What's the best first invertebrate "pet"?

[Fini]

I'm not sure about all T's getting stressed out easily. I suppose if you move them a lot, or handle them often you could be asking for issues, but that pretty much goes for any invert.

[MelissaFlipski]

The mantids are protected in the wild, so I don't want to get one that way.

T's, millipedes, roaches, scorpions, what else is there? What am I missing in my list of possibilities?

Thanks!

[Patrick Long]

I have scoprions, Ts, and mantids. Love em all!


and what people said is all true.

Mantids dont last more than 4-5 months, T's are fun to watch and interact with, my rosehair wouldnt bite if it had to i dont think.

Scorps are a little more edgy and skiddish, at least mine are!

[_Venom_]

Trap door spiders are cool, but small.
Centipedes
Beetles?

Each family has very different species, so if you pick one it will be hard to decided which of that to get.

[Schlyne]

The mantids are protected in the wild, so I don't want to get one that way.
Thanks!

Are we talking about some specific native mantid? At many gardening sites you can buy an entire ootheca and get over a hundred to hatch for less than $20!

I have scorpions, T's and roaches. I've had milipedes before and that seems like it might be the best starter invert to get kids interacting with. Millipedes can secrete an oil onto your hands, so you will want to wash up after handling.

I keep dubia roaches myself as feeders. Hissers have a hard exoskeleton and as far as feeder roaches go, they don't make very good feeders.

Emperor scorpions and flat rock scorpions are often recommended as beginner scorpions. Both can be handled. The sting of a flat rock scorpion is very mild compared to a beesting. However, flat rock scorpions have larger claws and a pinch may be painful. (I keep flat rock scorpions, but I have never attempted to hold mine.)

I have never been a tarantula handlers and the species that make good handlers have urticating hairs. Since I react to urticating hairs, I choose not to handle the more handleable species at all.

[halfwaynowhere]

ias far as tarantulas go, I've only handled my rosea, and she was calm and it went well. I've heard they can be quirky and unpredictably, not all are nice.
My A hentzi is wacky, and took her quite some time to adjust when i first got her. She's a lot of fun to watch, but not something I plan on holding anytime soon because she seems easily stressed.

I think that hissing cockroaches are great. They are really low maintainance, easy to handle, and harmless. I have two females (no breeding there). I rarely see them, they like to hide all day. But I can get them out and hold them, and they are fun to show off. They don't stink, don't bite - I'd recommend them over a hamster for a child's pet any day!

[Schlyne]

I strongly suggest going through a breeder that sells captive bred tarantulas. Krazy 8 Invertebrates and Botarby8's are both excellent dealers.

Botarby8's is no longer in business. Botar sold his business to Ken the bug guy.

[MelissaFlipski]

Are we talking about some specific native mantid? At many gardening sites you can buy an entire ootheca and get over a hundred to hatch for less than $20!

I've had milipedes before and that seems like it might be the best starter invert to get kids interacting with. Millipedes can secrete an oil onto your hands, so you will want to wash up after handling.

Cool about the mantises. I'll look into it.

The millipedes - does it harm them in any way when our hands remove some of their natural oil?

Thanks all! I love reading all your responses. I am starting to warm up to hissing cockroaches, but only very slowly. I saw them at a pet store for $8 the other day. How much are they at shows usually? $2?

[halfwaynowhere]

Cool about the mantises. I'll look into it.

The millipedes - does it harm them in any way when our hands remove some of their natural oil?

Thanks all! I love reading all your responses. I am starting to warm up to hissing cockroaches, but only very slowly. I saw them at a pet store for $8 the other day. How much are they at shows usually? $2?

eight dollars is a bit high... I generally see them listed at $2 each. I got my two for free from someone who had a colony.

[BMorrison]

Emperor Scorpion. My buddy has one and he's a sweetheart.