A list of suitable plants to feed stick insects
- Bramble ( Rubus spp.). Bramble is one of the most accepted and suitable food plant there is for feeding stick insects.
- Rose ( Rosa spp.). Rose is another well-accepted food plant. Many species eat rose leaves. If a species eats bramble, it...
- Oak ( Quercus robur). Many stick insects that are commonly kept as pets accept oak...
What do stick insects need to survive?
Stick insects need water to survive. And the vast majority obtain this water from the leaves they eat; with a few exceptions. They just get it in different ways. The more knowledge you have about this subject, the better you’ll understand stick insect care.
What to feed your pet stick insects?
- Bramble – Bramble is a prickly shrub that grows in the wild. ...
- Rose – There are lots of different types of rose bush with leaves that your stick insect could eat. ...
- Privet – Privet is a common shrub that grows throughout the year and makes the perfect food for stick insects. ...
- Hawthorn – Hawthorn is a shrub or small tree. ...
How do you take care of stick insects?
- The majority of the commonest stick insects can get by eating bramble leaves or holly. You should be able to find leaves at a local pet store. ...
- Indian stick insects have a slightly different diet and may not take well to bramble leaves. ...
- Place leaves in a glass jar for your stick insects. ...
How do stick insects obtain their food?
What fruit can stick insects eat?
- Bramble.
- Privet.
- Hawthorn.
- Rose.
What is the best food for stick insects?
fresh leavesStick insects need a diet of fresh leaves. Most will live on bramble and privet, but Indian stick insects eat privet, hawthorn and rose as well. The leaves should be kept on the twig and stood in a pot of water with a cover to prevent the insects drowning.
What do stick bugs eat in captivity?
Indian stick insects prefer oak, rose, and hawthorn leaves. Bramble (blackberry) is a favorite among other types of stick insects. Other options include privet and ivy. Fresh cut branches of these plants can be placed in water in the cage and changed once they dry out (or are consumed).
How often do stick insects eat?
Stick Insect Feeding Generally they prefer broad leaf varieties but you may have to try out a few different varieties to find one that they like to eat, as preference will differ between species as will the age of the leaf preferred. Fresh leaves should be provided every 2–3 days.
What is a stick insect eat?
leavesStick insects or phasmids eat leaves and resemble leaves or sticks. They make a great addition to any classroom or home and are easy to maintain.
Do stick bugs eat lettuce?
Pet stick bugs eat many kinds of leaves, some of their favorites are: blackberry, bramble, oak, and rose leaves. They will also eat lettuce and other leafy greens. Stick bugs are especially popular school pets because they are easy to take care of and have such a simple diet.
Do stick insects eat blackberries?
Fresh Cut Bramble Bramble (blackberry) leaves are eaten by most species of stick insects. However there are a few species that will not eat bramble leaves, so please contact us if you need to check that bramble will be suitable to feed to your stick insects.
What do stick bugs drink?
Stick insects can usually drink water droplets found on plants. Get a spray bottle and mist the plants in your stick insect's cage each day to ensure they get enough water.
Do stick insects need heat lamps?
The Perfect Environment for Stick Insects Not only will they regularly reproduce in captivity, meaning you may come across baby stick insects over time, but they also require no artificial heating whatsoever.
Can a stick insect bite you?
Stick insect are not aggressive or venomous. These fascinating creatures are simply peace-loving vegetarians who like to keep to themselves. In fact, stick insects are so private that they don't like to leave a single trace of their presence.
Can Stick bugs eat kale?
thanks for letting us know that they do well eating dandelion and kale, Ive been feeding mine romaine this winter (which they dont thrive on) because all the blackberry plants and rose bushes are frozen.
Can stick insects eat rose leaves?
The leaves of rose bushes are eaten by many stick insects, mostly by species that also eat bramble. Do not feed rose leaves that are bought in stores, because these are often sprayed with insecticide.
Why is my stick insect dying?
The most common reason stick insect nymphs die is that they don't accept the food you provide. Other problems like incorrect climate, overpopulation and disturbance may cause your nymphs not to survive their first life stages.
Can stick insects eat fruit?
Stick insects are generally not interested in the fruits of a plant or tree. However, the leaves of fruiting plants or trees can be fed to stick in...
