Australian Roches Acquire Pet Status

Australians looking for a little creature company in their urban homes are shunning the dog and cat in favour of a more economical pet - the cockroach. Workers in Australia's pet industry say the demand for insects as pets has risen in the past five years because of more cramped urban living conditions. Cockroaches are particular favourites, especially as the largest of the species is native to Australia.

"Admittedly they are a bit of an unusual pet," John Olive, one of the major suppliers of giant cockroaches to the Australian pet market, told the Reuters news agency. "But the kids can play with them without getting hurt and they are very low maintenance."

Suppliers and pet shop owners are keen to point out that the pet cockroaches are not the brown-winged pests which may be seen feasting on rubbish or scurrying under the kitchen units.

Macro Bugs

The cockroach believed to be most suited to pet life is the giant burrowing variety - or rhinoceros cockroach - that is native to Australia, and found in the warm, north-eastern state of Queensland.

These gigantic cockroaches, officially called Macropanesthia Rhinocerous, grow as big as the palm of a hand, measuring about 80 millimetres (3.15 inches) and weighing 35 grams (1.2 ounces) They are also known to live up to 10 years.

Some pet shops rename the creatures "litter bugs", "rain beetles" or "macrobugs" to escape the cockroach stigma. Supplier Sue Hasenpusch, from  another supplier, the Australian Insect Farm, told Reuters: "These really are charming creatures. Thery're clean, they're not stinky at all and there really is nothing horrible about them except for the name cockroach.

Cockroach pets can be kept in a medium sized tank with a few inches of sandy soil and be fed dry eucalyptus leaves. One firm sells "giant litter bug" kits, which include an insect house, sand, some food and three young bugs, for $71.50 Australian Dollars.

Some owners say they enjoy being stroked and will respond if called by name. Peter Nobbs, executive officer of Australia's pet welfare group, the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, said urban living often prevented people from keeping a dog or cat but insects or small reptiles were ideal for life in an apartment.

 Giant Burrowing Cockroach, which is now a household pet.

If you don't want to be a pet owner of any cockroaches scurrying around your home, then give SWATAPEST a call and we will be able to take care of any pest problem.Click here for more information about pest control or any queries that you may have.

 

Reference
BBC World News 2003