I recently found a stick bug, and I want to make sure letting it out of its enclosure is safe.

[keminari29]

I have a slightly small enclosure for a stick bug that looks around 3-5 inches long, so I usually like to put it on this large house plant/tree in the living room. I check on it every once in a while, and everything happens fine. Are there any health risks for either myself or the stick bug in doing this? Any feedback would be appreciated. Finally, is plastic/saran wrap with a frame(out of PVC or wood) a suitable enclosure for the stick bug, at least to have enough room?

 

[chanda]

I have a slightly small enclosure for a stick bug that looks around 3-5 inches long, so I usually like to put it on this large house plant/tree in the living room. I check on it every once in a while, and everything happens fine. Are there any health risks for either myself or the stick bug in doing this? Any feedback would be appreciated. Finally, is plastic/saran wrap with a frame(out of PVC or wood) a suitable enclosure for the stick bug, at least to have enough room?

Unless that large houseplant is a suitable food plant for your stick insect, it is likely to climb down the plant and wander off in search of an appropriate food source. This puts the stick insect at risk of getting lost, stepped on, eaten by a cat, dog or other pet, or encountering something toxic in your home. The risk to yourself (or other roommates/family members/pets) depends on the species of stick insect. Some species are able to spray toxic chemicals in self defense. If yours is one of those, then it's possible that someone could get too close, be perceived as a threat, and get sprayed. If they get sprayed directly in the eyes or face, it would not be pleasant - and a direct shot to the eyes might require medical attention.

Plastic/saran wrap on a frame is not a good enclosure because it does not allow for ventilation. Stick insects typically require a well-ventilated enclosure. Screen or mesh are much better materials. You can even use a large pop-up butterfly enclosure. You can also use a glass or acrylic cage with a screen top or with multiple ventilation holes. Stick insects require a tall enclosure with plenty of things to climb on - and to hang from, with enough clear space underneath to allow them to molt. (They hang upside down to molt.) Depending on the species, it may also require some sort of substrate that can be kept moist to maintain adequate humidity levels.

 

[Nicolademe]

I have a slightly small enclosure for a stick bug that looks around 3-5 inches long, so I usually like to put it on this large house plant/tree in the living room. I check on it every once in a while, and everything happens fine. Are there any health risks for either myself or the stick bug in doing this? Any feedback would be appreciated. Finally, is plastic/saran wrap with a frame(out of PVC or wood) a suitable enclosure for the stick bug, at least to have enough room?

I dont have too much info but I believe Snake Discovery on YouTube has a video on stick insect care

 

[keminari29]

Unless that large houseplant is a suitable food plant for your stick insect, it is likely to climb down the plant and wander off in search of an appropriate food source. This puts the stick insect at risk of getting lost, stepped on, eaten by a cat, dog or other pet, or encountering something toxic in your home. The risk to yourself (or other roommates/family members/pets) depends on the species of stick insect. Some species are able to spray toxic chemicals in self defense. If yours is one of those, then it's possible that someone could get too close, be perceived as a threat, and get sprayed. If they get sprayed directly in the eyes or face, it would not be pleasant - and a direct shot to the eyes might require medical attention.

Plastic/saran wrap on a frame is not a good enclosure because it does not allow for ventilation. Stick insects typically require a well-ventilated enclosure. Screen or mesh are much better materials. You can even use a large pop-up butterfly enclosure. You can also use a glass or acrylic cage with a screen top or with multiple ventilation holes. Stick insects require a tall enclosure with plenty of things to climb on - and to hang from, with enough clear space underneath to allow them to molt. (They hang upside down to molt.) Depending on the species, it may also require some sort of substrate that can be kept moist to maintain adequate humidity levels.

It usually just sits on the plant, walking up and down every once in a while, and it fell only twice during the times I put it on. I never saw it actually eat the plant, though. It also sometimes climbs on the curtains next to the plant. I believe that my stick bug is a common stick bug, at least from pictures that look like it, and I have put my face close to its face, and it hasn't sprayed me or anyone else who got close. If I were to do the plastic wrap, I would definitely poke holes inside to make sure it had ventilation, but that would probably only be temporary. Do you think that the butterfly enclosure would be cheaper than the mesh cage to keep the stick bug in?

 

[keminari29]

I dont have too much info but I believe Snake Discovery on YouTube has a video on stick insect care

Thanks for the heads up! I'll check it out.

 

[chanda]

It usually just sits on the plant, walking up and down every once in a while, and it fell only twice during the times I put it on. I never saw it actually eat the plant, though. It also sometimes climbs on the curtains next to the plant. I believe that my stick bug is a common stick bug, at least from pictures that look like it, and I have put my face close to its face, and it hasn't sprayed me or anyone else who got close. If I were to do the plastic wrap, I would definitely poke holes inside to make sure it had ventilation, but that would probably only be temporary. Do you think that the butterfly enclosure would be cheaper than the mesh cage to keep the stick bug in?

"a common stick bug" is meaningless. There are a lot of different stick insects, and they don't all eat the same plants. You need to identify it in order to be sure you are providing appropriate food plants or it will starve to death.

The pop up butterfly enclosures are cheap and work well, if you want to go that route. They are also easy to fold up and store when not in use.

 

[keminari29]

Unfortunately, I had decided to release it back into the wild where I found it, as I just felt like I couldn't care for it properly/ wasn't prepared. I will want to try again sometime, and the tips will help. It was a neat little bug, and it was very sad to let it go.