When a Stick Becomes a Pet

Bub was given a Lil' Critter Bug Keeper for a birthday gift. Not two days later, he caught a praying mantis at his Nanny's house -- the mother lode of all bug captures. He named it Sticky, and it's grown to closely resemble the branch in its cage. We've been back and forth to PetSmart buying bugs to feed the free one. Sticky's cricket diet costs 30-40 cents every day.

Not long after moving into the bug keeper, Sticky laid an egg cluster on the bottom of a branch. We have until Spring (we hope) to transfer the baby praying mantises (manti?) to a keeper with smaller air holes, or back out to the wild. Meanwhile, we're watching the progress and wondering if Sticky may decide one day that she wants to have eggs for lunch.