A GATEWAY BUG

The best invertebrates for beginners.

Invertebrate keeping is one of the fastest-growing areas of exotic pet keeping. Not only do thousands of people in the UK keep bugs, but a lot of those people keep thousands of bugs. Invertebrates are generally easier to keep than most reptiles and amphibians, demand less energy and require less space. Furthermore, there is a huge selection of frequently imported or captive-bred inverts available to hobbyists, meaning that there is a bug for everyone. Invertebrates offer an excellent introduction to exotics keeping. From straightforward stick insects to lovable jumping spiders, invertebrates can be some of the most fascinating of all exotic pets.

Stick insects

Giant prickly stick insect

(Extatosoma tiaratum)

Giant prickly stick insects tick all the boxes when it comes to looking for a pet invertebrate. Wonderfully weird, easy to care for and capable of becoming huge, these animals will forever be popular among keepers. Coming from Australia and New Guinea, these Phasmids are some of the most impressive insects in the world. Like many stick insects, this species expresses drastic sexual dimorphism with the females being much larger and bulkier than the males.

A perfect beginner invert, the giant prickly stick insect will feed on blackberry, raspberry, oak, rose and eucalyptus. These can be harvested from outside, with blackberry bramble available all year round. Room temperatures of 21°C+ are perfect and a large mesh enclosure with a constant source of water (usually provided in a shallow bowl) will provide a good home for this species.

Stick insects can breed prolifically and therefore, make the perfect introduction to breeding animals - especially for young people. Some keepers will even breed stick insects to provide a more natural live food diet for some animals such as chameleons and monitor lizards.

Black velvet stick insect

(Peruphasma schultei)

The black velvet stick insect is an interesting contender for the most popular invertebrate species in the UK as it was only discovered in 2005. It originates from a tiny native range of about five hectares in Peru. As stick insects can produce eggs every single day, it hasn’t taken long for this species to establish itself in the pet trade.

As a stunningly unique species of stick insect with very easy-care requirements, this species is on the rise in popularity. Perhaps the only thing holding the black velvet stick insect from reaching the same popularity as others on this list is the pungent fluid they produce as a defence mechanism. This fluid, whilst mostly harmless, can cause skin irritations meaning this is not ideal for young children or classroom pets.

Sunny stick insect

(Sungaya inexpectata)

Sungaya is a monotypic genus of stick insects containing the species S. inexpectata, commonly known as the

‘sunny stick insect’. The first specimen of this species was discovered in the Philippines in 1995 and has since established itself in the exotics-keeping hobby due to its parthenogenic abilities.

Like other stick insects featured in the list, this species is very easy to care for. A mesh enclosure with a diet of hawthorn, bramble and ivy and a small water bowl is ideal. The sunny stick insect is a more manageable size compared to its giant spiny cousin. Both males and females will grow to around 8cm, although females are considerably girthier. Although both sexes are variable in colouration and patterns, this species is often characterised by a long dorsal stripe.

This species can reproduce parthenogenically, meaning that even just keeping one female can lead to lots of eggs and baby stick insects in the future.

Myriapods African train millipede

(Archispirostreptus gigas)

Another extremely easy-to-care-for species, the African train millipede is an impressive myriapod that is widely available and inexpensive. Currently, they are being imported in large numbers, so the hobby could seriously benefit from keepers taking time to breed these popular millipedes in captivity.

A terrarium or Really Useful Box that is at least twice the length of the animal is a suitable enclosure. A heat mat placed on one side of the enclosure should help maintain a temperature gradient between 23°C and 29°C with a stable humidity of 70-80%. The substrate should be light and soil-based with plenty of leaf litter. African train millipedes make great introductory myriapods as they will actively feed on most fruit and veg and while decaying wood may be beneficial, it is not a necessity with this species. Keepers should provide a calcium supplement or cuttlefish bone, as well as oak and bramble leaves to help with exoskeleton development.

Archispirostreptus gigas is perhaps the most popular of the millipedes, but this species does produce some defensive liquids that can sometimes cause an allergic reaction. While most people will be perfectly safe, hobbyists should adopt a hands-off approach with these animals just in case.

Yellow banded millipede

(Anadenobolus monilicornis)

The yellow-banded millipede is a strikingly coloured species of the Rhinocricidae family. They can be found can add a splash of colour as an interesting alternative to isopods in a bioactive enclosure. They will typically feed on decaying plant matter at a faster rate than isopods but are considered poisonous so should only be housed with tankmates that are unlikely to eat them.

The yellow-banded millipede requires temperatures between 22°C and 24°C with high humidity (around 80%). It is also important to ensure they receive a good amount of calcium, either by dusting the vegetables with a calcium powder or through the provision of cuttlefish bone.

