Decisions…what would you say is more interesting for young kids?

[docwade87]

Hey all,
It’s been a while since I’ve been on the forum. Long story short we took different path in life (traveling the country Fulltime) and had to sell all of my reptiles and arachnids. I miss them all. Out of all the Ts I had, I ended up keeping my female C. Leetzi. She’s perfect for our fifth wheel and lifestyle due to size.

With that being said, my son (almost 2 now) loves all animals, especially insects. He loves the C.leetzi (when she’s out) and active. I would love to get something that he can look at that’s more active yet doesn’t require a large enclosure. Preferably enclosure sizes like a small”kritter keeper.”I believe it measures around 7”x4”x5”
Was considering some type of isopod colony, possibly a mantis or really anything that he would enjoy watching that’s not too hot or defensive. Preferably something that doesn’t demand much feeding either would be ideal as some places we travel don’t always have pet stores etc to sell crickets, worms etc.

Whats your recommendation or thoughts?!

I hope to be more active in the forum again and I’m sure there are plenty of new and old faces!

 

[CanebrakeRattlesnake]

Isopods! They're great and depending on where you're at you can even take him outside to catch his own which he would probably enjoy if he likes inverts.

 

[djberthel]

Mantids are my absolute favorite for showing my younger students. I would keep a few ghost mantids (Phyllocrania paradoxa) in the classroom in a small detritus setup, and the students would have fun trying to find them. Also, considering they are easy to keep and feed is a bonus as well.

We also have tall plants (Sterlizia spp.) within the classroom where I keep some free-roaming (one mantid per plant!) Sphodromantis viridis. They will have more security in a large plant and are always stress-free. Another way for students to "locate the mantid" everyday when they come into the classroom. This is the absolute preferred method over any enclosure, but make sure you have a large enough plant (mine are at least 1.5 meters in height)

 

[Tarantulafeets]

Blue death feigning beetles are pretty cool, just keep them dry, feed occasional veggies, fish food, dried shrimp, scraps, provide some some stuff for them to climb around on, and that's it.

 

[viper69]

Social media

 

[A cave cricket]

Romalea microptera, I made a care guide. It's one of the best beginner inverts, but once it's an adult it will need a bigger enclosure, but, they're very mobile, are herbivores, and the best thing about them, you can handle them, I'd get one of the nymphs off of Under Ground Reptiles but there a bit pricey for a nymph.

 

[Edan bandoot]

a book with pictures in it

 

[docwade87]

Mantids are my absolute favorite for showing my younger students. I would keep a few ghost mantids (Phyllocrania paradoxa) in the classroom in a small detritus setup, and the students would have fun trying to find them. Also, considering they are easy to keep and feed is a bonus as well.

We also have tall plants (Sterlizia spp.) within the classroom where I keep some free-roaming (one mantid per plant!) Sphodromantis viridis. They will have more security in a large plant and are always stress-free. Another way for students to "locate the mantid" everyday when they come into the classroom. This is the absolute preferred method over any enclosure, but make sure you have a large enough plant (mine are at least 1.5 meters in height)

Ghost mantids are one that I am defjnitely interested in.

Blue death feigning beetles are pretty cool, just keep them dry, feed occasional veggies, fish food, dried shrimp, scraps, provide some some stuff for them to climb around on, and that's it.

I completely forgot about these cool little dudes. I’m definitely going to consider them. Thanks for the input and reminder!

Romalea microptera

Now that’s one I’ve never even remotely thought of. They look really cool. Great info and input. Thank you!

Social media

Glad to see you’re still around. But what did I miss?

a book with pictures in it

Cute. I’ve got plenty of them. Not sure the reason for such a response?

 

[Tentacle Toast]

Blue death feigning beetles are pretty cool, just keep them dry, feed occasional veggies, fish food, dried shrimp, scraps, provide some some stuff for them to climb around on, and that's it.

I was just going to suggest a beetle of some sort. There are several larger species available, they're fairly long-lived, rather hearty, & have the bonus of being handleable.

 

[HeartBum]

Roaches (Hissing, Blaptica, Lateralis etc.)
Mantids
Phasmids
Isopods
Jumping Spiders
Beetles (Death Feigning, Fruit, Stag, Domino etc.)
Ladybirds (@A cave cricket recently made a thread about how to keep them)
Sea Monkeys!

