# Phyllium keepers?



## lychas (Dec 10, 2008)

Anyone here keep phyllium? Would like to get some info on keeping these guys, cheers in advance for any help.


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## lukatsi (Dec 11, 2008)

Hello,

I'm keeping two species: Ph. giganteum and bilobatum (maybe siccifolium, it's hard to ID them). They are fairly easy to care for, if you've dealed with phasmids earlier. They need high moisture level, around 80%, so spray them once or twice a day. They eat bramble, rose and raspberry leaves, be sure they aren't covered with insecticides (as they are if you get them from a flower garden). Ph. giganteum has only females, they reproduce partheogenetically, while the others in culture sexually. The female throw the eggs with a move of the abdomen to a random place. The ova need high moisture, they will hatch in about 6-12 months (giganteum), 6-8 months (bilobatum).

Now I have young of giganteum and ova of bilobatum.


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## lukatsi (Dec 13, 2008)

Here are a few pics of Phyllium giganteum:

The young are brown when they hatch:







Nymph after a few molts:







Subadult:







Adult:









Mark


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## Pro_bug_catcher (Dec 13, 2008)

Is bramble (assuming that's bramble) still green during the winter in you region?

Here in Canada, finding leaves during the winter is practically impossible unless you grow them inside or you buy them.


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## Frédérick (Dec 13, 2008)

aaaaaaaaah i can only dream of have these, i think we are not allowed even in canada to keep these  and i have an oak near and many raspberry plants...i holded one once when i worked at the Insectarium of Montreal during the summer, a truly charming insect!! fingers crossed for getting some hehe


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## lukatsi (Dec 13, 2008)

Yes, it's bramble, it's evergreen, but hard to find good leaves during winter. I suppose you have harder winters in Canada


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## Pro_bug_catcher (Dec 14, 2008)

Yes, harder winters. Here bramble isn't usually evergreen.
(In the city maybe ?)

And, as Frédérick, I've also only seen them (live) at the Insectarium de Montréal.


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## lychas (Dec 15, 2008)

lukatsi said:


> Hello,
> 
> I'm keeping two species: Ph. giganteum and bilobatum (maybe siccifolium, it's hard to ID them). They are fairly easy to care for, if you've dealed with phasmids earlier. They need high moisture level, around 80%, so spray them once or twice a day. They eat bramble, rose and raspberry leaves, be sure they aren't covered with insecticides (as they are if you get them from a flower garden). Ph. giganteum has only females, they reproduce partheogenetically, while the others in culture sexually. The female throw the eggs with a move of the abdomen to a random place. The ova need high moisture, they will hatch in about 6-12 months (giganteum), 6-8 months (bilobatum).
> 
> Now I have young of giganteum and ova of bilobatum.


Cheers for the info, hopefully oneday Phyllium will be available in aust, very hard to find here tho, only a handfull of specimens have been found here.

I currently keep and breed 4 species of phasmid, always hunting for new species


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## colorcham427 (Jan 13, 2011)

Hey guys, If you buy blackberry or raspberry plants from major dealers, they will ship you plants that are already dormant. Simply buy a LED florescent light, full spectrum. These lights are long in length, and are cheap. $15.00 total will give you enough power to get more than enough plants to break dormancy indoors.

Having plants shipped to your door dormant, and having only 2-3 weeks of simple lighting and watering is way worth the time. In 2-3 weeks you will enough leaves to hold you over for the next 2-3 weeks, even if you have lots of phasmids. Phasmids can survive with little food, as long as they get a little nibble every other day.

I'd never put an entire plant in an enclosure. I highly recommend growing the plant out a little more, wait 7-8 weeks. Then begin using cuttings, cut a branch off and stick it in a clean, filtered water bottle.

Don't waste your time going outdoors during the winter. During the summer time, save money and go out and find some wild bramble. Look in wooded areas to reassure free of chemicals. Dig them out and re-root them in your yard. You should put a fine holed metal screen fence with a screened roof around it so no Katydids, grasshoppers, rodents, etc. eat any of the leaves.


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## Louise E. Rothstein (Jan 18, 2011)

When I had Vietnamese stick insects they nibbled African violet leaves...AND FRUITFLY PUPAE...when fresh bramble leaves were not available.

I wonder whether other species might do the same...?


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## arachnidsrulz12 (Jan 18, 2011)

lukatsi said:


> Here are a few pics of Phyllium giganteum:
> 
> The young are brown when they hatch:
> 
> ...


Can I put them in one of those chameleon enclosure with plants?


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Jan 20, 2011)

Chameleon enclosures are fine, but humidity will be more difficult to maintain. Potted plants, watered regularly so the soil is moist, will help. External humidifiers or vaporizers for the room help too.

My favorite of the six species I've had was P. pulchrifolium, though P. giganteum are larger.

I do believe males of P. giganteum are in captivity, by the way. They were two years ago, though the couple breeders may have lost them already.


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## Phelsumalain (Jan 21, 2011)

Hello all
Maybe someone would want to talk about breeding moving leaves with me ?

Here are some of my leaves :






_Phyllium westwoodii_ - adult females - 3 colors






_Phyllium ericoriai_ - subadult female






_Phyllium bioculatum pulchrifolium_ - yellow subadult female​
Best regards
Alain


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## Louise E. Rothstein (Jan 25, 2011)

What are the "LED fluorescents" in this column...? 

All of the "LED lights" and "fluorescent lights" that I have seen so far were shown-and sold-as entirely different kinds of lighting...I have never seen
anything described as being both at once.

And-if "LED fluorescents" do exist somewhere...

Could they replace regular fluorescents...?

And where could I get them...?


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## Deroplatys (Jan 26, 2011)

I've currently got an adult female P.erecoia with a male in transit, my P.gigantium adult has just started laying, and i recently obtained 50 ova of P.jacobsoni


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## What (Jan 27, 2011)

Louise E. Rothstein said:


> Could they replace regular fluorescents...?
> 
> And where could I get them...?


I highly recommend using CFLs(compact fluorescent bulbs...little curly things) for any of your legal indoor plant growing adventures. Half daylight and half warm white CFLs should provide for any funky spectrum needs the plants might have, and they sell handy "Y" lighting adaptors(for two bulbs), spring clamp worklights w/ reflectors, and timers... everything one needs to break dormancy in plants. 

Any local hardware store such as Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, or possibly even Walmart should have all the supplies you need.


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