Indian Walking Sticks

[NewOwner]

Hi, i am creating this thread to ask about Indian Walking sticks (Carausius Morosus) Also known as... Phasmatodea..

My friend told me about them, and said that she feeds them to her chameleons, and that they are pretty good for them...

I would like to start breeding my own stick bugs here in my home (Which is legal in Canada) And i have read many differant sites, including some forums on this website, and i have came up with some notes, divided up into 3 sections. Here they are

Indian Walking Stick
Care sheet
By Levi Smith - Feb 09 / 2009

Cage - Indian walking sticks need a well ventilated cage, which could be a screen cage, or an aquarium with a screen top. Must have the cage cleaned atleast once a week, and can put paper towel down for easier cleanup. Keep the cage at around 21 - 25c with a drop in temp of about 5 - 10c. keep wll misted food in the cage, and sticks in the cage, for highways.

Food - Indian stick insects eat oak leaves, or bramble, from blueberry, or raspberry bush. sometimes indian stick insects will eat romaine lettuce, or rose petals. they like they're food misted with warm (23c - 27c) water around 3x per day.

Breeding - Indian walking sticks can reproduce by themselves, just females and will lay only females, but if mated with a male, you will get both sexes. Indian walking sticks lay eggs and the eggs will hatch in about 2-4 months.

My questions are..

How are these notes?

Is there much nutrients in Indian walking sticks? Are they healthy for chams?

What do you think i should feed the indian walking sticks?

Do they need UVB Lighting?

Thanks, if i think of more questions i will post them..

-Levi

 

[NewOwner]

Going To Bed.

Im going to bed, so i will read/reply to all the messages in the morning, If there is any

 

[zelink14]

I had a walking stick as a pet as a kid... I would just feed it sticker-bush leaves, and it grew fine. I never sprayed it or anything, since I think they must get their moisture through the leaves. I do wonder if they could be fed anything else. They may not in the wild because I think they get all their nutrition from the leaves? Maybe they're like silkworms that way, where they'll only eat ONE kind of leaf.

I'm trying to look up nutritional values for them, and if I find anything I'll post it.

I would consider feeding my chameleon walking sticks, but I have to admit I'd feel so bad because they're so darn cute...

 

[zelink14]

https://www.chameleonforums.com/indian-stick-eggs-2957/
https://www.chameleonforums.com/indian-walking-stick-bug-13872/

 

[sandrachameleon]

I'd suggest that they eat blackberry bramble much more than blueberry leaves

 

[NewOwner]

k thanks everyone, i think i may have found a guy to sell me them in victoria, any other tips / suggestions for when i get them?

Thanks everyone.

 

[ViolentJ]

I can't imagine they'd be much good? I've bred Indians and there's nothing to them, they're very thin. If they are any good then I'll start breeding them again!

 

[zelink14]

I can't imagine they'd be much good? I've bred Indians and there's nothing to them, they're very thin. If they are any good then I'll start breeding them again!

Someone on the thread linked above said they are supposedly good for chameleons. Maybe they're moisturizing at the least. I dunno, if you search "indian sticks" you can read what other people have discussed already.

 

[Clifford]

They eat "dark leafy greens" so there's likely something useful to offering them periodically?

 

[sandrachameleon]

I've grabbed a quote out of one of the old threads linked to above:

Actually, Indian stick eggs take 2-3 months to hatch at room temperature... 70-75 degrees F. Those tall deli cups used for fruit flies with the cloth covered ventilation holes work well for hatching the eggs. A paper towel or a piece of sponge, a bit of dirt, play sand, etc. in the bottom of the cup helps to hold in moisture. Moisten the substrate of your choice, dump in the eggs. If the substrate gets dry, moisten it. 2 to 3 months later, just about the time you think the eggs are never going to hatch, they do. Then, feed them bramble, etc. and mist them every day. They can stay in the tall deli cup for a bit, but will quickly outgrow it.

A tall clear container with a screen top works well for them as they grow to adulthood. Some keepers prefer drainage layers of substrates on the bottom, including charcoal. That way, the inevitable standing water from the daily mistings in the drain layers stays somewhat fresh. Once the habitat is established, it just needs to be kept up. The sticks will lay eggs, the eggs will lay on the substrate and eventually hatch. Using the green brick stuff that florists use for flower arrangements keeps bramble and other vegetation fresh for a bit longer. Plus, it makes it easy to just poke fresh vegetation into the brick. Poo, dead walking sticks, dead leaves, stripped vegetation and general debris needs to be removed fairly regularly. Because of the stick's parthenogenic nature, disposing of this debris in a manner that will prevent the distribution of an egg or a stick into your local agricultural setting is important. Burning it in a fire place or a wood stove is great.. freezing it for a long time (months) works. Double bag it before it goes to the dump.