Can stick insects eat lettuce?
Some stick insect species accept lettuce as a food source but it is generally not as nutritious as for example bramble or oak leaves. When you want...
Can stick insects eat ivy?
There are several stick insect species that readily accept ivy as their main food source. For example, Indian stick insects eat ivy very well. The...
What are the best plants to feed your stick insects?
Which plants are best to feed to your animals depends on the species you keep. Every stick insect species have its own preferences. Bramble, raspbe...
What is the favourite food of stick insects?
That highly depends on the stick insect species and even the individual. Every stick insect species has its own favourite food source but it is goo...
Do stick insects eat each other?
Stick insects will not eat each other and only eat plant food. All stick insect species are herbivores. However, there are known cases that stick i...
Do stick insects need (sun)light?
Yes, stick insects need light to stimulate breeding and dispersion of eggs, but light also stimulates natural behaviour and feeding patterns. Newbo...
What is the best food for stick insects?
Common Food for Stick Insects. Keepers of stick insects generally rely on two main food plants for their pets. These are privet and bramble (blackberry). Both evergreen, even in the midst of winter, when there is snow on the ground, you should be able to find one or other of these plants.
How to keep stick insects fresh?
As stick insects don’t enjoy old, dried-up leaves, it is important to keep them fresh for as long as possible. Once you have got the leaves home, cut the last inch or two off the stem and then plunge them into a container of water. The container should be narrow enough that the stems fill the container.
How to keep baby stick bugs dry?
The drier the environment of your stick insect cage, the quicker the leaves will dry up. By placing baby stick insects into a cage with only small amounts of ventilation (in comparison to the adults, which are often kept in mesh cages with plenty of ventilation) you can keep the humidity up.
Where do stick insects come from?
These come from around the world; from Asia to Australasia; and it should therefore come as no surprise that in the wild they will eat a wide range of different plants.
Can you feed stick insects?
While the ideal solution to feeding stick insects is to provide them with a living plant (which I do with my inch plant), in reality most food plants will have to be chopped off the main plant and placed into the cage.
Is a stick insect vegetarian?
They very rarely make their way down to ground level, and instead spend the vast majority of their lives arboreally. It should therefore come as no surprise that stick insects are purely vegetarian;
Can baby stick bugs be kept in water?
Baby stick insects can present a particular problem, as these small insects are often kept in comparatively smaller cages than their parents. This means that placing a jar of water in the cage for the leaves to sit in can be problematic.
Plants That Stick Insects Like to Eat
Being herbivores, stick insects require a plant-based diet. They’re vegans, basically. Leaves and branches are the staple food choice for them, but I recommend you only pick healthy-looking trees when harvesting food.
Will Stick Insects Eat Each Other?
No, stick insects don’t eat each other because they’re herbivores. Their bodies don’t have the right tools to process meat, and they also don’t get any nutrition from eating meat.
Will Stick Insects Eat Lettuce?
This question comes as naturally as a shaded oasis in the Sahara Desert. Why wouldn’t stick insects eat lettuce, you may ask yourself. Well, they do. Many stick insect species eat lettuce as a main source of food.
What do Stick Insects Eat in the Winter?
Generally, wild stick insects die during winter because they can’t hibernate or resist the cold. They also don’t find enough food in the environment. However, raising stick insects in captivity is another story.
How Long Can Stick Insects Go Without Eating?
Stick insects need to eat every 2-3 days or else they’ll die. It’s as simple as that and nothing is confusing about it.
How to Feed Your Stick Insects?
Stick insects aren’t only picky about the state of their food but also about the presentation. To avoid unnecessary trouble, cut the branches and leaves to adequate sizes, placing them in a container filled with water.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, folks. Stick insects are herbivorous, so they’ll only eat plants of a specific variety (oak, rose, eucalyptus, bramble, hawthorn, ivy, hazel, and privet). Some species only eat one type of plant and ignore all the others.
What do stick insects eat?
Stick Insects are herbivores i.e. they eat plants. Their main diet consists of leaves , shrubs and any visible attractive part of plant. Stick insects like to eat leaves, but they do not eat leaves of every type of plants. Every specie of Stick Insects has one or more specific plants which they like to eat. Unlike other insects, Stick insects and ...
