Yes, some people really do keep insects as pets. And why not? They are fascinating, they don’t eat a lot, and they don’t take up a lot of space.

Crickets have a long history of being kept as pets in Asia, where their chirruping has long been welcomed in the home. Sometimes their residence in the home is considered good luck, so I imagine they would be encouraged to stay.

There are a few other bugs that make good pets, according to some. Stick insects can be beautiful and interesting as well as having a fairly long lifespan.

There’s another member of this family that are sometimes kept as pets. Cockroaches! Not the same kind that invade your kitchen, but slow moving tropical bugs that are said to be pretty interesting to watch. I’m sure the hissing cockroach from Madagascar would be a hit with 9 year old boys!