The team at Earthwise Pest Management has been focusing on a unique perspective when it comes to bugs. While we often talk about the different ways that you can reduce pests in your house, we also want to shed some positive light on insects so that you can have a well-rounded understanding of the bugs that you’re finding in your home.
In our last blog post, we touched on a few of the countries that perceive bugs as a tasty snack rather than a pest at all. Today, we are going to touch on a few of the insects that are commonly kept as pets. While that may sound crazy to you, there are actually quite a few insects that you might be surprised to hear people intentionally keep in their homes.
Stick Bugs
One of the primary reasons that people love to keep bugs as pets is because they’re unique and something rarely found. Stick bugs are an insect with a build that looks similar to a twig, and while it’s easy to find plenty of sticks outside, it’s pretty difficult to find a stick bug. Even in the case that there are stick bugs around your house, the chances of you spotting the difference is pretty slim.
Stick bugs are capable of living for up to 16 months, which is a pretty impressive lifespan for an insect. If you’re looking for a low-maintenance bug for your child to call a pet, a stick bug is definitely a fine place to start. They’re absolutely harmless, but do require some additional time spent building the ideal habitat.
Praying Mantis
Again, interesting insects always make for better pets. A stick bug might not be interesting to all, since it is really just a bug that looks like a stick, but the praying mantis is an insect that just about everyone can agree is fascinating. Not only do these bugs look unique, but they have very interesting traits as well.
One of the things that this insect is known for is the way that they prey on other praying mantis’ as well as smaller insects. Their lifespan is going to be drastically shorter than that of a stick bug, living an average of six months. While that is their average lifespan, very few make it that long. Given that these bugs are on the more aggressive side, they often fight to the death when sharing a space with another praying mantis.
Tarantula
A bug that you’ve probably heard plenty of people keeping as a pet also happens to be one that most of us fear: the tarantula. One of the largest spiders seems to have an awfully large spot in the hearts of insect lovers across the world. If you’ve ever considered having a tarantula as a pet, there are some important things that you should know.
For starters, these spiders are best added to a household when they’ve been raised in captivity. Though tarantulas can be very smart and gentle spiders, they can also be extremely dangerous. There are also so many different species of tarantulas to choose from that it’s always worth doing some research before you select the tarantula that you’ll be bringing into your home.
Cockroaches
One man’s greatest fear is another man’s treasure — or something along those lines. Believe it or not, cockroaches are among the bugs that people feel make a great pet. The hissing cockroach was listed as one of the most popular insects to keep as a pet by USA Today. The reasoning behind it? The sound that they make.
If you’re not bothered by the thought of having a cockroach in your house (willingly, we might add), then this definitely could be an interesting pet to add to the family. There is a lot of interesting information associated with cockroaches that could make them a fun pet to learn about and care for.
Scorpions
Another insect that many view as a pest but some care for as a pet are scorpions. These are another dangerous insect that need to be handled carefully. For that reason, we suggest you also do some research when considering to add a scorpion to your home. One of the most important reasons that you should do some research prior to purchasing is that there are countless species of scorpions and each one can provide a certain level of sting when it feels threatened.
Other than the element of danger that they bring to the table, scorpions are relatively easy to care for. They are nocturnal bugs, are inexpensive in terms of care, and they have a relatively long lifespan for a bug. Though we don’t suggest it as a starter pet, it is certainly something you could work your way up to!
Call Earthwise Pest Management
If you’re not looking to make any of the insects in your home a pet, then it’s time to call a home pest control professional. Earthwise Pest Management is happy to provide the Sacramento area with the high-quality pest management services that they need to stay free of unwanted pests (and pets) for the foreseeable future.
Regardless of the pests that you’re struggling with in your home, our pest control company can help. We focus on safe and long-term solutions that are dedicated to removing the factors that attract pests there in the first place. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.