So I've been wanting a colony of some low mantinance, small animal or a long lived (10+ years), but, still low mantinance small animal. I've been thinking of madagascan hissing cockroaches but my parents are pretty set on the idea of not purposely bringing cockroaches into the house. I would like to stray away from snakes because I currently own a corn snake, Roki.
Help Me Dicide!
- Thread starter CJoys
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Assassin bugs would be my suggestion. They're fantastic little inverts.
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Blue death feigning beetles.
Matttoadman
Arachnoknight
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I have Elliptorhina javanica. They are great. I personally don't think the hissers are very roachy. More like pillbugs with antennae. I have mine in a 20 gallon fish tank, screen top, with a ring of vasoline to keep the climbing nymphs in. Sticks, bark and fake plants make a very natural set up. Plus this genus seem to not climb much. In this set up the nymphs, which are roachy looking seldom are visible.
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Fleas.
Hisserdude
Arachnoking
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Convince your parents to let you get some roaches.
Roaches are definitely easy to care for pets, and many of them don't even look roachy. There's no risk of any of the commonly kept pet species infesting your house, and they are very low maintenance pets.
Plus there are so many options, with over 100 species of roach in the US hobby alone!
Roaches are definitely easy to care for pets, and many of them don't even look roachy. There's no risk of any of the commonly kept pet species infesting your house, and they are very low maintenance pets.
Plus there are so many options, with over 100 species of roach in the US hobby alone!
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Roaches are the definitely the bee's knees, cats pajamas, etc but if you absolutely can't have them (which is a fate I wish on no man/woman) I'd recommend isopods. They come in very different sizes & colors and are easy as cake. http://www.roachcrossing.com/category/for-sale/non-roach/isopods/ There are plenty to choose from on this site. I have A. vulgare, Trichorhina tomentosa, Oniscus asellus, Porcellio scaber (regular & orange), Armadillidium maculatum, Armadillidium nasatum, Cubaris murina, & Porcellionides floria. They're all easy as cake and breed quick (most of them). I just keep them on coco-fiber, have a little bit of crumbed cuttlebone for calcium in the soil, a few piece of cork-bark to hide under / climb on, and I feed them sliced apple, sliced carrot, fish flakes and provide plenty of dry leaves & rotting wood. They don't need all those things, just soil, fruits and dried leaves is plenty.
Best,
Eric
*edit* You can also do millipedes too but they're not as cheap to have a colony of and don't reproduce as easily/quickly.
Best,
Eric
*edit* You can also do millipedes too but they're not as cheap to have a colony of and don't reproduce as easily/quickly.
Czech prime
Arachnoknight
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There are many interesting phasmids that require little atention unless they are not allowed where you live :/
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Many desert Tenebrionid beetles are quite long lived and very easy to care for. Blue Death Feigning Beetles would be an excellent choice for a low-maintenance, long-lived pet.
Isopods make excellent pet invert colonies as well. They eat just about anything and as long as you keep them humid, they don't require much maintenance.
Millipedes are long-lived and relatively low-maintenance, you just need to provide them with the right substrate and keep them fed with fruits, vegetables, and leaves.
Phasmids are not an ideal low-maintenance pet. They require fresh leaves, meaning you'd have to provide them with new cuttings every few days or even every day at times. The amount of frass they produce is also very high and unless you remove it, it can quickly become a hazardous, moldy mess.
An ant colony in the proper setup could be fairly low maintenance. You'd just need to keep them hydrated, provide them with sugar, and give them a source of protein.
Since you've posted in insects and other inverts, I assume you're not into getting any true spiders, tarantulas, or other arachnids? There are many long-lived and easy arachnids that aren't spiders. If you are inclined to get an arachnid, vinegaroons and tailless whip scorpions are non-venomous, long-lived, and easy. You just want to avoid getting vinegaroon spray anywhere near your face. Both are fairly easy to handle and there is minimal risk for harm to you or to them from doing so.
