The Bug Lady Behind the Business

An avid animal advocate and beastie enthusiast

The Creature Cabinet

Where the Magic Started

About Me

Hi, I’m Holly, the keeper and creator behind The Creature Cabinet.

My relationship with animals started long before The Creature Cabinet existed. Growing up, animals were always a huge part of my life, and over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with and care for a remarkably wide range of species and animals in very different settings.

I studied Animal Management, and my professional animal-care experience includes working as a zookeeper, where I gained hands-on experience caring for a diverse collection of species and developed a deeper understanding of professional husbandry, welfare, enrichment and conservation.

Outside of zoo work, I have spent years working with horses and in various equestrian centres, gaining experience with day-to-day stable management, horse care and handling. I have also worked with dogs through dog sitting and kennel management, giving me experience caring for domestic animals as well as zoo and exotic species.

Over the last few years, I've become increasingly fascinated by the smaller and often overlooked corners of the animal kingdom. I've developed a particular passion for invertebrates, reptiles, bioactive habitats, naturalistic husbandry and observing natural behaviour.

I'm also getting more involved in birdwatching and natural history, including collecting naturally moulted feathers for educational purposes and using them as a way of helping people learn about and appreciate the birds around us. I love the idea that education doesn't always have to happen in a classroom — sometimes seeing, touching and examining something tangible can spark a genuine curiosity about the natural world.

The Creatures

Today, my own collection reflects just how broad my interests have become. The Creature Cabinet is home to a mixture of reptiles, invertebrates and living micro-ecosystems, including:

Tokay gecko
Mourning geckos
Crested gecko
Indonesian blue-tongued skink
Giant vinegaroon
Giant African mantis
Giant African land snails
Sun beetles
Dairy Cow isopods
Giant Orange isopods
Dubia roach colonies
Indian stick insects
Two-spot assassin bugs
Giant Orange millipedes

I particularly enjoy keeping species that allow me to create naturalistic and bioactive environments, where the animals aren't simply placed into an enclosure, but become part of a functioning little ecosystem.

That might mean watching a mourning gecko navigate a planted vivarium, observing isopods breaking down organic matter, seeing a mantis hunt, or simply discovering the tiny behaviours that make each species unique.

Why The Creature Cabinet?

The Creature Cabinet grew from a simple belief:

Every animal is worth understanding.

I've worked with animals ranging from large mammals and domestic species to reptiles, birds and some of the smallest invertebrates. One of the biggest things that experience has taught me is that size doesn't determine importance.

A millipede, beetle or isopod may not receive the same attention as a tiger or giraffe, but they are no less fascinating. Invertebrates in particular are incredibly diverse, behaviourally interesting and ecologically important, yet they are so often overlooked.

I want The Creature Cabinet to help change that.

This isn't about collecting animals simply for the sake of having a collection. It's about learning, observing, sharing knowledge and providing excellent welfare. Every species I keep has different requirements, and I believe responsible keeping means taking the time to understand those requirements and continually improving the way we care for them.

My background in professional animal care has given me a strong foundation in welfare and husbandry, but I'm also a firm believer that you never stop learning when it comes to animals. There is always another behaviour to observe, another piece of natural history to discover and another way to improve an enclosure.

Through The Creature Cabinet, I hope to share that curiosity with other people — whether you're an experienced keeper, thinking about getting your first invertebrate, fascinated by reptiles, interested in bioactive vivariums, or simply someone who has never really stopped to look closely at the tiny animals living alongside us.

Because sometimes, you just have to look a little closer to discover an incredible world.

Welcome to The Creature Cabinet.

Observe. Understand. Respect. Protect.

The Bug Lady Behind the Business

Where the Magic Started

About Me

Hi, I’m Holly, the keeper and creator behind The Creature Cabinet.

My relationship with animals started long before The Creature Cabinet existed. Growing up, animals were always a huge part of my life, and over the years I’ve had the opportunity to work with and care for a remarkably wide range of species and animals in very different settings.

I studied Animal Management, and my professional animal-care experience includes working as a zookeeper, where I gained hands-on experience caring for a diverse collection of species and developed a deeper understanding of professional husbandry, welfare, enrichment and conservation.

Over the last few years, I've become increasingly fascinated by the smaller and often overlooked corners of the animal kingdom. I've developed a particular passion for invertebrates, reptiles, bioactive habitats, naturalistic husbandry and observing natural behaviour.

The Creatures

Today, my own collection reflects just how broad my interests have become. The Creature Cabinet is home to a mixture of reptiles, invertebrates and living micro-ecosystems, including:

Tokay gecko

Mourning geckos

Crested gecko

Indonesian blue-tongued skink

Giant vinegaroon

Giant African mantis

Giant African land snails

Sun beetles

Dairy Cow isopods

Giant Orange isopods

Dubia roach colonies

Indian stick insects

Two-spot assassin bugs

Giant Orange millipedes

I particularly enjoy keeping species that allow me to create naturalistic and bioactive environments, where the animals aren't simply placed into an enclosure, but become part of a functioning little ecosystem.

That might mean watching a mourning gecko navigate a planted vivarium, observing isopods breaking down organic matter, seeing a mantis hunt, or simply discovering the tiny behaviours that make each species unique.

Why The Creature Cabinet?

The Creature Cabinet grew from a simple belief:

Every animal is worth understanding.

I've worked with animals ranging from large mammals and domestic species to reptiles, birds and some of the smallest invertebrates. One of the biggest things that experience has taught me is that size doesn't determine importance.

A millipede, beetle or isopod may not receive the same attention as a tiger or giraffe, but they are no less fascinating. Invertebrates in particular are incredibly diverse, behaviourally interesting and ecologically important, yet they are so often overlooked.

I want The Creature Cabinet to help change that.

Because sometimes, you just have to look a little closer to discover an incredible world.

Welcome to The Creature Cabinet.

Observe. Understand. Respect. Protect.