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Original poster

stick insects!

35 replies

triplets · 05/09/2007 23:08

One of my boys wants some for Christmas, are they easy to keep and where do I get them?

OP posts:
woodenchair · 05/09/2007 23:21

My brother had them when he was about 8, they make really good pets. word of warning though, they multiply, they do that thing where you only need one lady to get babies, lots of them.

Think I saw some in pet at home the other week.

oh yeah and don't leave the top off, they get all over the house!

Original poster
triplets · 05/09/2007 23:34

The cats would love it if they escaped! He has his heart set n them, the only other thing he wanted was a scorpion!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
octoandslosh · 05/09/2007 23:35

pets at home do them

it's not one lady you need, stick insects are asexual so they pre-create entirely on their own, meaning you end up with hundreds, then thousands, then ....... of the little things

octoandslosh · 05/09/2007 23:36

it's the slosh i tell you, I meant procreate of course!

WendyWeber · 05/09/2007 23:37

small life supplies look good

DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM PETS AT HOME!!! They recently sold us 2 male rats to keep with our 2 existing male rats. We now have 27 tiny babies

iliketosleep · 06/09/2007 19:35

i used to have a stick insect, i kept him in a tall plastic sweet jar! all you need is fresh privat every couple of days and your set. They are the easiest thing to look after!!

Original poster
triplets · 07/09/2007 20:50

Thanks for that tip, did you put lots of holes in the top then?

OP posts:
Bomper · 07/09/2007 20:51

Ds has them, they're quite sweet when they are little, but they get MAHOOSIVE - so be warned!! Also, do watch out for the eggs and get rid before they hatch or you will be overrun!!

tortoise · 07/09/2007 20:55

I used to have stick insects. You can buy kits now. hawkins bazzar had them.
Just watch out because they will eat each other Ours often had a leg or two missing!
Very easy to look after and fun to handle once a bit bigger.

tortoise · 07/09/2007 20:56

here

iliketosleep · 07/09/2007 23:33

yes plenty of holes in the top and as long as you have just 1 its ok mine was called sticky

iliketosleep · 07/09/2007 23:34

mind you when it was smaller it was ok but when it got bigger it scared me a little as its mouth sort of grew and it looked scary

Original poster
triplets · 08/09/2007 19:50

On second thoughts................

OP posts:
woodenchair · 08/09/2007 20:36

they are the gift that keeps on giving!!

sallysparrow · 08/09/2007 22:12

Just looked at links - how much??? I saw them in a pet shop recently for a pound each. If you can get a sweetie jar or similar thats a pretty cheap pet!

What do you feed them on if you havent got a privet hedge? I heard they like brambles.

WendyWeber · 08/09/2007 22:13

Even if you haven't got a privet hedge yourself someone nearby will

WendyWeber · 08/09/2007 22:14

(But you must keep the stalks in a little pot of water - put cling film over the top and push the stalks through)

MrsMuddle · 08/09/2007 22:21

We keep ours (started with 2, now have about 40!) in a fish tank thing with a lid with holes in it. Ours eat privet and brambles. Not the world's most interesting pet, but pretty easy to look after. My tip would be to have lots of people lined up to give a couple of baby ones to from time to time or you'll end up with hundreds.

You can use any container and just put a pair of tights or something over the top.

WendyWeber · 08/09/2007 22:27

MrsM, we had some in a fish-tank-thing with slits in the lid and the babies slithered through the slits

tortoise · 08/09/2007 22:31

Ours were fed on Privet and ivy. Mum was always sending me out to collect ivy!

sallysparrow · 08/09/2007 22:39

Thats all right then - got loads of ivy and brambles!

(Live in a small village can imagine the reputation id get if i was spotted surrepticiously pruning someone elses privet!

MrsMuddle · 08/09/2007 22:43

Yes, I forgot that the babies did get through the slits. I used to find them on the walls all the time. I then put a layer of clingfilm between the lid and the tank, and poked holes in it.

Botbot · 08/09/2007 22:45

No advice, but I'd like to just mention that my mum had some stick insects called Gary, Robbie, Mark, Jason and Howard in the early 90s. She's cool, my mum.

Spidermama · 08/09/2007 22:48

triplets hi. We have had stick insects for over a year now. One has died, babies have arrived and grown up.

They are so easy to keep that you almost forget you have them. They need to be cleaned out once or twice a fortnight.

They eat privet and ivy. I put loads of sticks in their tank, then there's a tub in the middle with holes in which I stick the privet and ivy into. Plenty to climb on for them.

I spray them every day or every second day.
Aparently they don't like the temp to drop below about 16'C so you have to get a warm mat for the winter.

They lay lots of eggs which you might want to crush if you don't want them to multiply too much.

iliketosleep · 08/09/2007 22:49

i used to love the way they stood there and bounced .....

am i thinking of stick insects?? i'll let you know lol