OR get him into propagating his own plants from indoor cuttings. Super rewarding and lovely decor.

 

[A cave cricket]

Heh heh. Shout out?

 

[A cave cricket]

Ladybugs or lubbers.

 

[Jonathan6303]

Isopods. Easy maintenance and you will have a bunch. Armadillidium gestroi are very nice.
Or plants. It will impress the ladies to see a striking young man carrying a bouquet of self grown roses for that special someone

 

[Nicole C G]

Roaches (Hissing, Blaptica, Lateralis etc.)
Mantids
Phasmids
Isopods
Jumping Spiders
Beetles (Death Feigning, Fruit, Stag, Domino etc.)
Ladybirds (@A cave cricket recently made a thread about how to keep them)
Sea Monkeys!

OR get him into propagating his own plants from indoor cuttings. Super rewarding and lovely decor.

Because of his age, I wouldn’t recommend a jumping spider. They are pretty delicate and can get lost easily if handled. (Or even if he just opens the enclosure)

isopods sound good to me personally. Mostly because they are tough if you get the right species, and if you lose one, not everything is lost.

 

[Myrlina]

I think isopods would be cool. If you collect your own from the wild you can also release them if he loses interest. I was never encouraged to keep bugs as a child, but I did keep a wormery in a glass tank with layered substrate which you can watch them mix (again native earthworms can be released after a while) and also stick insects (Carausius morosus).

 

[viper69]

Ghost mantids are one that I am defjnitely


I completely forgot about these cool little dudes. I’m definitely going to consider them. Thanks for the input and reminder!

Now that’s one I’ve never even remotely thought of. They look really cool. Great info and input. Thank you!

Glad to see you’re still around. But what did I miss?

Cute. I’ve got plenty of them. Not sure the reason for such a response?

Nothing from me

 

[docwade87]

Roaches (Hissing, Blaptica, Lateralis etc.)
Mantids
Phasmids
Isopods
Jumping Spiders
Beetles (Death Feigning, Fruit, Stag, Domino etc.)
Ladybirds (@A cave cricket recently made a thread about how to keep them)
Sea Monkeys!

OR get him into propagating his own plants from indoor cuttings. Super rewarding and lovely decor.

Many cool options mentioned. Thank you for that. I agree with @Nicole C G about the jumping spiders for now although they are indeed awesome. I’m leaning towards mantids, beetles, or isopods. Never heard of some of those beetles. I’ll look into them.
My wife has never been into roaches even when I kept colonies for food source, so I guess that’s out. We keep some cool indoor plants (succulents etc) and will slowly introduce him to them as he ages and understand

Isopods. Easy maintenance and you will have a bunch. Armadillidium gestroi are very nice.
Or plants. It will impress the ladies to see a striking young man carrying a bouquet of self grown roses for that special someone

Isopods definitely seem like a good way to go. Before we changed our path in life, I was becoming more and more interested in them. The gestroi you recommend are awesome looking. I’ve read where they aren’t as easy to get started? What do you say? Any other neat species that would be more attractive to him?

I think isopods would be cool. If you collect your own from the wild you can also release them if he loses interest. I was never encouraged to keep bugs as a child, but I did keep a wormery in a glass tank with layered substrate which you can watch them mix (again native earthworms can be released after a while) and also stick insects (Carausius morosus).

He really enjoys finding the local isopods where we are. I was thinking of something a bit more attractive and flashy for him though. You do make a great point about releasing them if they are the native ones. I personally would continue to keep them regardless of his interest or not.

 

[A cave cricket]

Grasshoppers are very active.

Lubbers have morphs. Black, black and orange, Yellow, red, and red orange.

 

[Jonathan6303]

Isopods definitely seem like a good way to go. Before we changed our path in life, I was becoming more and more interested in them. The gestroi you recommend are awesome looking. I’ve read where they aren’t as easy to get started? What do you say? Any other neat species that would be more attractive to him?

Armadillidium maculatum and Porcellio scaber and laevis morphs

 

[Myrlina]

If you're looking into isopods Aquarimax Pets has a great series of species profiles on Youtube.