Stick insects have quite a few names. First of all the order to which they belong is called either Phasmatodea or Phasmida. Then they are known as stick insects in Europe and Australasia, but walking sticks or stick-bugs in America and Canada. Some also go by the name of phasmids, leaf insects and ghost insects.
Needless to say, most of them look like twigs, sticks or leaves. Most stick insects come from South East Asia, but they are abundant in many tropical climates including Australia and the southern states of America. Most of the stick insects that are kept as pets are Indian (or Laboratory) stick insects and they grow to around four inches long and live for about a year.
There are very bizarre species of stick insect like the Vietnamese thorny stick insect and the pink-winged flying stick insect, but they are more problematic to keep. It is better to start with the Indian common form. They will live fairly contentedly in a vivarium, which is an aquarium for reptiles and insects.
Except for providing fresh food and water from time to time and taking out old food, there is no maintenance needed for these animals. They will require a relatively warm climate but that is not difficult to arrange with a heater, a thermostat and a timer.
Food is not difficult for common stick insects, The most common foods given are privet and lettuce, but they also like ivy, oak, bramble, blueberry and raspberry. You have to put enough of these plants in the vivarium to give cover for the residents so that they do not feel exposed and vulnerable but not so much that you never get sight of them.
Make sure that there are lots of air holes in the vivarium, but for the benefit of security, they ought to be covered with fly screen or netting, because these creatures are able to wriggle through small apertures. The tanks should be kept at 70F during the day and 60F at night with moderate humidity. They may be permitted to forage for food at will, but be careful that the water trough is very shallow, because they been known to fall in and drown.
You will be surprised to discover that the vast majority of Indian stick insects are female, but that they do not require a male to have fertile eggs. Young become capable of laying eggs after their sixth moult, all of which moults they eat. Stick insects can lay hundreds of eggs which just fall down among the leaf litter on the floor of the vivarium.
If you would like to hatch them out, spray a little water on them to replicate light rain and they should hatch. If you do not want to be troubled with them, burn the contents of the tank after the last adult has passed away. You might require a license to keep stick insects, particularly in the United States..
Needless to say, most of them look like twigs, sticks or leaves. Most stick insects come from South East Asia, but they are abundant in many tropical climates including Australia and the southern states of America. Most of the stick insects that are kept as pets are Indian (or Laboratory) stick insects and they grow to around four inches long and live for about a year.
There are very bizarre species of stick insect like the Vietnamese thorny stick insect and the pink-winged flying stick insect, but they are more problematic to keep. It is better to start with the Indian common form. They will live fairly contentedly in a vivarium, which is an aquarium for reptiles and insects.
Except for providing fresh food and water from time to time and taking out old food, there is no maintenance needed for these animals. They will require a relatively warm climate but that is not difficult to arrange with a heater, a thermostat and a timer.
Food is not difficult for common stick insects, The most common foods given are privet and lettuce, but they also like ivy, oak, bramble, blueberry and raspberry. You have to put enough of these plants in the vivarium to give cover for the residents so that they do not feel exposed and vulnerable but not so much that you never get sight of them.
Make sure that there are lots of air holes in the vivarium, but for the benefit of security, they ought to be covered with fly screen or netting, because these creatures are able to wriggle through small apertures. The tanks should be kept at 70F during the day and 60F at night with moderate humidity. They may be permitted to forage for food at will, but be careful that the water trough is very shallow, because they been known to fall in and drown.
You will be surprised to discover that the vast majority of Indian stick insects are female, but that they do not require a male to have fertile eggs. Young become capable of laying eggs after their sixth moult, all of which moults they eat. Stick insects can lay hundreds of eggs which just fall down among the leaf litter on the floor of the vivarium.
If you would like to hatch them out, spray a little water on them to replicate light rain and they should hatch. If you do not want to be troubled with them, burn the contents of the tank after the last adult has passed away. You might require a license to keep stick insects, particularly in the United States..
About the Author:
Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on a number of topics, but is currently involved with finding a home remededy for mosquito bites. If you would like to know more, please go to our website at Getting Rid of Mosquito Bites.
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