then you and only you must start from square one and start testing to find out how to breed them and allow them to go through its life stages.
Back in the 60’s it used to be that if you wanted a snake you would have to go out and catch one. And breeding a simple zonata was considered impossible. No one wanted there snake to be cooled for extended periods of time it was considered poor husbandry and the snake would develop respiratory infections. IE go through seasonal changes, but little did we know that is the key to their lock. It was only by chance did someone out west left there snakes in the shed with no heat did they find out that once spring came they would lustfully breed. Even tropical species go through seasonal changes, there subtle but there apparent; differences in pressure, humidity and hours of light.
Kyle don’t lose your interest keep at them you may find something unique.
Best to you
Alex