Yellow-banded millipedes are communal and in the wild, can gather in large numbers.

Ghana speckled millipede

(Telodeinopus

The Ghana speckled millipede is an unusual Myriapod in that it is arboreal. For the keeper who is looking to set up a micro arboreal terrarium but wants a species that is very simple to look after, the Ghana speckled millipede is an ideal candidate. Although they are mostly nocturnal, their impressive size (up to 19cm) and tendency to utilise all available space in the terrarium makes them one of the best pet millipedes. Because they are quite active, they do require slightly more space than other millipede species, but this is certainly a worthwhile investment as these bugs can live up to five years. Glass terrariums are preferred but plastic tubs can also be fit for purpose providing that the lid is secure and it has appropriate ventilation. Like the African train millipede that occupies a similar habitat, these inverts prefer it on the warmer side at around 26°C.

Others

Madagascan hissing cockroach (Gromphadorina portentosa)

Madagascan hissing cockroaches have been available in the hobby for decades and with good reason. This is one of the few species of cockroaches that cannot fly, making them ideal pets. They can live up to five years in captivity and grow up to 8cm in length. Males can be distinguished from females by their thicker antennae. The females have reasonably complex relationships with their children, staying in close physical contact with them for long periods.

Provided these invertebrates are given an enclosure that’s dark and warm (+24°C) and provided with plenty of decaying wood or cork bark, they should thrive. Feeding is straightforward - provide a staple of dry dog food supplemented with small chunks of fruit and veg (very moist fruits should be fed sparingly). Water can be provided in a shallow dish with a sponge, or in a container with a cotton wick to drink from. Once this environment is established, the colony should breed readily.

Madagascan hissing cockroaches are also considered viviparous. The mother will carry the egg sack until it hatches, meaning she will produce live young. These young cockroaches are extremely delicate before they develop their hardened exoskeleton. At this stage, they should not be handled, but excess juveniles are frequently used as feeder insects in many establishments.

Orchid mantis & African mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) & (Sphodromantis

lineola)

Unique, stunningly beautiful and readily available, the orchid mantis is one of the best pet invertebrates on the planet. Although slightly more complex to care for, the orchid mantis has remained firmly on the list of mostpopular invertebrates for some time.

Orchid mantises are variable in colour and change colouration throughout their life cycle. This, along with their incredible hunting techniques, mesmerising movements and savage breeding reputation, makes the orchid mantis a great observational animal to keep.

Coming from the tropics of Malaysia, orchid mantises should be kept warm (around 28°C) and will need to be provided with some form of heat. They are reasonably hardy and some breeders choose to keep males below 18°C to slow their development as they naturally grow much quicker. For normal development, this temperature is only suitable for night-time drops. Orchid mantises also require high humidity between 65-80%.

If the orchid mantis is considered a beauty, the African mantis is certainly the beast. Females can reach up to 8cm in length and this species is renowned for hunting prey across its entire enclosure. It’s extremely active and predatory and makes for an ideal observation animal.

Coming from sub-Saharan Africa, the African mantis requires slightly cooler temperatures than the orchid mantis (around 25°C) and much lower humidity (50-60%). As a larger species, housing them in a glass terrarium will be rewarding for both the animal and the keeper.

Regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius)

Jumping spiders are relatively new to the hobby of invert keeping but have exploded in popularity in recent years. The regal jumping spider is by far the most popular species and encapsulates all the positive attributes of this immense group of arachnids. As diurnal, active hunters, the regal jumping spider is a joy to watch and as one of the larger species in the hobby (reaching up to 2cm in length). Within a manageable set-up, they provide great entertainment.

Although they are reasonably easy to care for, they are a newly emerging species in the hobby and keepers are still making mistakes. An appropriately sized enclosure, kept in a brightly lit environment is key to being successful with this species. Food items must be smaller than the spider’s abdomen and water can be provided in a shallow dish. Temperatures should be kept above 23°C, although humidity can fluctuate. A light misting every other day should maintain a healthy humidity.

There are numerous ways to create an appropriate enclosure for regal jumping spiders. For example, a plastic tub will comfortably house a jumping spider, but a plastic ‘arboreal keeper’ or other dedicated enclosure makes things more practical. Even a nano glass terrarium can make for a beautiful display enclosure.

Regal jumping spiders are extremely charismatic invertebrates and perhaps the "cutest" of the spiders. They exhibit interesting hunting behaviours and make excellent pets. They should be fed suitably sized prey, kept reasonably warm and require a good amount of lightsimilar to many popular reptiles. However, jumping spiders live for around one year, meaning they are far less of a commitment than introductory pet reptiles.