I received a return call this morning from my state's Department of Agriculture bug department about walking sticks. He was very informative, and answered my questions about the legality of keeping and shipping these insects.
In my state, the only stick insect that I would be allowed to keep or sell (within the state of Oregon) without a permit is the Australian Giant Prickly Stick Insect. I may try them out, but they get very large. Adult females are 6 inches long and weigh about 25 grams. Perhaps the young would be a viable option for feeding. The Oregon Department of Agriculture bug guy told me that the main reason these are allowed is because they are not parthenogenetic and require a male and a female to reproduce. With many other walking sticks, including the indian and vietnamese species, one escaped female can produce thousands of offspring by herself. I could apply for a permit to keep these other walking stick breeds, but as a hobbyist, it is very unlikely that it would be approved.
Shipping walking sticks of any species across state lines is strictly regulated by the USDA. The receiver has to apply for a permit to receive them. I spoke to a distinctly unfriendly woman from this department on Friday of last week, and she told me that the permit process takes around 8 weeks. In addition, people caught receiving controlled insects without a permit are subject to a large fine. Among other controlled shipments of insects are crickets, cockroaches and sow bugs. It is possible for a company that sells these bugs to receive a permit that allows them to ship to a variety of states. Those permits mean that the purchaser doesn't have to file for a permit from the USDA, and after taking a look at some of the websites that I purchase insects from, it looks like the big bug companies have them. I have purchased insects from other sources that I am pretty certain didn't have the necessary permits, and in the future, I will be more cautious. Unfortunately, permits for walking stick shipments are very rarely approved in the US, and usually only laboratories and research facilities are allowed to receive them. This includes any living form of the insect, including viable ovas. The only way they can be shipped without a permit is if they are dead.
Those of you who are keeping these insects may want to check with your state's department of agriculture to find out whether or not they are legal in your state. In addition, if you plan to ship them or purchase them, be very cautious. I saw some for sale on Insecthobbyist, the insect side of Kingsnake, and emailed the seller. He is from Las Vegas, and when I asked about permit requirements for shipping and the legality of keeping them in Oregon, he said that permits weren't needed. After I did some more research, I sent him the USDA website that states that it is required. He replied, insisting that he and his buyers don't need to have a permit to ship them. It just goes to show that even the people who are selling these bugs aren't as knowledgable (or honest?) as they need to be, which means that the customer needs to do the research.
Here is the site for the USDA:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_phclassroom.html
Heika
