Don’t worry! It is rather easy to find and buy bugs. Keeping bugs is becoming more popular in many countries. There are more and more places where you can buy bugs to keep as pets. So where do you have to look for a new bug friend?
Where can I find bugs to buy as pets?
- At the bigger pet stores
- At specialised pet stores for exotic pet animals
- At exhibitions for bugs and exhibitions for reptiles/amphibians
- At specialised webshops
- At fellow bug breeders
- At zoos and petting farms
- In some countries you can find them in nature – always check if it is legal!
Where to look at when I buy my bugs?
Before you buy your bugs, it is important to check specific details so you won’t be disappointed afterwards. At least, I think you want to have healthy bugs, right?
So check for:
- The health of the bug – Has it a healthy posture? Does it behave as it should? Do you see any misformation, missing limbs, wounds? Does it have the right colour and is the colour bright/shiny/etc.?
- If the bug is not too old – Especially with insects, you don’t want to have the latest stage. Insects don’t live that long. It is better to buy nymphs instead of adults.
- If the bug is captive-bred or wild-caught – Some animals do it better when are bred in captivity. Wild-caught animals are not easy to handle and will stress more.
- If it is a protected species and that it has the correct paperwork – Some animals are protected for import and export by CITES, and these animals do need the proper paperwork. This required paperwork is the case for some tarantulas, for example.
