Thanksgiving 2021: 7 Things We’re Grateful For

It’s that special time of year when we all take a moment to slow down and reflect on what we are thankful for. With Thanksgiving 2021 right around the corner, we here at The Bug Shed thought it was the perfect time to share the top seven things that we appreciate related to our business.

We started this business with a passion for the reptile industry. Our co-founder, Rich, spent many years breeding and raising bearded dragons but found sourcing nutritious, interactive live feeder insects difficult in his neck of the woods. Today we are proud to support champions of responsible reptile husbandry, like yourself, all over the United States. That alone brings us great joy.

These days, Rich and his wife Ona (and a small army of bug jockeys) work harmoniously to provide the best dang dubias out there – and we couldn’t be happier to be bug farmers.

Before you dig into that delicious pumpkin pie (hopefully with whipped cream on top), we encourage you to express gratitude for the things that make your life special. Here are ours…

1. Our Support Team. If you’ve been following us on Instagram or TikTok, you’ve probably met our in-house bug jockeys – Aster and Etha. These folks do a bit of everything from feeding the dubias, sorting them, packing orders, shipping orders, making videos (and so much more). We also have a marketing team headed by The Bug Shed co-owner, Ona, who has over ten years in the industry. Ona and our copywriter, Heather, put out our fun and informational blog and email newsletter each week. Rich is the operation’s mastermind, continually innovating and improving existing systems to ensure maximum productivity and the best prices possible. He is also the bug room manager, making sure we have a continual supply of dubia nymphs.
2. Our Customers. If it weren’t for you – we wouldn’t be here! It’s our mission and pleasure to offer you high-quality dubia roaches for your reptiles right to your door. So, to all those gecko moms, beardie dads – and everyone in between – we salute you!
3. The Dubias. We wouldn’t be in a business like this if we honestly didn’t love all the beings on this earth. Dubias are sweet creatures, and if more people gave them a chance – they’d realize how cute and funny they are. And, of course, we are thankful for all hungry geckos, beardies, tarantulas, and tortoises out there.
4. Our Eco-Friendly Principles. As stewards of the earth, The Bug Shed team implements ecologically friendly practices wherever and whenever possible. One example is our composting initiative. All biodegradable refuse is promptly incorporated into Rich and Ona’s homestead, and any expired dubias make yummy treats for their chickens. We will share more on our environmentally responsible business practices in an upcoming blog – so be on the lookout!
5. The Postal Workers. The USPS has been a fantastic asset to our business, and they’re the only organization we trust with handling your dubias. Our local post office is staffed with a hard-working crew who always get a chuckle out of our “LIVE HARMLESS INSECTS” stickers when we come to drop off an order. We are happy to provide them a moment of joy during such a stressful time for them.
6. The Ability to Support New Hobbyists. As we mentioned in an earlier blog, we have always had the goal of making reptile keeping accessible to everyone no matter their socioeconomic standing. Thanks to Rich’s endless innovations, we are pleased to say that we offer some of the best (and cheapest) dubia roaches for your hungry reptiles.
7. The Reptiles. We love everyone who loves dubias. We’re talking crested geckos, bearded dragons, house geckos (aka Mediterranean house geckos), African fat-tailed geckos, leopard geckos, day geckos, chameleons, blue-tailed skinks, blue-tongued skinks, Schneider’s skinks, fire skinks, ocellated skinks, red-eyed crocodile skinks, and the list goes on.

Extending the Gratitude for Thanksgiving 2021

“Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.”

– Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

We are so thankful to have such amazing customers supporting us. To show our thanks, we’re offering 20% off sitewide from Friday 11/26 thru Monday 11/29.

From The Bug Shed to you, Happy Thanksgiving 2021!