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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To give a 9 year old boy a stick insect as a present (in a jar, not free)

106 replies

pingu2209 · 02/02/2013 13:27

From my son as the boy's birthday present.

I really thought the boy would like it, but other mum's looked aghast!

OP posts:
firesidechat · 02/02/2013 18:38

Hope this link works. Op this is what they need. No jam jars are mentioned by the way.

www.petsathome.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Info_10601_caring-for-your-stick-insect_-1_10551

eatyouwithaspoon · 02/02/2013 18:40

Sorry, Southwest - in Cornwall

eatyouwithaspoon · 02/02/2013 18:44

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-11713945

Not my colony - I dont think we have that many Smile

countrykitten · 02/02/2013 18:45

The OP should now buy a tank and equip this family with what they need to look after this creature properly. It'e the very least she can do...bloody jam jar...Angry

MrsBonkers · 02/02/2013 18:49

YABU
I think you should have cleared it with the other mother first.
I'm a pet person, not sure I like the idea of pet insects, but would be more pissed off at having to buy the stuff to go with it. I wouldn't be happy to confine it to a jar.

Pixel · 02/02/2013 18:59

We used to have ours in a big jar from the sweetshop, with a branch inside for them to crawl up and some gauze over the top. I don't recall them having privet, I'm sure they had blackberry leaves. They were fine until we went on holiday and my nan forgot to give them water Sad.

LynetteScavo · 02/02/2013 19:08

I would be quite happy if you gave my 9yo one.....but I would have wanted a better habbitat that a jar, so would have bought something bigger, and cursed you that a gift was costing me money. I was going to buy some stick insects for DS...all the ones for sale were being sold as live food for other creatures. Confused They would have been posted to me in a box, apparently.

From Googling stick insects, I also learned that you can clean them in the dishwasher.

I settled for a goldfish.

DS1 then came home from the fair with a goldfish. I wondered what I would have done with it if the tank wasn't already set up.

MyCarHasBrokenDownAgain · 02/02/2013 19:14

I gave DS four giant hissing cockroaches for Christmas when he was 6. We debated getting sticks, but after asking around decided that the roaches were actually much easier to look after and less fragile. Also paid out for a proper vivarium for them. It wasn't a decision we took lightly, and I did a lot of research beforehand. As I suspected, whilst DS does love handling them, day to day care is left to muggins - luckily I think they're brilliant! I would go NUTS if someone gave him ANY animal without asking though!

treas · 02/02/2013 19:18

A stick insect is for six months not just at birthdays - YABU

OkayHazel · 02/02/2013 19:19

Giving a pet as a present is one of the most selfish things you can do imho.

Quenelle · 02/02/2013 19:23

YABU My cousin had one when we were kids. His parents still have it and cousin is in his 40s now. They live for years. Unless given to someone without the first clue how to look after one. Poor thing.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 02/02/2013 19:48

YANBU. I love stickies. They are not difficult to look after.

DrCoconut · 02/02/2013 19:53

We had 2 initially. We allowed DS1 to get them but we ended up looking after them, well DH did mostly because I don't like insects. They bred like crazy and we ended up with a huge stick insect baby boom. Luckily the local college animal care dept wanted to start an insect section and was looking for some. We rehomed the lot as I knew the problem would repeat if not. Definitely no pets as presents and no more stick insects for us!

PickledInAPearTree · 02/02/2013 20:49

They breed and drop down on you?

Shudder!

Op a bad bad bad bad bad bad bad idea without getting prior agreement.

LynetteScavo · 02/02/2013 22:52

They breed easily? Oh, now I really want to get some.

I have a big fish tank. What else do I need.

If I go a way for a week, do I need to give them to a babysitter?

Coconutty · 02/02/2013 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoJo · 02/02/2013 23:00

Yes - YABU for all the reasons given already!

Charmingbaker · 02/02/2013 23:11

Dont be surprised if your DS isn't invited to anyone else's birthday party for a while!

shushpenfold · 02/02/2013 23:14

Oh good grief - seriously????? Unsure as to why you think a living thing is a good present.....

Startail · 02/02/2013 23:23

Not in winter, schools ate bramble leaves, they were a sod to find in Feb.

ripsishere · 03/02/2013 00:08

My DD had stick insects. We sent off for the cage and eggs. Of 11 eggs, all hatched, grew and lived. They are spectacularly dull and fragile. Fortunately ours never grew to an age where they could self impregnate and, as they died, I never replaced them with more eggs.
They were all called Twiggy.

gobbledegook1 · 03/02/2013 12:48

It wouldn't bother me but I'm an animal person as is my son, I'd always check first though before buying a living creature though as pets are a huge responsibility.

PickledInAPearTree · 03/02/2013 19:53

Rip they SELF IMPREGNATE!

Whaaaaaaaaat?

ll31 · 03/02/2013 20:26

Yabvu. how could you think that was a good idea?

SamanthaStormer · 03/02/2013 20:32

I've got a 9 year old boy, and we have no pets. I'm afraid I'd have been doing my very best to look grateful and not too aghast if he got given that as a present while cursing you under my breath Grin