Stick Insects

[Andee]

For some reason my stick insects haven't been wanting to eat my oak leaves lately, I think it's cause it's winter and the oaks are drying up, anyway... I was wondering if there is something other than bramble I can feed them that won't make them poisonous? I think I've heard somewhere privet makes them poisonous and so does ivy, but I'm not sure anymore >.< So any help would be much appreciated ^^

 

[laurie]

I buy a head of romaine lettuce. Every night before I go to bed I hang a piece of well washed lettuce up like it is growing in the cage. It took a few days, but they now chow it down every night.

 

[pigglett79]

I need to get me some stick insects.

 

[nick barta]

Andee,

What kind of sticks do you have? Are they native to California?

Ivy does not make them poisonous.

Typically a stick that eats Oak will eat Blackberry and Ivy.

Nick

 

[laurie]

I need to get me some stick insects.

Andee,

What kind of sticks do you have? Are they native to California?

Ivy does not make them poisonous.

Typically a stick that eats Oak will eat Blackberry and Ivy.

Nick

Rachelle you and Nick need to get together, he is Mr. Stick. Takes really good care of me.

 

[Andee]

I have Indian Sticks right now, though I need to get more from you Nick later, do you know what kind of ivy it is that they eat?

 

[kgallego]

I buy a head of romaine lettuce. Every night before I go to bed I hang a piece of well washed lettuce up like it is growing in the cage. It took a few days, but they now chow it down every night.

Andee,

What kind of sticks do you have? Are they native to California?

Ivy does not make them poisonous.

Typically a stick that eats Oak will eat Blackberry and Ivy.

Nick

Rachelle you and Nick need to get together, he is Mr. Stick. Takes really good care of me.

I have Indian Sticks right now, though I need to get more from you Nick later, do you know what kind of ivy it is that they eat?

Laurie is correct about the Romaine Lettuce. I got my indian sticks from Nick also back in November. Now I have hundreds of eggs.

As far as feeding, yes, Romaine does the trick, the hard part is trying to support a colony of sticks with a minimal amount of time and work. Currently I'm working on a hydroponic system, growing romaine lettuce and alfalfa (I read that someone had alot of success with alfalfa also). The idea is to have enough plants growing to sustain the colony without having to go to the grocery story.

Here's something interesting you all might enjoy about Romaine Lettuce. It can be re-grown! See this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzmUBNXMVx8

I have done this, with one modification. I'm using hydroponics instead of just putting it in water. So far it's growing quickly, but I'm only 1.5 weeks into it. Here's an example of the hydroponic system that I am using inside my stick cage, after the plants are rooted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj4MzjxjGck

Grant it, mine is much smaller to fit in the stick cage. I'm currently growing the plants to a healthy level before i put the system into the cage, just to make sure the sticks don't eat it all away right away.

I'm rooting the plants with a system similar to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIFtQ38tDQQ - using 2" baskets and a 3 gallon bucket.

I went to a local hydroponics store, and home depot, and got the whole set up for less than $80 - with a little advice from the hippi's at the hydroponic store, lol.

I can't say whether this is going to be a success or a failure until my plants get big enough to put in there, but they're growing quickly.

My thoughts are that this system would be beneficial because there is no soil and the eggs can be easily gathered up off the bottom of the cage. I'm also thinking that the hydroponic system will grow plants faster than soil.

I guess we'll see, just some food for thought...