Phyllium monteithi 'the walking leaf'

[Zervoid]

I just found out about this insect today! Think I am in love! You can see pictures of it on the Phyllium monteithi Facebook pages, and other Australian insect businesses Facebook pages, where it actually looks life a leaf swaying in the breeze and has this adorable upturned back. It's incredible. I am speechless!

Phyllium Monteithi Facebook

Does anyone here keep Phylliidae/ Phyllium sp? We can only keep natives of this species here in Australia, so I would be interested to hear about what people are keeping overseas. This seems like such an exciting species with such variation and vivid camouflage that makes you stop and contemplate for a minute how an animal can end up mimicking it's environment in such vivid detail. Fascinating stuff!hotogenic:

 

[Scorpling]

Phasmid are interesting stuff! Phyllium sp. eat bramble leaves, keep them fresh and most them daily for water and that's about all the care they need. They're gorgeous creatures.

 

[JavaJacketOC]

I love phyllium...sadly they're illegal where I am.

 

[Zervoid]

Thanks for the tips Scorpling.

Sad to hear you can't own them where you are JavaJacketOC.

I was thinking of getting some, but the high reproduction rate means I would be left with so many eggs and babies.

I can see why they are banned in some places, as they can reproduce in massive numbers without mating.

Do you think I would have more fun with these or the Rhino roach?

 

[Scorpling]

As far as the reproduction goes, it's best to sell or freeze any excess eggs you have. You can also burn them. It's sad but if you can't deal with a lot of Phasmids I suppose it's the way to go, unless you have something you can feed the babies to like a gecko or possibly mantis. And I'd go with the leaf insects! They're so much fun to watch eat, and you'll see them a lot because they don't hide. The rhino roaches are gorgeous insects but at least here they're really expensive, and roaches spend all day hiding. But if you have access to a rhino roach and don't mind an animal that hides a lot, go for it!

 

[Zervoid]

Thanks for this information! I wish you guys could get more easy access to our native invertebrates as they seem like great pets. It's such a shame our Governments have to be so extreme about everything and so irrational.

 

[Tenevanica]

Yeah, it sucks. I would love to own wetas, fruit beetles, and phasmids, but those are all banned by the US government. Sad story.

 

[Hisserdude]

I would love to own any of the Polyzosteria species! Or the Cooloola monsters, now those would be fun to keep! If you could catch some of those Cooloola monsters, I would love to see how they do in captivity!

 

[Scorpling]

Someone needs to start a petition to legalize Phasmids and other insects in the states where winters would kill them off. I personally know of a bunch of people that would sign it.