How to Make an Insect Zoo
Do your homework., Research your first pet well., Catch it., Quarantine your pet., Make it a home., Dump in the bug., Know what your insects will do., Supply "prey bugs," common bugs that can be used as food., Document all your animals., Enjoy your...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Do your homework.
Research different animals in your area. (They don't all have to be bugs.) Then, decide on your first pet. -
Step 2: Research your first pet well.
Say if you are going to collect a stag beetle, do extra research.
Look up its feeding habits, where it lives, where you'll find it, and its life cycle.
Go ahead and create a card which will tell zoo visitors all about the stag beetle. , There are literally hundreds of ways to do this.
It is easiest just to catch it with your hands or a net.
Watch and wait for your chance, then grab it. , Not really.
Just put it in a jar with some cloth over the top for ventilation.
That way, it won't run away as you make its home. , Would you want to live all your life in a jar? Right.
So, first, put some dirt, real dirt
- not mulch, in the bottom of your container.
Then, put some sticks, leaves, and rocks in it too.
Soak a paper towel in water and stick it in.
Do not wring it out. , If you get so hooked that you are thinking of breeding, you need to find a male and female (called a breeding pair).
Put the male and female together.
Like always, research.
Learn about what form of breeding the insect takes (live bearing, egg laying, cocoon?). , Believe it or not, some parent bugs are cannibals, so as soon as eggs or kids appear, give them a separate home. , If you have a carnivore bug such as a spider, centipede, or certain beetles, etc., they will need a diet that is close to what they might find in the wild.
Capture the common bugs around your home, like flies, and introduce them into the jar. , Provide names or numbers, sex, age (if known), species, and feeding habits.
It's super fun to do.You are creating a database for your zoo! , -
Step 3: Catch it.
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Step 4: Quarantine your pet.
-
Step 5: Make it a home.
-
Step 6: Dump in the bug.
-
Step 7: Know what your insects will do.
-
Step 8: Supply "prey bugs
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Step 9: " common bugs that can be used as food.
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Step 10: Document all your animals.
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Step 11: Enjoy your cheap
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Step 12: wonderful
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Step 13: low-maintenance pets!
Detailed Guide
Research different animals in your area. (They don't all have to be bugs.) Then, decide on your first pet.
Say if you are going to collect a stag beetle, do extra research.
Look up its feeding habits, where it lives, where you'll find it, and its life cycle.
Go ahead and create a card which will tell zoo visitors all about the stag beetle. , There are literally hundreds of ways to do this.
It is easiest just to catch it with your hands or a net.
Watch and wait for your chance, then grab it. , Not really.
Just put it in a jar with some cloth over the top for ventilation.
That way, it won't run away as you make its home. , Would you want to live all your life in a jar? Right.
So, first, put some dirt, real dirt
- not mulch, in the bottom of your container.
Then, put some sticks, leaves, and rocks in it too.
Soak a paper towel in water and stick it in.
Do not wring it out. , If you get so hooked that you are thinking of breeding, you need to find a male and female (called a breeding pair).
Put the male and female together.
Like always, research.
Learn about what form of breeding the insect takes (live bearing, egg laying, cocoon?). , Believe it or not, some parent bugs are cannibals, so as soon as eggs or kids appear, give them a separate home. , If you have a carnivore bug such as a spider, centipede, or certain beetles, etc., they will need a diet that is close to what they might find in the wild.
Capture the common bugs around your home, like flies, and introduce them into the jar. , Provide names or numbers, sex, age (if known), species, and feeding habits.
It's super fun to do.You are creating a database for your zoo! ,
About the Author
Adam Smith
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Adam Smith brings 9 years of hands-on experience to every article. Adam believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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