How to keep stick insects fresh?
Stick insects only feed on fresh leaves so always provide them with fresh leaves. In order to keep the leave fresh keep the branch in a vase of water. Replace the leaves when they are dried or the branches when the leaves are eaten. Do not leave your stick insects without leaves.
What kind of insects eat blackberry leaves?
Bramble/blackberry leaves are eaten by almost all species of stick insects. The Australian or Giant Spiny stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum) and Indian or Laboratory stick insect (Carausius morosus) likes to eat: Oak. Hawthorn. The Peruvian Fern Stick insect (Oreophoetes peruana), likes to eat bracken and other ferns.
What is the primary food source for caterpillars?
Privet. Privet is food source for few stick insects like Peruphasma schultei and is the primary source of food for caterpillars.
Why are stick insects so popular?
Among all the insects, Stick Insects are very popular pets nowadays. People like to keep them as pets because of their unique and amazing appearance. They are also relatively easy to keep when compared with other insect pets. However, utmost care is very necessary to keep these delicate creatures alive and healthy.
How to keep stick bugs away from leaves?
Avoid bright colored young leaves as they have higher levels of eucalyptus oil which is harmful for the stick insects. Spray water regularly on the leaves as stick insects drink their watre from the leaves.
Is bramble good for insects?
Bramble. It is an excellent source of food for stick insects and is eaten by many species of stick insects. Bramble is an evergreen plant i.e. it stays green even in winter. Fresh brightly colored leaves of Bramble can be harmful to stick insects but the dark colored long leaves are good for them.
What do stick insects eat?
Stick insects eat leaves , but they do not eat all types of plants. Every species has one or more plants which they eat, while they will refuse to eat other leaves. Therefore you have to be sure to feed the correct species of plant to your stick insects, because they will starve when fed the wrong kind. To read which species of plant your insect eats, visit the species section. To see pictures of all the most commonly eaten plants, visit Food Plants.#N#Stick insects only eat fresh leaves . To ensure the leaves you offer them stay fresh, you have to put the branches with leaves on them in a vase with water in it. 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.#N#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.#N#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.
What do you need for a stick insect?
A glass terrarium for stick insects. You stick insects need a terrarium, enclosure or netcage that is big enough for all of them. Which type of enclosure you could us is stated here. The cage of your stick insect should be at least 3 times the body length of the insect in height and 2 times the body length in width.
Why should a stick insect enclosure be made of mesh?
The roof of the enclosure should be made of netting or mesh to ensure that the stick insects can hang from this roof when molting. Molting from the roof is much more likely to succeed than molting from branches, leaves or other things in the terrarium, especially for heavier and bigger stick insects.
How much space do stick insects need?
If you keep more than one stick insect, you have to add some space for each one of them, preferably in width of the tank. Stick insects really need 3 times their body lenght in hight to survive, because they need this space while molting. When stick insects shed their skin, they hang upside down on their old skin.
Why do stick insects need to be cleaned?
Cleaning the stick insect terrarium. 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.
How to keep leaves fresh?
To ensure the leaves you offer them stay fresh, you have to put the branches with leaves on them in a vase with water in it. 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.
Is it fun to keep stick bugs as pets?
Keeping stick insects as pets can be great fun for everyone. Some species are very easy to keep, while others pose more of a challenge to the real insect enthusiast. For everyone there is a nice species to keep, but all species require care.
What is the most important part of insect care?
Perhaps the most important part of stick insect care is getting their diet right. Stick insects are herbivorous and each species will often be limited to just a handful of host plants. This is why it is absolutely vital that you know which species of stick insect you have and what plants the insect can eat. A stick insect given the wrong food will not eat and thus starve to death.
Why is my stick insect molting?
Molting issues are often caused by humidity that is too low, and excessively high humidity without proper ventilation can lead to molding and fungal infection. There are several ways to keep the humidity in your stick insect enclosure at optimum levels. The first is to mist.
What are the dangers of molting stick bugs?
