Insects and arachnids are some of the most fascinating pets you can get for your terrarium.
For some, they may be creepy, but for others they are intriguing and even beautiful – a good example of beauty being in the eye of the beholder.
That isn’t to say there aren’t any gorgeous insects or arachnids out there; on the contrary, some of the examples we provide can be a treat to your eyes.
Let’s look at some general information on how to care for a terrarium with insects and arachnids and also look at some good insect and arachnid pets you can keep.
Arachnid and Insect Terrarium Care
Unlike an aquarium, a terrarium is generally easy to care for, as you don’t have to frantically maintain the water conditions. There’s no need for filters, water changes, or oxygenation.
The care and maintenance of terrariums depend on many factors. One such factor is whether you have plants or not.
If you have plants, you need to water them and make sure they get adequate carbon dioxide and soil nutrients.
The animal inhabitants of your tank can provide carbon dioxide and organic materials to the plants, while the plants can in turn provide oxygen to the animals, resulting in a balanced ecosystem, which is what you are looking for.
The second thing you need to consider is whether the terrarium is closed or open. A closed terrarium is completely airtight so that nothing can escape it, while the open one is not so.
A closed terrarium is great for plants as water does not escape it via evaporation, which means you don’t have to water them often.
The issue with closed terrariums is that oxygen and carbon dioxide levels could fluctuate too much, leading to the death of the inhabitants. This is true even if you have a cycle of respiration and photosynthesis to balance each gas – things can easily go out of whack in such a small ecosystem.
You also have to consider the fact that you have to open the terrarium to feed your insects and arachnids. Again, you could try creating a self-sufficient ecosystem with a complete food chain, but this may not always go according to plan.
Considering these facts, it is not a bad idea to make your terrarium with insects open. Being open doesn’t mean you actually leave it open; rather, you can put on a well-ventilated lid to prevent the inhabitants from strolling outside.
Also, your insect tank doesn’t even need to be that big, especially if it’s an open tank, since most insects are rather tiny. Some arachnids such as scorpions can be quite big though.
One last thing: your terrarium needs water for your pets to drink from. Make sure it is something shallow and easily escapable – the last thing you would want is for your insects in terrarium to drown in their drinking bowl.
Best Insects for Terrariums
Insects dominate the earth with their sheer number and variety – you have no shortage of options when it comes to pet insects in terrarium.
This must be said: if you use unsterilized soil such as from your backyard, you will inadvertently add some critters to your tank.
Animals such as springtails, woodlice, and earthworms can be introduced in that fashion, but it is not a bad thing, since they can feed on dead plant matter and contribute to nitrogen cycling.
Also, they can serve themselves on a platter to the carnivorous pets you are going to keep, saving you the trouble of feeding them.
Some are even content with springtails and woodlice as pets, but we’ll give you more interesting options for your insect terrarium.
Flower Chafer Beetles
Insects can be just as colorful as fish – the flower chafer beetle is a good example with its bright metallic colors.
In the wild, they consume nectar, pollen, and tree sap. In captivity, you can feed them rotting fruit. Their larvae can feed on decaying plant matter, helping you keep the tank clean.
This is a large group of insects with a lot of colorful patterns and interesting shapes, so happy hunting.
Praying Mantis
Praying mantis is certainly one of the most interesting-looking insects you can get for your terrarium – they almost look out of this world.
Being predators, their hunting activity will be fun to watch too. Also, since they are carnivores, they will leave your terrarium plants alone.
And as with any insect, they come in a lot of variety – you can get a wide range of exotic-looking praying mantises such as Orchid mantis, Wandering Violin mantis, Carolina mantis, Dragon mantis, and much more.
Ladybug
We were all fascinated by ladybugs growing up, so it is a no-brainer keeping them as pets.
And they are colorful – you can get the signature red with black spots or go for other options such as yellow with black spots, brown with white spots, or brown with black stripes.
They are mostly carnivorous and will leave your plants alone. The only problem is that they breed fast and will quickly overwhelm your terrarium.
Best Arachnid Pets for Terrariums
Arachnids are not much different from insects when it comes to appearance and how to care for them. Unlike insects, they have 4 pairs of legs and no wings or antennas.
Spiders are good candidates, but they require live food and tend to eat other insects, even other spiders. How plump their abdomen is indicates how well-fed they are.
Here are some good arachnid pets you can keep.
Jumping Spider
Common and pretty harmless, the jumping spider makes an excellent pet. As you’d guess from its name, the jumping spider is known for accurate targeted jumps to catch their prey.
Their striking feature is their four pairs of eyes, with two big round ones staring at you from the front. Needless to say, they have excellent vision.
They are highly intelligent and can take down prey twice their size – a jumping spider terrarium is certainly something that can pique interest.
Tarantulas
Tarantulas are some of the easiest spiders to keep, with no special requirements. They also need very little space.
They are very low maintenance too – you only have to feed them once a week. And they don’t pollute their habitat that much.
Despite looking scary, their venom is not dangerous to humans; however, they can cause allergies, so handle with caution.
Emperor Scorpion
Now, going slightly hardcore, the Emperor Scorpion is an intriguing albeit slightly intimidating pet. Their venomous stingers are no joke, but they are somewhat docile and not a huge threat.
Being larger than any other pet on the list, they need a lot of area to roam about but don’t need a lot of vertical space, so you can get a large but shallow tank.
Don’t forget to keep a flat bowl with water so that they can have a drink.
Conclusion
The world of insects and arachnids is fascinating and offers a plethora of options when it comes to terrarium pets.
It is not that difficult to maintain an insect terrarium. In fact, it is easier than an aquarium.
There are countless insects and arachnids you can keep as pets in your terrarium – we barely scratched the surface when we provided some good options.
Good luck with the next insect or arachnid you are going to add to your terrarium.
Thanks for reading.
