# Peruphasma schultei



## Scorpendra (Feb 23, 2013)

Thanks,
Rob

Reactions: Like 1


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## Dhaynes (Feb 23, 2013)

I wish Phasmids were legal here in Colorado. (Or at least I hear they're illegal.)


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## Scorpendra (Feb 25, 2013)

I had a trio of two males and one female last year, and the eggs are finally hatching. It wasn't a very high brood compared to what I see online, but I still got a whole mess of the little nymphs. I'm up to 21 now.


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Feb 26, 2013)

We look forward to seeing photos of the adults with their beautiful, little vestigial red wings! I saw them in a teacher-friend's classroom once.


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## Scorpendra (Feb 27, 2013)

Thanks! I really love this species.

Here's a photo of the female and one of the males I had last year that gave rise to my little swarm:






And some frisky action


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Feb 28, 2013)

Oh, I'd completely forgotten about their other impressive characteristic--the bulbous, bright yellow eyes. Very nice!


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## Scorpendra (Mar 3, 2013)

Everything about them is so striking and beautiful.

4 more eggs hatched last night, so the egg:nymph ratio is 9:33 now. Entering the home stretch here! I intend to start shipping orders tomorrow


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## 1Lord Of Ants1 (Mar 3, 2013)

I notice you're from NY, so are these legal in the US? How do you care for them?

I might be interested!


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## Scorpendra (Mar 3, 2013)

They do great at roughly room temperature with 40-60% humidity (not high) with good ventilation, in a tank tall enough for them to climb in. Although I've heard they do okay in smaller spaces as well.

The only tricky thing I’ve encountered with this species (which applies to all phasmids I suppose) is that they can drown in the water supply for the plant cuttings they eat from. Found that out with a male I had a few years back. To avoid this, I have the cuttings stuck in a vial with slits in the lid. It’s foolproof. Their list of definite foodplants are: privet, honeysuckle, aucuba, parsley, monterey cypress, and northfolk island pine. I rely on honeysuckle, which grows invasively throughout the US. From the flowers, I'm pretty sure it's Japanese Honeysuckle that grows where I am, even though the species shouldn't matter. Naturally, I collect deep in the woods where there is no danger of pesticides.

As nymphs, they can have trouble feeding on the hard edges of fully grown leaves, so it's advised that you trim the leaves before introducing them. Or alternatively, you can feed them clippings with fresh-growing leaves, which are fairly easy to find this time of year. I have heard that they have a defensive liquid that is shot from behind the head, but I have yet to witness it firsthand. Like all phasmids, their lifespan is pretty short....about a year. And they are fully grown in 5 months. That’s why I’m advertising them while they’re still L1 nymphs. Some of them are looking pretty big now, though.

I've been seeing exotic insects in stores and at expos pretty frequently as of late, which is how I got my breeding pair (plus a second male) last year.


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## Bugs In Cyberspace (Mar 5, 2013)

You might request that a moderator edit this thread to remove all references to sales and transport of exotic phasmids. Even publicly admitting to having them in the US is largely frowned upon, even by fellow hobbyists. You are welcome to request that this post of mine is deleted too. I've known too many friends to get the wrong kind of attention for having these in the US. That's why I don't keep them anymore, since 9/11. I worked with over a hundred species of phasmids before deciding it wasn't worth the risks. Usually by this time in a phasmid thread, the haters will have turned up to lambaste you. They often don't understand that so many people just innocently get these from their local pet store and don't realize that these are one of the big hot button groups for the Dept. of Ag. (Phasmids eat live plants.) Hurry, hurry! The haters are coming...


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