Exactly like cut flowers! Just cut the branches with the leaves on them with a sharp scissor or knife, and place them in a cup filled with water. Make sure the cup is stable, it should not easily fall over. To make it more stable, you can fill the bottom of the cup with sand or stones.
When keeping small nymphs, the nymphs should not be able to fall into the water. They will quickly drown if they fall in the water, even if there are ways to crawl out of the cup.
To prevent them from drowning, but tissue paper in between the branches to block acces to the water. Also putting musquito netting over the cup and putting the branches through this netting will prevent young nymphs from drowning. To my experience, bigger nymphs and adults do not need such protection. You need to replace the food when the leaves become too dry or when the branches are completely stripped of their leaves.
Stick insect should have food at all times! Do not leave them without fresh leaves. You can put the leaves that you will feed to your stick insect in a cup like this. These are privet leaves. Stick insects need regular cleaning of their terrarium, because they produce a lot of droppings.
Especially when the terrarium is kept under high humidity, this will quickly become full of mold and fungi when not cleaned. They require a plastic or mesh enclosure with good ventilation. There are a number of options suitable for housing stick insects and these vary depending on the species and number of insects being kept. Plastic tanks with ventilated lids make ideal insect enclosures. These tanks are usually more suited to younger stick insects or smaller species.
The minimum size recommended would be 25x15x15cm. Larger mesh style enclosures are great for bigger species or housing multiple insects together. Enclosures should have enough height to allow the insect to hang upside down when shedding its skin. It is important that the insect enclosure is positioned in a well-lit room, however extended periods of direct sun can overheat the insects quickly. Stick Insects are clean animals, and require minimal maintenance.
Collection of shed skins, poo and wiping down of the sides of the enclosure weekly will ensure good hygiene for your Stick Insect. Never use detergents or insecticides when cleaning. Females live longer than males, however age varies between species. Males are long, straight and slender and have fully developed wings with which they are able fly.
Females can lay anywhere from , eggs. The female flicks her eggs from the end of her tail. These eggs resemble small, round, cream seeds and will generally hatch within a few months. There are a variety of ways to house and display stick insects, the two main factors to consider are; that stick insects need airflow and require enough space for both the insects to hang comfortably as well as enough space to hold at least one container of food plants.
A number of pet stores now sell mesh and glass terrariums which make great homes for stick insects. These terrariums have the advantage of being able to add locks and lighting, however can be expensive and are only useful if they are of suitable size. Stick insect enclosures can be constructed from glass, wood as well as flyscreen and aluminium framing. These can be built to your desired size will be functional as long as the following guidelines ate followed:.
One of the easiest ways to provide suitable housing for phasmids is to use a small aquarium placed on its side. A door constructed of plywood, plastic or metal can be made to fit the open side. Hinges and a latch can be siliconed to the aquarium to make sure that it fits tightly with no gaps. Eucalyptus Gum leaves are eaten by all phasmid species that are commonly kept in the classroom and the home.
Although gum trees seem to be abundant in most towns and suburbs, it is surprising how few branches are at a reachable height and so you should check to make sure that you will be easily able to feed your insects without needing special tools or ladders. It is also a good idea to have several trees that you collect branches from, this way you do not denude a small number of trees of their foliage which can harm the trees and make your neighborhood look unsightly.
Make sure it is legal to collect the leaves you are using. Branches of leaves should be harvested from healthy looking trees that are located in habitat that is free of any chemical spraying or other pollution. Fresh healthy-looking leaves will last longer and have more nutrition than old dry leaves. If the leaves are not to be used straight away they can be kept sitting in a bucket of water in a fridge for up to a week before use.
Be sure to investigate what kind of trees you are using and how to spot healthy leaves. Note that young small leaves can contain higher levels of eucalyptus oil which are harder for phasmids to digest. Give the branch a good shake before feeding them to your stick insects as there are often animals living on the branches. Tiny jumping spiders are beautiful little hunters that can prey on young phasmids. The branches should be cut to the right size and placed in a container such as a vase or jar filled with water to keep the tips of the branches wet.
The leaves should last about a week, longer if the leaves are freshly cut from the tree and if the water in the container is regularly changed. Removing the old branches and changing the leaves is the most time-consuming part of keeping stick insects. It is easy to throw the phasmids out with the old branches and at first the task of taking each insect off individually and placing it back in the enclosure will seem daunting, however it is possible to train the eyes to spot the particular shape of young phasmids on the branch, remember their instinct will be remain motionless and they are particularly good at not being seen.
One way to make the task easier is to take the branches out in the morning and sit them in a bucket, once you have placed all the larger and more obvious insects back into the enclosure you can leave the bucket for a few hours. Over time the smaller phasmids will move toward the top of the branches and can be placed in the enclosure as they are found. Another strategy is to have two containers, in one the new branches are placed and over a few days the stick insects will move from the older leaves to the new leaves, making branch removal easier.
Phasmids drink droplets from the leaves and can be watered by providing them with a daily misting using a spray bottle. Too much moisture can lead to mould which can harm phasmids.
Every few weeks the bottom of the enclosure needs to be cleaned out. The insect droppings also known as frass and eggs can be scooped up and placed in a container. The eggs will need to be removed before you throw out the frass, sand or newspaper. You can then set up the eggs as described above. The glass and other surfaces should be cleaned as well, which can be done with paper towel and water. If detergent is used it should be rinsed thoroughly with water.
The enclosure should be dried out before returning the leaves and phasmids. Phasmids are easy to handle safely without harming their delicate bodies, the trick is not to handle them but to let the insect walk onto you and grip your hand.
Phasmids can be taken from a branch, leaf or surface of the enclosure by placing a flat palm in front of the insect, unless the insect is stressed and unwilling to be handled the front legs should grip your hand and the insect will walk onto your hand.
Phasmids are most comfortable hanging upside down and so will stay still. Remember; let the stick insect do the handling. This harmless insect was used to terrify movie-goers in the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and is one of the most interesting and sought-after phasmids kept around the world.
Females are wingless and are very different in shape to the slender male. The eggs have a knob, called a capitulum, which is attractive to ants. The young phasmids also known as nymphs hatch after one to three years underground and look and behave like Red-headed Black Ants. Spiny Leaf Insects eat eucalyptus leaves but have also been raised on rose and raspberry leaves by keepers overseas where eucalyptus is not always available. In this species the females look like 'leaves' and males look like 'sticks'.
The eggs are elongated, tan capsule-like and young are bright green to whitish-green. This species feeds and blend in well on eucalypt leaves. One of the largest species of stick insect in Australia with females growing over mm. These insects make spectacular display animals due to their impressive size and vivid green and gold markings.
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