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HOUSING INVERTEBRATES --------------------------- Housing Guidelines Other Housing Options Breeding Housing Options Heating and Lighting Floor Linings (substrate) |
FEEDING AND HUSBANDRY ---------------------------- Moulting and Diseases Feeding Regimen Cleaning and ova separation Providing Food |
BREEDING STICK INSECTS ---------------------------- Sexing and Mating Egg Laying and preparation Rearing Nymphs |
BUGS, BUGS & MORE BUGS ---------------------------- Species in Culture Sending live insects by post Picture Gallery Related Websites |
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Housing
Options by Gareth Price 28th May, 2001 Page 2 |
Specialised Housing
All new and available from specialist entomological suppliers, come "specialist cages." These are superbly designed little units, that have been engineered to provide the perfect environment for your stick insects. They are usually constructed of thin metal sheets, together with nylon or plastic netting and/or perspex. They often have a neat, lockable front opening door, that can be used to replace the foodplant without having eight newly hatched e.t. nymphs crawling up your arm. As i'm sure you're all familiar with the creations of small-life supplies, i'll cut the small talk and get straight down to the specs. Small-life supplies create an exciting range of high quality cages. One model being the infamous bug-cage, the other, its larger partner, the bug-display cage.
Both models are similar in appearance, except the bug-cage has a height of 18" (46cm), whereas the bug display cage has the clear advantage at 24". Both cages are constructed using aluminium mesh sides and have a lockable front opening door. Are these the perfect cages I here you cry? Well, maybe - but at £60.99 for the bug-cage and £92.50 for the bug-display cage, few people can afford them. Not being degenerative in any way to the efforts of small-life, but I really do think that the old price of £49.99 was more acceptable. In the case of the bug display cage, its redemption comes in its size. £92.50 is still a heck of a lot of money if you haven't got it, but it is more reasonable, considering the size of cage that you are getting for your money.
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The
Bug-display Cage Specification - a full set of specifications are available at the company's website |
In direct competition with small-life supplies, we have Worldwide Butterflies. WWB have been in operation for over 40 years now and they have a great deal of experience to show for it. Their range of phasmid suitable cages is vast, each cage well built and of ample size to support a colony of sticks. One of their cages in particular, the large phasmid cage, is a personal favourite which I seem to keep buying all the time. Their large size and sturdy construction means that they are not totally portable, but I manage with them quite well.
Although these cages are not as "ideal" as those from small-life, they are large, robust and stackable (and to be honest, I think that's enough for most of us!). Another advantage is that they are much, much cheaper! For a cage of equal proportion to the bug-cage, you can shell out as little as £29.99 - compared to £60.99! Let's take a look!
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The
Large Phasmid Cage Please see the website for extended specs on a number of WWB products. |
Whether you're looking for absolute quality of design and manufacture, or a cage that will keep most enthusiasts happy, is up to you. For me, I look for a cage which keeps both myself and my wallet happy. However, here is a handy form, which I often use when shopping for specialised products. Print it out and use it as you wish - it may help you save some time and a lot of money:
Many tropical species of phasmid do best in a heated enclosure. For a range of heating products, please click on to the next section.
HOUSING INVERTEBRATES | FEEDING AND HUSBANDRY | BREEDING STICK INSECTS | SPECIES IN CULTURE | SENDING INSECTS BY POST | PICTURE GALLERY | CONTACT ME |
All information contained herein is copyright ©2001 Gareth Price. All rights reserved. Any media that has been borrowed from external sources has been done so with the full consent of its respective copyright owner. For more information, see the legal agreement.