Maybe you need a cockroach co-pilot. A scorpion sidekick. A tarantula tag-along.
Ken the Bug Guy, a bug-centric pet shop set to open Saturday, has got you covered. All manners of creepy-crawlies hang out at the north-side store, just waiting to be adopted.
Actually, they couldn't care less whether or not they live out their days - some tarantulas live longer than 30 years - chilling out in containers at the shop or in a container on your dresser.
One of the appealing things about bugs as pets is that in general, they're indifferent to you. They require little upkeep, entertainment or attention. All they ask is that you keep the food coming and don't threaten their lives with the heel of a shoe.
"To take care of most of them, you just need to feed them once a week and give them lots of water," said owner Ken MacNeil, who says his shop is one of the first pet shops in the country that focuses primarily on bugs.
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The shop carries some reptiles and stays away from flying insects, which MacNeil says offer a low profit margin.
MacNeil, 36, said traits he looks for in bug pets include an exotic look, interesting hunting traits and low maintenance.
Otherwise, he aims to collect and sell as many pet-viable bugs as possible.
"If it's legal," MacNeil said, "we carry it."
MacNeil stumbled onto the business five years ago when he started selling tarantulas to a pet shop in the San Francisco Bay Area. He grew his operation, buying out dealers and selling bugs online from a warehouse.
He and his wife, Georgi Davisson-MacNeil, decided to move to Tucson along with their 3-year-old daughter, Korryn, because they liked the schools here, the houses are more affordable and it's cheaper to operate a physical store than run a warehouse in the Bay Area.
Both MacNeils work at the store, along with two full-time employees. Korryn likes to interact with the merchandise. Her dad recently let her hold her first tarantula.
MacNeil said most bugs eat crickets, although he sells crickets as pets as well. Roaches, however, prefer fruit.
"People associate them with trash, but at least the roaches in our shop are vegetarians," MacNeil said. "They're clean, they don't smell. They're easy to take care of and they grow huge. Kids love them."
IF YOU GO
• What: Ken the Bug Guy
• Where: 3115 N. First Ave.
• When: Grand opening is Saturday. Store hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.
• Info: Visit the store's website at www.kenthebugguy.com
BUG PET SHOP ALL-STARS
• Weirdest-looking: Vinegaroon - Also called "whip scorpion," it resembles a scorpion, except for the lack of a stinger on its tail. "They almost look like little aliens," said Ken the Bug Guy owner Ken MacNeil.
• Most expensive: P. metallica tarantula - Rare in the United States, the tarantula hails from India, is critically endangered and boasts gorgeous patterns on its body.
• Biggest: Goliath birdeater - This tarantula can grow as large as a dinner plate and boasts fangs that are longer than an inch. The tarantula can devour small birds but will settle for crickets.
• Longest: Giant African millipede - Growing as long as 15 inches, the specimen secretes slime as a defense mechanism and can live seven years.
Contact reporter Phil Villarreal at 573-4130 or pvillarreal@azstarnet.com