Zasaba

(zah-SAH-bah)

For hundreds of years, the natives of Shengui Guo have kept zasaba as pets. These friendly, beautiful, and rather large insects are a familiar sight around the island, and the recent discovery of Shengui Guo has led to the large distribution of zasaba around the rest of Subeta. The sound of zasaba -- in fact, the very origin of their name -- is rather soothing to natives, and it will fill the air from spring all the way through early autumn.

Zasaba are the largest known insect on Subeta -- they stand around 9 inches (22.9 cm), are about 18 inches (46 cm) long, and they can easily weigh 8-10 lbs (3.6-4.5 kg)! The adults are quite adept at flying, although they prefer to stay on the ground or on a perch. Zasaba are generally loners in the wild, although as the cold sets in, large groups of zasaba (known as flights) can be seen taking to the sky to find a warm spot to wait out the winter. Females and males come together only to mate in late autumn; the female then lays anywhere from 10-15 eggs on the trunk of a tree, usually near the base where grass and other foliage can protect the eggs. The eggs hatch in the early spring, around the same time that flower-viewing festivals begin in Shengui Guo -- the sight of pink blossoms means babies are on the way! These babies are called hissers due to the sound they make and are considered quite lucky. In fact, if you are the first in your family to spot a hisser in the spring, you are said to have good fortune for the year to come!

Zasaba are primarily herbivores, preferring to eat leaves, flowers, and vegetables, though they do tend to eat smaller insects as well. This is especially important for the hissers, who need the extra protein to reach their full, large size, as well as gravid females before they place their eggs. Farmers have learned that setting out a pile of over-ripened or slightly rotten vegetables is a great way to attract both flies and zasaba. The zabasa will eat the flies and veggies while leaving the actual crops alone.

Zasaba are wonderful pets and have very few requirements. Owners should keep a large indoor tree if possible, to provide the zasaba with a natural shelter, and they can eat generally any vegetation. They even enjoy going on walks with their owners - though they should be kept tethered, as a spooked zasaba will quickly take to the sky! Although people can successfully keep two zasaba together (as long as they each have their own plant), it is not recommended to keep them with illumises or bumbii, as these smaller bugs are quite a tasty treat for a zasaba.