Keeping insects as pets

Giant Burrowing Coachroach. Photo: S Humphreys

Keeping insects is a good way to observe their behaviour and life cycles. If you plan to keep insects, first find out whether they are suitable for keeping in a container (e.g. flying and/or stinging insects are not recommended).

You must provide:

adequate space and air
the correct temperature
the food that the insect normally eats
surroundings similar to those the insect normally lives in (you may need to do some research on its usual habitat)
adequate moisture and light levels (don't keep the insects in a room where the lights stay on all night)
enough shelter areas (leaves, rocks, bark, soil) for the insects to hide in
different types of food and habitat if the insect is still growing or changing (for example: leaves to eat as larvae, soil to pupate in and room to emerge as an adult)

Containers

For many plant-eating insects (bugs, beetles, caterpillars, stick insects), a simple cage made from a wood or wire frame with a fine, netting cover is a suitable habitat. Alternatively, pet shops sell plastic 'terrariums' with handles and air holes at the top. Condensation and mould will become a problem if your container is sealed.

Consider what size your insects' young will be if it reproduces because these young might be small enough to escape the container. Strong insects and those with powerful mouthparts can force their way through flimsy materials.

Water and Food

Water must be provided regularly for most insects. To prevent drowning, a small container (like a jar lid) should be filled with cotton wool or sponge that is kept wet so that insects can walk on it and drink from it.

Foliage (leaves, twigs, flowers and branches) must be provided for food and for climbing on, hanging from and sheltering in. Investigate where your insect lives in the wild and copy the type of foliage it uses to live in.

Provide a selection of different plants and to find out which one your insect prefers. The stems should be in a container of water sealed with cotton wool or paper to prevent insects from drowning. Predatory insects (insects that eat other insects) must be kept separately and fed insects that are smaller than themselves.

Maintenance

You need to keep your container clean and well stocked with fresh water and food. If you want to keep insects, then make sure you have the time to look after them at least every second day.

Examples of insects that can be kept as pets:

Phasmids (Stick Insects and Spiny Leaf Insects)
Crickets

Phasmids (Stick Insects and Spiny Leaf Insects)

Spiny Leaf Insect. Photo: S Humphreys

These large insects make great pets and are easy to maintain. They require new leaves every few days and a spray of water every day.

If you want to keep spiny leaf insects as pets you will need to think about:

Housing - a large container is required. Stick insects are long, thin animals, which hang down from their food plants to shed their skins. It is important that the enclosure or cage is tall enough. As a general rule, it should be three times as high as the adult length of the stick insect. It is also useful to have it designed so that you can easily replace the food and plant material whenever it is needed. If you use a large container put down a layer of newspaper or sand.
Water - a spray bottle filled with water will be required to provide a fine spray at least once a day.
Feeding - Stick and Spiny Leaf Insects usually eat fresh Eucalyptus (gum) leaves, but check what leaves they eat with the person you buy them from. Put in a vase filled with water and place the branches with gum leaves into it. Every few days you will need to replace the leaves and the water. Be careful when removing the old leaves that you don't throw your pets away. Also when handling the insects be careful with them as they can easily loose legs if they are pulled off the branches.
Cleaning - from time to time you will need to clean out the cage. If you have put in newspaper it is an easy matter of lifting the vase and removing the paper. If you have put in sand you will need to sift the sand to remove the droppings and eggs.
Breeding - female Stick and Spiny Leaf Insects can produce eggs that will hatch, even if a male is not present. If you have a female and would like to have young you will need to look for the eggs before cleaning the cage. The eggs of the spiny leaf insect are oval in shape and can be distinguished easily from the insect's droppings. The droppings are quite large, black cylinders that crumble when dry, while the eggs are hard, oval and shiny, with a mottled appearance.

Spiny Leaf Insects can be obtained from:

Australian Insect Farm
http://www.insectfarm.com.au/
Terrific Scientific
http://www.terrificscientific.com/

Crickets

Crickets have been kept in captivity for thousands of years, as many people like the singing of the adult males.

If you want to keep crickets as pets you will need to think about:

Housing - an aquarium with a ventilated tight-fitting wooden lid makes a good cage. The lid must be tight to stop the crickets jumping out and a fine wire mesh is ideal for ventilation. Crickets can be kept at room temperature but in colder climates they are more active and sing better if given some warmth. An electric light or a heat pad can be used to provide heat. Most species of cricket respond well to about 16 hours of daylight and eight hours of night, including the mostly nocturnal ones. Crickets need some sort of cover to hide in - crumpled cardboard, leaves, or wood bits are all good hideaways.
Water - fill a shallow bowl with water-soaked cotton wool. Change the cotton wool regularly, as it gets dirty.
Feeding - all crickets are omnivorous (eat both plants and animals) and some species in the wild are carnivorous by choice. If you don't feed your crickets, they will prey on one another. A combination of rolled oats with fresh fruit (eg apples) and vegetables (eg carrots) will keep them happy.
Breeding - the females will lay their eggs in damp cotton wool, which should be changed twice a week. This cotton wool should be placed in a well-ventilated plastic box, in a warm airing cupboard. The eggs should hatch in a week or two, depending on the temperature. The young and the adults can be kept together providing they have plenty of food.