Could a Katydid be a good beginner?

[Samurai_Sushi]

Hello everyone, I'm new here and am looking for a new hobby. I already keep saltwater fish and own a dog, but I've recently gotten an interest in Arachnids, Insects, and the like. The Spiny Red Eye-Katydids (Neobarrettia spinosa) caught my attention because they seemed so unusual compared to most other preditors and it looked like they weren't picky feeders. Do you think I could keep one of these in a small critter keeper with substrate and sticks to climb? What kind of substrate should I use? Also if anyone knows good places to buy them online that would be appreciated. Thanks for the help

 

[thedude]

if i were to keep katydids i would buy a tall mesh cage (they are arboreal) and put 2 inches of coco fiber or peat moss on the bottom and put sticks in there for them to climb on and leaves like oak, maple, birch etc... besides that i wouldnt think of them as being hard to keep just a stick bug that jumps

 

[GartenSpinnen]

I find some huge green ones in the spring and summer at times, and i do mean huge. I have found them around 4 in long before. If your interested around that time i can catch you one. For now... try your hand at one of the more easily obtainable bugs on here .
-Nate

 

[Samurai_Sushi]

Yeah if I can't find any good sources, I'll probobly just go with a Mantis, but right now I've found one American source but it's a bit expensive so I'm going to keep looking. Do you guys think that an enclosure 1 & 1/2 feet tall would be sufficient?

 

[thedude]

dude... in the summer go get yourself a nice white sheet, a mercury vapor light or a de-zapped bug zapper and set it up outside and catch all you want

 

[Choobaine]

If I still lived in Russia I'd be doing the same! We got such odd enormous bugs in summer!

Once you get started chances are you'll find it very hard to stop!

 

[What]

The Spiny Red Eye-Katydids (Neobarrettia spinosa) caught my attention because they seemed so unusual compared to most other preditors and it looked like they weren't picky feeders.

I dont think they are picky feeders... I watched Cheshire feed one he caught at ACon a couple roaches and crickets. Pretty vicious...

And be careful! Their bite does draw blood.

 

[Stylopidae]

I dont think they are picky feeders... I watched Cheshire feed one he caught at ACon a couple roaches and crickets. Pretty vicious...

And be careful! Their bite does draw blood.

Oh, man...if that female hadn't died during shipping

Those are just about the coolest bugs EVER. Unfortunately, there is a 50% attrition rate among hatched offspring according to people who had bred them.

They're pretty easy to keep. They won't drink from a waterdish until they absolutely need to it seems like, so you need to mist the container once every few days for optimum results.

There are non-vital organs I'd trade off to get my hands on a breeding pair.

My male lived for about 3 months in a kritter keeper. They're not terribly long lived. Easy to keep, but not long lived.

I don't know how to rear them...mine were all adults when I got them.

Kritter keeper, cocobark, large wooden dowels (fake leaves superglued...or just fake plants), a water dish and misting ~every two to three days is what I'd do to keep them.

 

[Chrysopid]

dude... in the summer go get yourself a nice white sheet, a mercury vapor light or a de-zapped bug zapper and set it up outside and catch all you want

I always find tons by gas station lights at night. I ask the owner and he said it was okay... I've found so many different species there it's unbelievable! My favorite place to go (it's easy... and people look at your funny)

 

[Stylopidae]

I always find tons by gas station lights at night. I ask the owner and he said it was okay... I've found so many different species there it's unbelievable! My favorite place to go (it's easy... and people look at your funny)

Post pics when you start your hunting...you'll definitely be getting an offer from me if it's the same species I got at Acon.

They're pretty common in the areas where they're native to.