Most stick insects will molt several times throughout their lives and as such it is of critical importance to create conditions that foster successful molting. An improperly sized enclosure, humidity that is too low , or low temperature can interfere with molting and cause death. Pieces of exoskeleton that do not detach cleanly during molting can cause infection and make future molts more difficult, as well. If you notice that your stick insect is taking a very long time to molt or if your stick insect is not able to cleanly separate itself from its exoskeleton you should likely be increasing the humidity of the enclosure more and you can try to remove pieces of exoskeleton that do not come off cleanly during the molt.
Can stick insects breed?
When given the proper humidity, temperature, and access to the right food stick insects will breed freely, laying single hard eggs that resemble seeds. They will either flick these eggs down onto the substrate or place them on leaves and branches. Stick insects generally do not cannibalize their young or eggs and all life stages can be kept together.
Can you keep stick bugs in a tank?
They are fragile insects and can be easily injured by other tankmates. You cannot keep stick insects with any kind of vertebrate, due to their size and their potential to cause physical damage. Perhaps the only suitable roommates for stick insects would be small organisms used as terrarium janitors. Springtails and isopods work very well in this regard, as they are very peaceful and will not harm your stick insects. Certain kinds of small cockroaches, particularly those that do not climb, can also live comfortably in the substrate alongside a stick insect colony.
Getting a stick insect
Like many other insects you can either buy a stick insect in your local pet store or catch them in the wild. However, because the stick insects are very good at camouflage, you might need to buy them in your local pet store.
Housing
Stick insects require some space to move around and grow. When choosing a tank for housing, make sure that you choose one with length at least 4 times the length of the stick insect and with height at least 3 times the length of the insect.
Food and water
Stick insects feed on fresh leaves (eg. blackberry leaves). While many species feed on bramble leaves, some don’t. Always ask your seller what type of leaves the stick insect feeds.
Temperature, humidity, and lightning
Generally, stick insects prefer temperature around 68-77 °F (20-25 °C) and a moist environment. However, some species may have different preferences. Always do some research on the species that you keep to ensure you give them the right temperature.
Handling
You can put the stick insects on your hand and play around with them. Make sure you handle them gently as they are very fragile. Always hold their body and not their legs to avoid breaking their legs.
Breeding
Many stick insect species can breed asexually, where the females can lay eggs without males. When this happens, the eggs will hatch into females almost every time. On very rare occasions, male stick insects might hatch from unfertilized eggs. A male stick insect is generally skinnier than its female counterpart.
Recommended Supplies
Here’s my recommended supplies for your stick insects. Note that I get a small commission when you buy the items through the links in this page. This helps me to maintain the site without incurring additional costs to you.
How to feed stick bugs?
The type of plants you should provide depends on your type of stick insect. Many will eat oak leaves, vines and berries. Make sure you give your type of stick insect the food it needs. All leaves should be fresh. If you feed them leaves, remember to spritz the enclosure so they do not become dehydrated. Do not put a water dish in the cage if you also have baby stick bugs, or they will drown.
How to take care of a stick bug?
To take care of a stick bug, keep it in a ventilated glass container that's at least 3 times taller than the length of your stick bug's body. You should also line the bottom of the container with potting soil or pebbles, and add sticks, branches, and plants for your stick bug to climb on.
How high should a stick insect be?
Height is important when it comes to a stick insect housing, as some stick insects are long and enjoy climbing. Your stick insects home should be about three times as high as the total length of your stick insect.
How many times do stick insects shed their skin?
Stick insects shed their skin around 5 times during their life so they can grow larger (much like a snake). Make sure you don’t touch or disturb your insect when it sheds or moults its skin, as it will be very delicate during this time.
What is a stick bug?
Stick bugs are long insects that resemble sticks. They can be purchased at many pet stores around the world. If you have purchased a stick insect, you should make sure you care for it properly. Make sure you provide a safe environment for your insect. Choose quality food and handle your stick insect with care.
How to keep stick bugs alive?
There are several things you can do to assure your stick insects live long, healthy lives. Stick insects sometimes get fungus on their skin. Wash this away with a rag dabbed in water. Fungus can spread to a stick insect's internal organs, causing death.
What temperature should I keep my house for Indian stick bugs?
Temperature's less than 59 °F (15 °C) can be harmful. Generally, the temperature should be around 68 °F (20 °C), which is a normal room temperature. As long as there is no draft, your stick insects should be safe in your home most of the time. Indian stick insects may need slightly cooler temperatures to thrive.