winter food?

[juggalo69]

What can I feed my walking sticks in the winter? Where I live winter means EVERYTHING dies. Are there any good indoor plants I could keep for a winter food source?

 

[Dark Raptor]

What can I feed my walking sticks in the winter? Where I live winter means EVERYTHING dies. Are there any good indoor plants I could keep for a winter food source?

I freeze oak leafs. This source of food isn't the best (it quickly get mouldy and is hard) but I use it with success for few years. Some plants are always green so I also collect in winter (especially for small insects): strawberry, blackberry and raspberry leafs.

 

[Wade]

Many will eat pothos vine which can easily be grown indoors, but I'm not sure if this is a complete diet. Extatosoma tiaratum have even been known to feed on romaine lettuce, although I doubt you could rear nymphs on it. Some members here have recomended dandylion greens (which can be purchased at natural food stores).

Wade

 

[8 leg wonder]

I don't know if it grows in your area but salal is evergreen and as a bonus Extatosoma tiaratum turn red when they eat it

 

[NiGHTS]

Thanks for the Salal tip, 8-leg. I never even thought to try out that plant on my sticks. When my ova hatch, I'll give it a try.

Juggalo - I would recommend collecting as much bramble as you can, putting it in plastic freezer bags, and freezing it. It won't last as long as usual when you thaw it...but if you've got hungry sticks in the winter, that shouldn't be a problem anyway. The frozen stuff will definitely last the winter in your freezer (actually, it should last for up to a year frozen).

 

[juggalo69]

I don't have brambles anywhere around where I live. My options are all going to have to come from the plant store.
I'm not sure of the species petstore had them labled as Indian walking stick. They supposedly grow to about 5 inches if anyone could get me a latin I would really appreciate it.

 

[Wade]

The "classic" Indian stick is Carausius morosus, and is probably the phasimid that's been cultured longer than any other.

I forgot about ivy, many sticks will eat that, and some varieties can easily be grown indoors.

Wade

 

[Dark Raptor]

I forgot about ivy, many sticks will eat that, and some varieties can easily be grown indoors.

I know that ivy is poisonous for some species. I've been giving it only to E. calcarata, but I know people who lost their E. tiaratum and Phaenopharos khaoyaiensis after this type of food.

I don't have brambles anywhere around where I live. My options are all going to have to come from the plant store.

Be carefull. I don't trust plant shops because they are using chemicals.

I think you should try frozen oak leafs. I've just started using them today (and I'm using them with success for fifth winter).

 

[NiGHTS]

Hey Dark Raptor, do you know what type of oak you are using? I've tried my Black Oak, as well as Live Oak, and my Indian Sticks ignore the stuff.

 

[Dark Raptor]

I freeze red oak (Quercus rubra). This specie is probably the best (especially for larger phasmids). I also use common european oak (Quercus robur). Small stick insects choose raspberry, blackberry and strawberry leafs than oak.

 

[Wade]

I know that ivy is poisonous for some species. I've been giving it only to E. calcarata, but I know people who lost their E. tiaratum and Phaenopharos khaoyaiensis after this type of food.

That's good to know, I was just suggesting things that might work that grow indoors. I have seen references to ivy being used specifically for Indians however. I don't keep this species myself, so no first hand knowledge there.

Be carefull. I don't trust plant shops because they are using chemicals.

I think you should try frozen oak leafs. I've just started using them today (and I'm using them with success for fifth winter).

I didn't write the bit about plant shops, but for some reason it's quoted to me :? Nevertheless, I agree that there is a good chance that plants purchased commercially have been treated with pesticides at some point. SUPPOSEDLY washing the plants in a mix of baking soda and water will detoxify the majority of insectides, but I'm not sure I'd chance it. However, if you purchase a plant, clean it as well as possible and re-pot it, it should be safe to feed the new growth as it occurs. The older leaves can be trimmed and discarded as new growth comes in, so eventually you should have a safe plant.

All this is a moot point for me as I am fortunate enough to have lots of waxmurtyle (also known as bayberry) growing in the area. It's evergreen, and eaten readily by a wide range of phasmids, and IMO they do better on it than bramble.

Wade

 

[Dark Raptor]

I didn't write the bit about plant shops, but for some reason it's quoted to me :?

Oups! My mistake :8o I should check always all "ctr+c/ctr+v" work. Sorry

 

[jojobear]

I've heard they will eat rose leaves and if you don't mind a little dumpster diving florists always have rose leaves. I would just ask really nice before the dumpster diviing. I have also heard romaine as well. Not the best diet but it will keep them alive through the winter

 

[Wade]

They will eat rose, but I would think leaves from the florist would have a very high pesticide risk.

Wade

 

[Thrasher]

how long do those walking sticks live for anyways?