Isopods make excellent pet invert colonies as well. They eat just about anything and as long as you keep them humid, they don't require much maintenance.
Millipedes are long-lived and relatively low-maintenance, you just need to provide them with the right substrate and keep them fed with fruits, vegetables, and leaves.
Phasmids are not an ideal low-maintenance pet. They require fresh leaves, meaning you'd have to provide them with new cuttings every few days or even every day at times. The amount of frass they produce is also very high and unless you remove it, it can quickly become a hazardous, moldy mess.
An ant colony in the proper setup could be fairly low maintenance. You'd just need to keep them hydrated, provide them with sugar, and give them a source of protein.
Since you've posted in insects and other inverts, I assume you're not into getting any true spiders, tarantulas, or other arachnids? There are many long-lived and easy arachnids that aren't spiders. If you are inclined to get an arachnid, vinegaroons and tailless whip scorpions are non-venomous, long-lived, and easy. You just want to avoid getting vinegaroon spray anywhere near your face. Both are fairly easy to handle and there is minimal risk for harm to you or to them from doing so.
Scolopendra1989
Arachnosquire
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I'd say go with pill bugs, crickets, or roach/communal beetles. Phasmids are very cool and many of them are completely harmless. I'd say stay away from assassin bugs if you're not looking for a carnivore with a venomous rostrum, despite them being very VERY cool. Good luck though, I'd try to convince your parents of roaches though as they fit your criteria perfectly.
Roaches are low maintenance and fun to keep, but you can be allergic to them, or become allergic to them by being around their waste and handling them, Or so I've heard. If you can't keep roaches, I suggest pill bugs or like others have suggested, beetles. I have a breeding tank of regular mealworm beetles (Tenebrio molitor), which are also known as darkling beetles. They work as pets, breeders, and their babies are feeders! Its a good deal if you keep other animals like amphibians, spiders, lizards, birds, and the list goes on. They are about an inch long as beetles, but sadly only live for a few months. I also have a single Superworm beetle (Zophobas morio), another species of darkling beetle. This one is just a pet, he/she was left over food from a bird. Sweetest little thing. Will eat out of your hand, enjoys exploring on my arms and hands. I've only been nibbled on once, and found that a darkling beetle that is fed often is less likely to taste you. Zophobas morio live for up to 15 years as beetles, you can by them as "Super worms" at just about any pet store. If they are quite big, single them out into their own small tanks with no food. I Know it sounds mean, but this will make them pupate faster. As beetles they are roughly two inches long. A good, small, able to be handled, long lasting pet. They also don't really fly, if they are starving to death or get dropped, they may try to fly, but I've had mine for a few months and have yet to even see him open his wings.
Both of the species of darkling beetles that I mentioned here need dry (No Mold) tanks, which makes them great if you have a screen top tank. You can keep them at room temperature, just watch out if it gets too cold.
Both of the species of darkling beetles that I mentioned here need dry (No Mold) tanks, which makes them great if you have a screen top tank. You can keep them at room temperature, just watch out if it gets too cold.
Hisserdude
Arachnoking
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Actually Zophobas usually only live a maximum of a year or so, they don't live anywhere near 15 years. Eleodes and Asbolus darking beetles can supposedly live that long though, depending on the species.
truecreature
Arachnoknight
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I'm gonna second (or third or fourth) millipedes for being great low maintenance inverts. They come in a variety of colors and sizes and if you set up the substrate right with decaying wood and leaves you can pretty much just forget about them and they'll be fine. I haven't tried it myself but apparently you can add isopods in there as well to help keep the millipoop and mold down.
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What did you end up choosing, @CJoys?
Lol, I didn't get any notification that anyone posted on this thread. I'll have to do more reserch, but I'm leaning toward millipedes, hissers, or pillbugs.
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I think there's a way to set up your account so you get a notification anytime someone responds, but I'm not sure how off the top of my head. All good groups to keep! I'm currently expanding my isopod collection and have lots of roaches. If you do end up wanting hissers, just let me know since I have lots right now!