Insects are usually considered household pests — but some people
consider caterpillars and cockroaches great pets. Brad Linder has
more.
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Pet Bugs
Learning to love the bugs.
July 30, 2002
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By Dan Simon
They don't make messes the way a dog or cat might. They're quieter
than a parakeet, and they're also trendier than a potbellied pig.
Bugs make better pets than people think, says Alison Eichelberger,
an entomologist at the Lancaster, Penn., North Museum of Natural History
and Science.
Insect such as this beetle can make good pets says North
Museum entomologist Alison Eichelberger. ©Photo by Dan
Simon for GreenWorks.
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Eichelberger was giving a presentation on grubs and beetles at the
Ned Smith Outdoor Center environmental festival recently. She said
she's more than happy to encourage people considering insect pets.
"Their beauty is really incredible, and I like to see a person
who has never really considered an insect before finally start looking
at the ones in their backyard," she said. "I'm seeing a
lot more of that."
"They make great pets, they're easy to keep clean, and they're
easy to feed. You can go away on vacation and not have to worry about
them. One thing, they aren't snuggly."
The entomologist suggests reading some books on insects first, then
heading out to the backyard and see what's out there.
"Go out in your yard and find a beetle or another insect and
learn about that particular insect," Eichelberger advises. "Keep
it in a nice container.
"Be aware that it's a living creature, and it needs specific
care. Putting a caterpillar in a jar and screwing the lid on tight
and putting some grass in it for it to eat won't work. It's not going
to eat that; it's just going to die. Each animal requires a specific
food plant especially caterpillars. Find somebody in the area that
knows what they're doing."
Eichelberger, who says she has a waiting list of people wanting baby
Giant Hissing Cockroaches, said more and more pet shops are starting
to offer insect pets.
"Pet shops do sell them," she said. "You don't need
a permit or anything, Giant Millipedes are usually available for under
$20 and Giant Hissing Cockroaches are generally from $3 to $5.
Beetles are the world's most populus creature with thousands
of different species. ©Photo by Dan Simon for GreenWorks.
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"Or find somebody that can get you a Hissing Cockroach because
they make very easy pets and that's usually the best thing to start
with. Rearing caterpillars is always fun. I'm always handing out caterpillars
to kids at the museum if they show an interest in something."
She does make sure kids have their parent's permission before sending
them home with a Giant Hissing Cockroach though.
Eichelberger, whose own pet collection includes the big roaches and
millipedes, also favors stick insects which are all kept in aquariums
in her garage, plus the occasional bug collection in her fridge for
those that need some cold. She also maintains that she has no trouble
getting people to visit her home.
"Everybody knows me, and they can't wait to get here to see what
I have," she insists.
The insects may even set a good example for the kids she says.
"They're very clean (Giant Hissing Cockroaches), they never smell,"
she said. Usually after the children handle them; the insects will
wash themselves to get the human smell off of them. It's sort of amusing
to see that."
There are some cautions though when considering an insect pet. Exotics,
animals from outside the region are a bad idea most experts agree,
because they can get loose and establish themselves in an ecosystem
unable to cope with them.
Children at the Ned Smith Outdoor Center Festival check out
an insect display. ©Photo by Dan Simon for GreenWorks.
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Feeding insect pets is generally pretty easy.
"Feed them mostly fruit and vegetables," she said. "The
hissing cockroaches, their favorites are zucchini, cucumber and banana,
and the giant millipedes like zucchini, cucumber and romaine lettuce,
that's their favorite.
"They also love to eat flaked fish food, it's easy, handy and
dry."
So just how bad can a bug that eats zucchini be anyway?
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