# Best beginner insect?



## buglover (Sep 18, 2012)

I do not have any experience with bugs, but I would like to try owning some.  What would be a good beginner species?  I do not like cockroaches, spiders, or scorpions.  I like beetles, millipedes, and mantises though.  I like the Blue Death feigning beetles, would those be a good option?

Thanks,


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## Kazaam (Sep 18, 2012)

I'd go for a millipede, they're cute and beautiful, especially Tonkinbolus species, they're not hard to take care of either.

Leaf/stick insects are also extremely easy to take care of.


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## buglover (Sep 18, 2012)

How much space would they need?  I wouldn't be able to get something any larger than 2.5 to 5 gallons.


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## Kazaam (Sep 18, 2012)

buglover said:


> How much space would they need?  I wouldn't be able to get something any larger than 2.5 to 5 gallons.


A normal sized critterkeeper is big enough for them.


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## zonbonzovi (Sep 18, 2012)

There are lots of desert beetles of various kinds where you're at.  Easy to keep, easy to feed.


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## le-thomas (Sep 18, 2012)

You said you don't like cockroaches, but I would look into the varieties if I were you. Gyna lurida, G. portentosa, and the other hissers (among many other species) are all fascinating captives.


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## buglover (Sep 18, 2012)

Well I actually would like a hissing cockroach, its just that my mom wouldn't


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## le-thomas (Sep 18, 2012)

buglover said:


> Well I actually would like a hissing cockroach, its just that my mom wouldn't


Explain to her that it's no different than owning a mantis or millipede. The word "cockroach" has some very unfair negative connotations to it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ozzytoys (Sep 18, 2012)

le-thomas said:


> Explain to her that it's no different than owning a mantis or millipede. The word "cockroach" has some very unfair negative connotations to it.


 so do the words "spider" and "tarantula", but we all know different!

Reactions: Like 2


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## le-thomas (Sep 19, 2012)

ozzytoys said:


> so do the words "spider" and "tarantula", but we all know different!


The term is even less deserved by cockroaches though, I'd say, since they're harmless (aside from the groady German and American roaches that carry more diseases than the cast of Jersey Shore). Cockroaches are fascinating animals that make fascinating "pets", though I'd pick tarantulas over them any day.

Reactions: Like 1


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## The Snark (Sep 19, 2012)

Hard to go wrong with the Musca domestica Linnaeus. Breed super easy, very hardy and can easily be trained to eat from it's own dish!  :sarcasm:


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## Introvertebrate (Sep 19, 2012)

buglover said:


> Well I actually would like a hissing cockroach, its just that my mom wouldn't


A lot of roach species don't look very "roachy".  Just tell her its a beetle. :wink:

Reactions: Like 1


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## GiantVinegaroon (Sep 19, 2012)

buglover said:


> I do not have any experience with bugs, but I would like to try owning some.  What would be a good beginner species?  I do not like cockroaches, spiders, or scorpions.  I like beetles, millipedes, and mantises though.  I like the Blue Death feigning beetles, would those be a good option?
> 
> Thanks,


The problem with blue death feigners is that they are always wild caught.  They are very hard to breed in captivity, if it's even possible to breed them(some people confirm larvae, but as far as I know, nobody has gotten the larvae to metamorphose into adult beetles).  While it's very easy to keep, if it doesn't breed readily, why bother taking more out of the wild for personal amusement and possibly harming the wild populations?  Also, if you're getting multiple beetles, it's going to get expensive fairly quickly(they are normally sold for $8-10 each).  For all you know, you could be spending lots of money on a bunch of beetles that could possibly be old and die in less than a year.

There are many, many, many, many, many species of insects that do well in captivity and breed readily.  My personal vote goes towards Zophobas morio, better known in its larval form as the superworm.  It's a big, husky darkling beetle, fairly active, breeds readily, and is readily available.  Most people raise them as feeders, but I love watching the adults clamber about and doing their thing.


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## buglover (Sep 20, 2012)

Ya there is no way I will be able to get a roach.  My mom and dad both hate them.  Is there a good species of mantis, or the millipedes or darkling beetles sound good.  I was looking at the Egyptian Mantis, would that be a good choice?


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## poisoned (Sep 20, 2012)

Go for chinese or european mantis. Both are impressive.

The problem with mantises is if you're going to buy one now, you're only going to keep it for a few months. Mantises only live for about a year and winter is coming.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Sep 20, 2012)

poisoned said:


> Go for chinese or european mantis. Both are impressive.
> 
> The problem with mantises is if you're going to buy one now, you're only going to keep it for a few months. Mantises only live for about a year and winter is coming.


You can still get a female that may lay an ootheca, if you're willing to buy lots of fruitflies and frequently mist the nymphs....


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## buglover (Sep 21, 2012)

Not sure if I'd want to try taking care of the nymphs as a beginner,  maybe I will just go with either darkling beetles or millipedes.  What would be the best species of millipede for a beginner?  It would have to be able to live comfortably in a 5 gallon or less enclosure.

Thanks.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Sep 21, 2012)

buglover said:


> Not sure if I'd want to try taking care of the nymphs as a beginner,  maybe I will just go with either darkling beetles or millipedes.  What would be the best species of millipede for a beginner?  It would have to be able to live comfortably in a 5 gallon or less enclosure.
> 
> Thanks.


You can fit quite a few Narceus sp. of Chicobolus spinigerus in a 5.5 or less


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## buglover (Sep 21, 2012)

I like those millipedes.  Is there more than one darkling species to choose from?  What is the easiest to care for?

Thanks for your help!


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## GiantVinegaroon (Sep 22, 2012)

buglover said:


> I like those millipedes.  Is there more than one darkling species to choose from?  What is the easiest to care for?
> 
> Thanks for your help!


There are many darklings to chose from.  Tenebrio molitor, better known as the infamous mealworm, is probably the easiest to care for, though it's tiny and pretty uninteresting in my opinion.  The superworms are easy, just a tiny bit of work separating the larvae separately in order to get them to pupate(though people claim to be able to raise them together with no cannibalism...I prefer to stick with what's known to work).  The genus Eleodes seems pretty simple to care for too.


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## buglover (Sep 23, 2012)

Well my mom may unexpectedly let me get a vinegaroon after I showed her one.  Would that be a good choice?


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## GiantVinegaroon (Sep 23, 2012)

buglover said:


> Well my mom may unexpectedly let me get a vinegaroon after I showed her one.  Would that be a good choice?


Maybe....but it's going to burrow alot and will basically be a pet hole.


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## bizzely (Nov 25, 2012)

The millipede is good first invert pet because they are so easy to care for. They don't eat live prey so mostly you just have to set up the right encloser, give them some veg and mist. With mine they ate mostly dead oak leaves but i gave them lettuce and carrots too. very cheap and easy to care for. The species is up too your tastes, many require simalar care.


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