Although chameleons absolutely love walking sticks, it is still easy to be overrun by them. They are very, very prolific. Be sure to have a good source of food on hand.. bramble, ivy, privet, etc. Also be certain that what you are feeding your sticks won't poison your chameleons. Privet and certain ivys are toxic, so you can use them to grow up your sticks, but will need to flush their guts for a few days with either bramble or romaine lettuce before you feed them to your chameleons. Start talking with the people you know as well. You will need to find homes for some of the walking sticks, especially if you only have a few chameleons. Luckily, demand is high especially among chameleon owners.

Most species of non-indigenous walking sticks are illegal to keep in most of states in the United States. They are illegal to distribute across state lines in all states. The big issue is distribution. Live insects or their eggs can't cross state lines. That makes it really hard to get them in. If you know someone who keeps them in your state, it makes things a lot easier. Places to check are local universities, nature conservancies, etc. They may or may not kick down with a few eggs or insects. My state's USDA department was extremely helpful in clarifying the laws and the position of the government on this insect. I found I had a much better response by calling them than by emailing them. Walking sticks are considered a pest insect because of their voracious appetites and extremely prolific nature. Regardless of what country one lives in, responsible ownership of this insect is important. Never allow any of them to be released into the wild, where they could potentially start a plague.

Heika

The above seems good and useful information.
Below is another care-sheet on the same subject (lots of similarities):

There are almost 3,000 species of stick insects (order Phasmatodea) in the world. The best known of the stick insects is the Laboratory Walking stick insect (carausius morosus), aka Indian Walking Stick Bug.

They grow to roughly 10 cm (4 inches) and live from 10 to 14 months. These make excellent pets as they can't bite, don’t sting, make no noise, don’t smell bad, are safe for kids of all ages to handle, and require very little care.

The younger bugs may be damaged with clumsy handling so it is better to let them climb onto a piece of paper or stick to examine or transfer them. Adults aren’t particularly delicate - and even if a couple legs get accidentally removed the stick bugs can live on.

Apart from perhaps swaying like a twig might if there were a breeze, they are fairly still during they day - unless disturbed / played with. They are most active (moving around, eating) at dawn and at dusk.

For housing, all you need is a fish tank or really large jar or one of those large plastic "critter carriers" one finds in a pet store. Make it big enough that they can walk about and hang upside down to moult; it should be minimally 12 inches high and wide, with holes or screen for ventilation. Height is more important than width or breadth of the container. Make sure the container has a stick placed high in the container, or some other place where the insects can climb up to and hang down from, in order to shed their skin when they molt. They need to molt several times before becoming an adult.

They prefer a slightly humid environment, so mist (a fine mist, not a heavy spray as little ones can drown) with water every day. Keep them at room temperature or a little warmer (70-80F, 21-26C).

Their preferred food is blackberry bramble leaves. Clip a couple blackberry branches and put the stocks in a small jar of water - Putting thestems in water keeps the leaves fresh longer, thus allowing you to put more in and clean/refresh less often (every other day instead of every day). Other food options are privot, raspberry, rose, oak leaves and green romaine lettuce. Romaine is not their preference, but they'll usually eat it if there's nothing else to choose from, which is helpful if the other options do not grow year round where you live. Privot is not good for chameleons, so be sure not to use this in the week before feeding off.

The one thing you must be extremely careful about is disposal of the droppings. Not because there is any special or nasty about their poop, but because their small eggs will be amongst that poop. Once they reach adult size, stick insects lay viable eggs without the need for a mate; they reproduce parthenogenically. It is critically important that the eggs (or live insects) of this (or any) non-native insect not be accidentally released into the wild. So when cleaning out the droppings (and with them the eggs) care must be taken to dispose of properly, such that the eggs will not hatch. No direct composting. No putting straight into the trash. Depending where you live, even direct flushing could be risky. These are the three best ways to dispose of eggs:

Method #1: Place droppings (with eggs) in a paper bag, and burn.
Method #2: Place droppings (with eggs) into a container, put in a few inches of water, microwave on high for several minutes (boil), and then flush down a toilet.
Method#3: place droppings (with eggs) into a container, add water, put in deep freezer for a minimum of three months or more. Thaw and flush down a toilet.


