It’s relatively common knowledge that vertebrate pets require environmental stimulation in order to stay happy and healthy. When it comes to arthropods, however, few people bother to provide enrichment, either because they feel it unnecessary, or, as I felt, just don’t know how exactly to approach it. In keeping Guyana spotted cockroaches (aka dubia roaches, Blaptica dubia) over the last year, I’ve found them to be surprisingly complex in their behavior, and have tested several types of enrichment with them that I feel I could share to help others in the same position as I was.
First, for those who don’t know already, what is behavioral enrichment, and why is it important? Enrichment refers to any practice that seeks to provide animals with stimuli that will encourage them to engage in natural behaviors in order to maintain mental and physical health in captivity. This results in longer, healthier, and happier lives for the animals. For more intelligent animals such as mammals and birds, this often takes the form of toys and food puzzles, which is what many people immediately jump to when they hear the word. However, for arthropods, enrichment must take much more diverse and subtle forms.
Enclosure Design and Population
The first and easiest form of insect enrichment is enclosure design, which can be easily and effectively applied to any species with just a bit of research. While needs such as water and food can easily be met in an empty plastic container, and may keep your insects alive and well, going a little bit deeper and researching your species’ natural environment can give you big head start before even trying more complicated methods of enrichment. The first piece to consider is substrate. While many species don’t need a substrate, many others find it a necessity. Different species will likely have different substrate needs, but most have easy to find info online. Substrate is an important and easy way to allow burrowing insects access to their most common natural behavior. Another factor important for nearly all insects is some form of shelter. Whether it be a piece of bark or upturned egg carton, allowing your insects to hide from view will greatly reduce the stress of captivity for them. Many insects also have more specific environmental needs. Arboreal insects will likely appreciate the ability to climb objects within the enclosure, while other insects may prefer to stay grounded. Do research into your species for setting up their enclosure. These needs should be attended to first and foremost, before any more intricate enrichment.
Despite the common notion of insects (besides ants and bees) as unsocial creatures, many have complex and interesting social interactions in nature. In caring for my roaches, I’ve found it interesting to observe their behaviors and have even felt that some have personalities (one of my males, who’s wings never fully formed, is amusingly the most aggressive, chasing the other males around). I think it is important to allow species that commonly live in groups to interact with their own species in order to stimulate their natural territorial (and in some cases, hierarchical) interactions. However, some species are solitary, notably mantids, and this should be accounted for too. Choosing how many of a species should go in an enclosure is as fundamental as the enclosure itself, and integral to overall welfare.
This post is already getting a bit long, so I’ve decided to cut it for your sake. I’ve got a bit more to say though. Click ‘keep reading’ for the rest!
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