Thinking of getting some stick insects

I'm always happiest when I'm taking care of something and I really like stick insects. Ever since I first saw some in the ACI room at my course, I've found them strangely cute. I know quite a bit about them, although I'm reading through as many care sheets and stick insect information packs as I can to make sure that I'd be making the right decision and would be able to care for them properly.

It'll probably be Indian stick insects, as I've not owned them before and it's always better to start off with the 'easier' species, rather than jumping straight out of my depth with something like a Malaysian Jungle Nymph. Would need to be careful about reproduction because they can do it quite quickly and the little stickies don't need men to have offspring (lucky!).

We have ivy, hawthorn, bramble and loads of other sticky-friendly plants right in our garden, free from pesticides, so food won't be a problem.

First up, though... Clean my room, get rid of the floordrobe and clear a shelf space.

Eleanor wrote:

First up, though... Clean my room, get rid of the floordrobe and clear a shelf space.

  

Stick insects creep me out! Good luck with that Eleanor haha, they scare the crap out of me!!

I'll be sure to post lots of pics for you then, if I decide to get some!

Pics I'm fine with, I'm just thankful I wont have to touch them lol. That's why I wont go near trees or places where they hide and blend in! Haha, I'm sure you will be a great stick insect mum though

Aww, they're not that bad!

Lol to me they are! I run from insects, I only like lady bugs haha!

Yeah, but they're not creepy crawly insects! They're little twigs with legs and faces!

How interesting Eleanor, I like stick insects, I'm sure you'll be an excellent stick mummy

Yeah, they're really interesting to look at as well! Thanks! I'm getting quite excited now!

My mum used to have some when I was little and they were funny esp when they started to dance (sway side to side) but some got out and we were finding them everywhere and they do breed quick

Eleanor wrote:Yeah, they're really interesting to look at as well! Thanks! :DI'm getting quite excited now!

Ooooh me too, look forward to the pics if you get some

Eww they give me the w1illies!  

i always wanted to do an butterfly but i would end up killing it

Yeah they breed very quickly!

I'm going to give it some thought and sort out my room, look through care sheets, etc., then I'll decide whether or not it would be right for me to get them. If I do get some, I'll post loads of pics! The creepier the better!

Steve, you can get butterfly kits online! You get a special enclosure and everything you need to take care of them. You need to order the caterpillars separately with the voucher given in the enclosure package, but that's so that they can ship them quickly. It takes a couple of weeks for them to mature into butterflies, and then you can release them into your garde.

yes! get some

I had two when I was about 13 'Woody' and 'Reedy' both male they lived in one of those old big plastic sweet jars the newsagents had and loved the privet from the garden, unfortunately I went on hol and mum cleaned them out thinking it was ok not to fully dry out the tub I returned to find them both head down in the pooled water

I'm probably going to get them. Just need to check the temperature of my room, as it gets really cold in there in the winter - my breath fogs up and everything!

Aww, poor Woody and Reedy!

I find them quite interesting tbh! They've only ever recorded one or two males in captivity, they're so rare!

ive had them before and would get them again. they are super easy to look after require minimal care at all, my only problem was in winter i couldn't find any leaves they liked (the hedge outside my house was conveniently the only leaves they would eat, but it shed all the leaves in winter!) so they died

Aww, poor stickies! Luckily, we have a huge load of ivy in our garden. Also a massive rose the size of a medium tree in our allotment! And some horrible brambles as well, which is so big, the stems are about an inch thick in places!

The stickies in the ACI room were quite easy to look after and they were the more fussy species, so I'm thinking Indian stickies will be fine. Just have to make sure about the temperature and we're good to go!