# stick insect



## snakes_alive (Dec 27, 2005)

Hi guy's,

I was wondering if any of you know anything about stick insect's or a good site with alot of info about them? 

What they eat etc, if any of you can help that would be great.

Thank's

Debbie


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## instar (Dec 27, 2005)

http://home.swiftdsl.com.au/~pmiller/stick_insects/

http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/phasmids.htm

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/mark.provan/

http://www.brookview.karoo.net/Stick_Insects/

Theres this thing on the interweb called Google.........


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## Sdaji (Dec 27, 2005)

You'll find that there is a huge amount of information about stick insects on the 'net. A large proportion of it is inaccurate, but a lot of it is good. I've been breeding a few species for a few years, I know a little about them and if you have specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Sticking to local species is a good idea, unless you're willing to be extremely careful about never letting any escape, ever, and destroying every unwanted egg before disposing of it, which is more labour intensive than it may sound. Even if you keep locals, it's best not to allow any to escape, ever.


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## Koula (Dec 27, 2005)

www.mini-beasts.com is pretty good.


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## reptililian (Dec 27, 2005)

Stick insects don't actually eat. They injest powdered nutrients through the nose. You can read all about them on sites such as supermodel.com. But I wouldn't if I were you Debbie. It'll only leave you feeling fat and ugly :wink:


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## BROWNS (Dec 27, 2005)

pmsl reptilian


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2005)

reptililian said:


> Stick insects don't actually eat. They injest powdered nutrients through the nose. You can read all about them on sites such as supermodel.com. But I wouldn't if I were you Debbie. It'll only leave you feeling fat and ugly :wink:



Oh no, another Africanfishfilterau.


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## indicus (Dec 28, 2005)

Hi Debbie,
Heres a pic of a pair of Peppermint Stick insects? mating...
A mate keeps and breeds them; without to much trouble.
All he has is fresh Guava? (sorry carnt spell....lol) branchs in a
vase; which they wander around on eating, and mating.
He mist sprays once a day....the eggs which look like small
round black seeds, fall onto the bench...to later be collected.
I found it amazing that when breeze gently blew the branchs;
they became quite active.....he did this with use of a fan.


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## Rennie (Dec 28, 2005)

Hi Debbie, I don't know much about them but I do know theres a pet shop in Rhodes shopping centre that had em for sale if your interested. PS thanks again for the snake tank, Elektra is much happier now she's not in a tank 1/3 her length. LOL


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## reptililian (Dec 28, 2005)

Indicus, your post looked like a poem. It inspired me to write a haiku about your friend's peppermint stick insects!

Peppermint insects
dance as the summer breezes
sway the guava tree.

Thanks for letting me indulge myself here!


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## indicus (Dec 28, 2005)

You go girl... :lol: :wink:


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## reptililian (Dec 28, 2005)




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## Sdaji (Dec 28, 2005)

What you've posted there, indicus, is a pair of Extatosoma tiaratum, usually called 'spiney leaf insects'.

Peppermint stick insects, Megacrania batesii, are smaller and live mainly (or maybe only) on Pandanus plants in the wild, although they'll eat other things in captivity. They're called peppermint stick insects because they secrete a substance which smells like strong peppermint (but tastes terrible!) as a predator deterent.

Extats secrete a substance which smells something like an old wet sponge covered in honey, which is probably why they're named after their appearance.

Peppermint stick insects look like this:







The Extats (there are several species, I keep tiaratum and bufonium) are possibly the most popular pet stick insect in the world. Overseas they're often just called "Australian stick insects".


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## indicus (Dec 28, 2005)

Thanks Sadji....yep, i got a pic here of one
I new it was one or the other...
The first time i encountered one; it sprayed that sweet stinky stuff,
from to vents just behind it's head....not unlike that from a spray can.
Unbelieveable defence system.


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## Saz (Jan 1, 2006)

The spiny leaf insects are great. The females get really big! Mine used to mate for days on end When we had people over I used to cover the tank up with a towel so I didn't get grilled about what they were doing by their children, hehehe!

The male lived for about 8 months or so I think. The female lived about twice that. I fed them on bramble and misted them every day. The males eventually grow wings though, which is not fun when you have the lid off. Mine was always trying to escape, little blighter!

:0)


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