It should be noted that these insects are Illegal in many areas as there is risk of them infesting the natural environment. A single stick insect quickly turns into thousands, Those thousands can turn into millions in no time at all.

 

[NewOwner]

Wow thanks, in those quotes i seen it says 'use a small jar' or something along those lines, would it be fine youseing about a 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 Cage?

Thank you, that taught me quite a bit

 

[SMCNARY]

I've grabbed a quote out of one of the old threads linked to above:



The above seems good and useful information.
Below is another care-sheet on the same subject (lots of similarities):

There are almost 3,000 species of stick insects (order Phasmatodea) in the world. The best known of the stick insects is the Laboratory Walking stick insect (carausius morosus), aka Indian Walking Stick Bug.

They grow to roughly 10 cm (4 inches) and live from 10 to 14 months. These make excellent pets as they can't bite, don’t sting, make no noise, don’t smell bad, are safe for kids of all ages to handle, and require very little care.

The younger bugs may be damaged with clumsy handling so it is better to let them climb onto a piece of paper or stick to examine or transfer them. Adults aren’t particularly delicate - and even if a couple legs get accidentally removed the stick bugs can live on.

Apart from perhaps swaying like a twig might if there were a breeze, they are fairly still during they day - unless disturbed / played with. They are most active (moving around, eating) at dawn and at dusk.

For housing, all you need is a fish tank or really large jar or one of those large plastic "critter carriers" one finds in a pet store. Make it big enough that they can walk about and hang upside down to moult; it should be minimally 12 inches high and wide, with holes or screen for ventilation. Height is more important than width or breadth of the container. Make sure the container has a stick placed high in the container, or some other place where the insects can climb up to and hang down from, in order to shed their skin when they molt. They need to molt several times before becoming an adult.

They prefer a slightly humid environment, so mist (a fine mist, not a heavy spray as little ones can drown) with water every day. Keep them at room temperature or a little warmer (70-80F, 21-26C).

Their preferred food is blackberry bramble leaves. Clip a couple blackberry branches and put the stocks in a small jar of water - Putting thestems in water keeps the leaves fresh longer, thus allowing you to put more in and clean/refresh less often (every other day instead of every day). Other food options are privot, raspberry, rose, oak leaves and green romaine lettuce. Romaine is not their preference, but they'll usually eat it if there's nothing else to choose from, which is helpful if the other options do not grow year round where you live. Privot is not good for chameleons, so be sure not to use this in the week before feeding off.

The one thing you must be extremely careful about is disposal of the droppings. Not because there is any special or nasty about their poop, but because their small eggs will be amongst that poop. Once they reach adult size, stick insects lay viable eggs without the need for a mate; they reproduce parthenogenically. It is critically important that the eggs (or live insects) of this (or any) non-native insect not be accidentally released into the wild. So when cleaning out the droppings (and with them the eggs) care must be taken to dispose of properly, such that the eggs will not hatch. No direct composting. No putting straight into the trash. Depending where you live, even direct flushing could be risky. These are the three best ways to dispose of eggs:

Method #1: Place droppings (with eggs) in a paper bag, and burn.
Method #2: Place droppings (with eggs) into a container, put in a few inches of water, microwave on high for several minutes (boil), and then flush down a toilet.
Method#3: place droppings (with eggs) into a container, add water, put in deep freezer for a minimum of three months or more. Thaw and flush down a toilet.


It should be noted that these insects are Illegal in many areas as there is risk of them infesting the natural environment. A single stick insect quickly turns into thousands, Those thousands can turn into millions in no time at all.

Best info I have seen so far on stick bugs,will come in handy

 

[pasquia]

I cannot comment on the nutritional value but I am sure as part if a varied diet are useful. I breed them for my Panthers and all sizes of them can be used depending on the size of the chameleons.In Nanaimo there probably a long growing season for wild brambles and raspberry plants- I would feed that over all other types of plants.I cannot get brambles where I live but wild and cultivated raspberry.As far as breeding them then to be honest they will breed regardless if what you do, in fact they will easily overrun a tank, you can put some peatmoss in the bottom of the cage so you will then not have to bother looking for the eggs, they will hatch anyway if left if the cage is at room temp.
As far as lighting I use a daylight fluorescent bulb , however if close to a window you could get away without it.They really are the easiest of all the Phasmids to keep.