First Post In Exotic Pet Section !

[laurac94]

Yeah Ive read that they are great escape artists;-) maybe I'll wait till I get my own place till I start with the crawlies then ;-) still planning my third tank at the moment ;-)

 

[TallTree01]

There are loads of other non escape artist crawlies.
Stick insects are lots of fun.
Beetles are good also.
Snails are great.
And loads of other stuff.

 

[stanleo]

I used to keep tarantulas and scorpions when I was a kid. they are lots of fun to watch them eat

 

[dgwebster]

I too have (or had) creepy crawlies:

Mainstream have been Giant African Millipedes, Giant African Landsnails.

More not really "pets" are the crickets, Dubai cockroaches, silk worms, wax worms & meal worms. We grow these as a food source for our other pets though, sorry

 

[TallTree01]

I too have (or had) creepy crawlies:
Mainstream have been Giant African Millipedes, Giant African Landsnails.
More not really "pets" are the crickets, Dubai cockroaches, silk worms, wax worms & meal worms. We grow these as a food source for our other pets though, sorry

That is interesting, what do you feed the silk, wax worms too?

 

[dgwebster]

Yup we do indeed. Most of it is easy, vegetables, bug grub (a nutrient rich powder), rolled oats for the wax worms and crickets and bug gel (water they cant drown in) but the silk worms are more hard work. Humidity kills them, so no fluids. There is a specialist food you buy as a powder, mix up with water then keep refrigerated. You have to grate this for them to eat, but too much it goes mouldy and kills them. If you manage to grow them, they hatch into flightless moths (gliding gracefully is the best they can do) you get little eggs and the cycle starts again.

The feeding is a bit by-the-by though: it keeps the bugs alive, but it is "gut loading" so the lizards get good fruit n veg in a digestable format for them

 

[TallTree01]

Ack! PoorlY worded sentence, what do you feed them to? I E, crickets to a frog or soemthing.

 

[dgwebster]

Hahaha nicely done!

We have a number of leopard geckos, crested geckos, a gargoyle gecko, sandfish & bearded dragons that all eat these. I used to own 2 green tree frogs that also chowed down crickets/locusts but old age eventually got Yoshi & Kermicht. Either that or their frequent escapes somehow shortened their lives.

 

[stanleo]

Where would you get a praying mantis for a pet? I caught one once years ago and kept it for a few weeks and then let it go cause my conscience was killing me keeping a wild animal like that in a tiny 10gl tank. But if I could get one of those beautiful exotic ones that I can't let go out back that would be really cool!

 

[Blondielovesfish]

I've kept Praying Mantis, Flies, Ladybirds, Cockroaches, Mealworms and Stick Insects before.
 
I gave up after awhile because I ended up having too many tanks so I gave them to my brother
 
He recently got one of the stick insects to breed and the same day the stick insect died the eggs hatched
 
Mealworms are cool, though they're a little bit creepy. I prefer them as beetles.
 
Flies stink.
 
Praying Mantises are really cool. I love breeding them. The only thing I don't like is how they hurt lol.
 
Cockroaches are cool but no one would ever go in my room while I had them so I released them into the neighbors property .
 
Lady birds were alright, but they kept in escaping so I had to let them all go.

 

[TallTree01]

I've kept Praying Mantis, Flies, Ladybirds, Cockroaches, Mealworms and Stick Insects before.
 
I gave up after awhile because I ended up having too many tanks so I gave them to my brother

 
He recently got one of the stick insects to breed and the same day the stick insect died the eggs hatched

 
Mealworms are cool, though they're a little bit creepy. I prefer them as beetles.
 
Flies stink.
 
Praying Mantises are really cool. I love breeding them. The only thing I don't like is how they hurt lol.
 
Cockroaches are cool but no one would ever go in my room while I had them so I released them into the neighbors property

.
 
Lady birds were alright, but they kept in escaping so I had to let them all go.

 
Wow, really?
You're as nutty as a fruitcake... Or should that be a nutcake....
 
 
 

Where would you get a praying mantis for a pet? I caught one once years ago and kept it for a few weeks and then let it go cause my conscience was killing me keeping a wild animal like that in a tiny 10gl tank. But if I could get one of those beautiful exotic ones that I can't let go out back that would be really cool!

 
I caught mine wild caught but release for the reasons you did. I use minibeast wildlife which sell interesting insects and arachnids only in Australia though.
Here's an american one:
http/shop.bugsincyberspace.com/Live-Pet-Bugs_c5.htmIt has more bug types than Aussie one. You yanks get all the fun.  

 

[KeyboardWarrior]

I've kept a few different inverts although currently done have any I had to give away the few I had a while back due to work commitments unfortunately. I've kept a curly hair tarantula a emporor scorpion and a few mantids as well as crickets and mealies as feeders for my gecko

 

[TallTree01]

My bug life became boring. The beetles were always hiding under the rock and my snail only came out once every month or 2.

Sooo....
Today i went out and picked some live plants to plant in my terrarium, theres currently 5 darkling beetles and one giant snail.
They have really appreciated it! I've seen so many awesome things! As I type this the giant snail is sliming his way around drinking and eating for the first time in months!
I have also witnessed beetle fights. I have this stick in there and all the beetles like chilling there when not hiding under a rock. Eh are heavily nocturnal so I need to stay up late to see them in action. The beetles were fighting! There was this one that was sticking his head up the others backsides and pushing the around. He pushed a few beetles off the stick. That was a drop more than 25 times the size of the beetle. If that was a human it'd be dead easily, that's what fascinates me about these amazing creatures.
I have new inhabitants on the way! A pair of juvenile giant grasshoppers to liven the tank up. They should arrive by the weekend.
When the store has them back in stock I'll buy some slaters and Darkling beetles.

I'll tell you when the grasshoppers get here and will take lots of pics of my camera ever gets fixed.

 

[laurac94]

Oo I like beetles, I looking into getting some a few months ago but I had no chance at sourcing any.
 
I'm just trying to keep my mind busy now...soooo my 40 gallon aquarium cracked today!
Now instead of crying I'm sat on this forum and looking for a replacement creature..I've always wanted a bearded Dragon.

 

[TallTree01]

Bearded dragons are great! Had to give mine up when he escaped and ate my GF's mouse.
I have a strong feeling the grasshoppers will arrive today.