Yeah, I'm a vertebrate keeper, for the most part. But after the sheer fascination that the kids had for the Dubia roaches we took with us on our most recent educational presentation... we're thinking of expanding into some other interesting invertebrates. Things that are handleable, inoffensive and that catch our eye as interesting.

Funny thing is, we took the Dubias just as an "in case one of the reptiles is having a strop" - but they wound up being almost as popular as the geckos!

Now, we both know we don't want any tarantulas - though I like the LOOK of the metallic blue tarantulas, I'm also aware they're not very good beginner species, and they certainly wouldn't be good for taking to show to little kiddies! We also have no real desire to keep any centipedes (I'm kinda scared of them) - basically, as we said, we're looking for inoffensive species unlikely to bite or sting us or anyone else! We might consider a scorpion, though I'm not personally keen.

What we are definitely considering is:

Millipedes
Roaches
Fruit Beetles
Phasmids
Mantids
Velvet Worms

Are there any particular species of those groups that are visually impressive, easy to care for, relatively inexpensive to acquire and generally "unflappable" ?

We're strongly considering Madagascan Hissers as our "display" roaches.

I very much like the looks of the Tanzanian Redleg, Fire and Giant Black millipedes, as well as the Emerald pill-millipedes. Are any of these relatively easy to come by?

Fruit beetles, we'd be looking for fairly large and iridescent species.

Phasmids, my partner and I have a difference of opinion. He wants a HUGE green one; I like the looks of the Pink-Winged.

Same goes with Mantids - I want one of the Orchid mantises; he wants something huge and green.

Any information, experiences or suggestions would be very much appreciated. Other than keeping feeders, I'm just not used to bugs!

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- Ssthisto





Lizards: 2.1 E. macularius, 1.2 H. caudicinctus, 1.0 R. ciliatus, 0.2.1 A. fragilis, 1.1 T. merianae, 1.0 V. niloticus ittibittius
Colubrids: 3.5.12 P. guttattus, 1.0 P. guttatus X E. climacophora, 1.1 P. o. rossalini, 1.0 P. o. lindheimeri, 0.1 E. anomala, 0.1 C. radiatus
1.2 Lamprophis spp, 1.0 L. g. nigritus, 0.1 L. g. californiae, 1.0 H. n. nasicus, 1.0 P. m. melanoleucus
Boids: 1.1 E. c. maurus, 0.1 E. conicus, 4.1.5 P. regius, 1.1 A. maculosa
We HAD a three-bedroom house... Current lodger: 1.0 E. c. maurus

Madagascan hissing cockroaches! we have some at school, they are easy to care for and look cool. And the hissing is impresisve, but be warned it gives you a shock when they do!!!! And theyre thorny legs are v cool!!!
But they dont do much, so if you were to sit and watch them you would not see much.

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I would keep a mantis...they're fairly easy to look after, I hear.

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Sammy
Cats Rule!
My pets 0.1.0 H.paucidens 0.1.0 H.lividum 0.0.1 H.minax 0.0.1 H.schmidti 0.1.0 L.parahybana 0.1.0 G.rosea 0.0.1 T.gigas 0.0.1 H.maculata 0.0.1 C.fimbriatus 0.0.2 S.philippinus 0.0.1 P.murinus 0.0.1 N.chromatus 0.0.2 C.crawshayi 0.0.9 GALS 0.1.0 Kitty Cat 3.1.0 Budgies 0.1.0 Unidentified haplopelma
Make cakes from scratch, packet mixes make you fat!

From time to time Lee from TheSpiderShop:- - Suppliers of Arachnids and other quality Invertebrates from time to time gets beetles in and are impressive to say the least bit pricey sometimes but they are nice specially the metallic green and metallic blue beetles that grow massive. Best thing to do is go to the BTS show in May though they sell many t's and scorps they also have many that sell mantis, stick and leaf (really cool) insects, beetles etc

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"Tell me and I will forget, Show me and I will
Remember, involve me and I will understand"-Confucius 450BC


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqTzgNP2BK8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qZX9Dv0AI4

BTS Show?

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- Ssthisto





Lizards: 2.1 E. macularius, 1.2 H. caudicinctus, 1.0 R. ciliatus, 0.2.1 A. fragilis, 1.1 T. merianae, 1.0 V. niloticus ittibittius
Colubrids: 3.5.12 P. guttattus, 1.0 P. guttatus X E. climacophora, 1.1 P. o. rossalini, 1.0 P. o. lindheimeri, 0.1 E. anomala, 0.1 C. radiatus
1.2 Lamprophis spp, 1.0 L. g. nigritus, 0.1 L. g. californiae, 1.0 H. n. nasicus, 1.0 P. m. melanoleucus
Boids: 1.1 E. c. maurus, 0.1 E. conicus, 4.1.5 P. regius, 1.1 A. maculosa
We HAD a three-bedroom house... Current lodger: 1.0 E. c. maurus

your not the only one hun, im still having a read up on the larger beetles at the moment, mantids are pretty cool and theres plenty of variety now, giant millipedes are definetely worth consideration too

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MY SNAKES AND INVERTSLAVENDER 1.1BUTTER 1.0ABBOTTS OKEETEE 2.1BLOODRED 1.1STRAWBERRY SNOW 0.1ULTRAMEL HET CARAMEL 0.1STRIPED HOUSE SNAKE 0.1CAPE HOUSE SNAKE 0.1.1AMEL CAPE HOUSE SNAKE 1.1ROYAL PYTHON 0.1MEXICAN RED KNEE 0.0.3BRAZILLIAN WHITE KNEE 0.0.2GIANT SPINEY STICK INSECTS 2.3

british tarantula society. The biggest event on the UK invert keepers diary.

Look on their website i belive it is the 18th this year

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Is there going to be another at the kettering leisure village again this year?

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MY SNAKES AND INVERTSLAVENDER 1.1BUTTER 1.0ABBOTTS OKEETEE 2.1BLOODRED 1.1STRAWBERRY SNOW 0.1ULTRAMEL HET CARAMEL 0.1STRIPED HOUSE SNAKE 0.1CAPE HOUSE SNAKE 0.1.1AMEL CAPE HOUSE SNAKE 1.1ROYAL PYTHON 0.1MEXICAN RED KNEE 0.0.3BRAZILLIAN WHITE KNEE 0.0.2GIANT SPINEY STICK INSECTS 2.3

Hmmm, I might even actually be able to get to that one... might have to look into it.

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- Ssthisto





Lizards: 2.1 E. macularius, 1.2 H. caudicinctus, 1.0 R. ciliatus, 0.2.1 A. fragilis, 1.1 T. merianae, 1.0 V. niloticus ittibittius
Colubrids: 3.5.12 P. guttattus, 1.0 P. guttatus X E. climacophora, 1.1 P. o. rossalini, 1.0 P. o. lindheimeri, 0.1 E. anomala, 0.1 C. radiatus
1.2 Lamprophis spp, 1.0 L. g. nigritus, 0.1 L. g. californiae, 1.0 H. n. nasicus, 1.0 P. m. melanoleucus
Boids: 1.1 E. c. maurus, 0.1 E. conicus, 4.1.5 P. regius, 1.1 A. maculosa
We HAD a three-bedroom house... Current lodger: 1.0 E. c. maurus

The 23rd BTS Annual Exhibition

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