Stick Insects (again)

[Natco]

Today we removed some broken Red Maples, and a stone dead White Oak that was going to fall on a customer’s house, and I found two Stick Insects. Because we had destroyed their environment (chipped to bits) I took them. I have never kept any before, and would like advice. I learned some things about feeding them ect. I ran a search, but most of the threads were fairly inconclusive. In short; I don’t know anything about these things so any help would be greatly appreciated!
I don’t have time to put up pics today, but will try tomorrow.

PS. The big one was on the dead oak. The only foliage on it was fom the grape vine growing up it. Was it eating it?

Thanks guys!

 

[lychas]

i assume it was eating the grape leaves, if it doesnt it wont be hard for you 2 track some down, the enclosure need to be more tall then wide, so they have room to move, not sure what the exact dimensions should be but they are easy to keep, you shouldnt have any probs with em

 

[psionix]

i think the only native species you have up there is Diapheromera femorata (northern walkingstick)

they'll eat lot of stuff. at the zoo we only feed ours oak leaves but they'll also eat every kind of leaf in the Rosaceae: rose, apple, pear, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cinquefoil, pyracantha, crab-apple, plum, cherry, et cetera.

i doubt they were eating the grape leaves though.

you should be able to keep them @ room temp w/o any problems, mist them once a day. also make sure they have access to fresh leaves at all times. that means you'll have to change the leaves out about every other day or so.

 

[Natco]

Thanks guys! Will a large Critter Keeper be allright?

 

[Mendi]

Yeah the KK will be ok to keep them in and there are non-native sticks that feed on grape leaves so there is a good possibility that was the food plant it was eating for fresh food. It being large would also allow it to eat dead oak leaves as well

 

[Natco]

Death

Well unfortunately the large one died some time while I was working today. :8o This really bums me out. My whole goal was to save it! The strange thing is it is missing it’s two rear legs. They were lying on the ground near it. The only other invert in with it was the other much smaller Stick Insect I found in the same place. Could that have had anything to do with it? They did seem to be kind of crawling on each other when I put them in there last night, but I had dinner plans and did not get to observe. I am going to feel like such a dumb @$$ if putting them together somehow lead to the ones death. The smaller one is about an inch and a half, and dark brown. The bigger one was almost three inches, and it had brown and green banded legs with something that looked like a pincher at the end of it’s (abdomen?) Any help would sure be appreciated.

 

[Natco]

That is it?

Hate to kick a dead hoarse but still waiting on the verdict.... was it a bad thing to put them together, or was it something else I did?

 

[Jonathan]

Hi,
I don't think so. I have about ten living together, and have done so for about three month's. I do know that they are very delicate. I had one that lost two of its left legs. It died shortly after. I have no idea how that happened. Here is a good link someone forwarded me:
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/insectsspiders/a/stickinsects_2.htm
Obviously the species info is incorrect, but it gives some good general information.
I forget where, but I read somewhere that they need something like screen to hang from to molt properly. Also, the most successful food item that I have found is Ivy. They eat the snot out of it, and am currently establishing plants for the winter. See if they will eat that, It may be a viable option come fall when there are no leaves left.

 

[Natco]

Hi,
I don't think so. I have about ten living together, and have done so for about three month's. I do know that they are very delicate. I had one that lost two of its left legs. It died shortly after. I have no idea how that happened. Here is a good link someone forwarded me:
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/insectsspiders/a/stickinsects_2.htm
Obviously the species info is incorrect, but it gives some good general information.
I forget where, but I read somewhere that they need something like screen to hang from to molt properly. Also, the most successful food item that I have found is Ivy. They eat the snot out of it, and am currently establishing plants for the winter. See if they will eat that, It may be a viable option come fall when there are no leaves left.

Thanks! When you say Ivy do you mean standered English Ivy?

 

[Jonathan]

Hi,
Yup, this stuff:
http://images.google.com/imgres?img...bnw=116&prev=/images?q=ivy&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=
Jon

 

[bizzely]

Maybe heat or dehdyration killed him?? what did you keep them in as you worked??