Pros of Insect Walking Sticks

Walking stick bugs, a specific sort of insect that's evolved a camouflage that makes it look like a natural part of a tree, are a bug that many people keep as pets. The insect also is referred to as a praying mantis. While bugs might not be everyone's cup of tea, there are several pros to the walking stick bug that make it a fascinating and easy-to-keep pet.

  1. Ease of Care

    • If you set up the cage for a walking stick bug, giving it a warm atmosphere with the foliage that you would find in its natural environment, then it requires relatively little attention as a pet. This makes it ideal for people who want to have a pet, but who don't want the in-depth care required for animals that need more companionship.

    Safety

    • Unlike many members of the insect kingdom, a walking stick bug has almost no dangerous defenses that could harm an owner. Stick bugs have no venom or poison, no stinger and they don't bite. Their defense is their camouflage, which makes them a safe pet to have on hand.

    Reproductive Simplicity

    • If a walking stick bug has a mate, then it reproduces readily. Females reproduce asexually, but all of the eggs will be female nymphs. If you would prefer a pet that doesn't multiply, then you could simply get a male walking stick bug and leave it content in the cage.

    Available Food

    • Unlike exotic pets that require equally exotic foods, the walking stick bug eats plants that you can find readily available in nature. This makes the feeding of the plant free if you live near the countryside, or very cheap if you actually need to buy the plants to feed the bug.