The key to keeping stick insects in captivity is to try to mimic the conditions they would naturally experience and feed them foliage as close to what they naturally eat as possible. Green in colour, leaflike in shape, with the wings of adults even having a ribbed or veined appearance like leaves. The book is written in an easy to read and understandable style. Stick insects eat a diet of brambles, such as blackberry or raspberry plants. The naturalised british stick insects phasmid study group. In conclusion, stick insects are not difficult to care for as long as you do some basic research first. My 12 year old daughter is selling her stick insects. Stick and leaf insects info sheet weird and wonderful pets. How to choose the pet bug thats right for you atlas obscura. These tanks are usually more suited to younger stick insects or smaller species.
Some insects, such as stick insects, are fascinating pets. The whole order is camouflaged as either sticks or leaves. All animals need to be able to choose to retreat from contact with people. More unusual pets can include reptiles, ferrets, and even stick insects. There are nearly 3 000 species of stick insect phasmida in the world all of which feed exclusively on vegetation, they are one of the most popular forms of insect life to be kept as pets.
Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Leaf insects are socalled because of their uncanny likeness to leaves. The custom of keeping stick insects as pets was probably brought to australia by either chinese, japanese or vietnamese immigrants during. How to look after stick insects as pets complete guide. Click download or read online button to stick insects stick bugs and leaf insects as pets book pdf for free now. Stick insects and leaf insects belong to the order of insects known as phasmida there are nearly 3,000 different species in this order of insects. Learn to look after an animal and care about a living creature. Stick insects that are kept as pets can grow up to four inches and can live up to one year. Plastic tanks with ventilated lids make ideal insect enclosures. An insect can be kept in a glass terrarium, or tank with a lid with holes for air to enter. They can live for 1218 months how big will my stick insect grow. The key to keeping stick insects in captivity is to try to mimic the conditions they would naturally experience and feed them foliage as close to what they naturally eat as possib. These insects are interesting and very easy to keep.
Stick insects, stick bugs and leaf insects as pets stick insects care. Walking sticks the perfect insect pets biological sciences. These harmless fascinating creatures take up very little space, and are much cheaper to feed than conventional. They are presented in the order in which they appear in the book. Dorothy floyds keeping stick insects is a primer for those looking to practice entomology as a hobby. Its common name is the sunny stick insect, derived from the less commonly used sungay stick insect. Live insects for schools minibeast wildlife provides live insects for schools. I have chosen to talk about cockroaches, locusts and ants because those i have.
Facts and information, types of stick insects, care, facts, food, handling, cages, health, breeding and where to buy all included. This text is designed for students in year one or grade one in school. This is a subadult nymph of the stick insect extatosoma tiaratum. Other insects and invertebrates as pets keeping insects. Some species are very easy to keep, while others pose more of a challenge to the real insect enthusiast. The indian walking stick carausius morosus may make a good candidate for a teachers pet. In australia and hawaii many kinds of stick insects are kept as exotic pets including the strong, goliath, spiny and childrens. Great pets, especially for first pets or even as a class pet. Book conversation card 04 reread the book from day 1 about insects under the lemon moon. An insect can be kept in a glass terrarium or tank with a lid with holes for air to enter. Will he ever notice that his love isnt even slightly returned. They might just be slim and green but theres a reason theyre so popular. Mar 14, 2020 stick insects that are kept as pets can grow up to four inches and can live up to one year.
Pet insects facts keeping insects as pets dk find out. It is easy to throw the phasmids out with the old branches and at first the task of taking each insect off individually and placing it back in the enclosure will seem daunting, however it is possible to train the eyes to spot the. Stick insects, stick bugs and leaf insects as pets. The genus name refers to the locality of the holotype, i. The most popular are cockroaches, locusts, katydids and ants. It is important to maintain humidity in their enclosure, so a fine mist of water should be sprayed in their enclosure once a day. Yet most people dont realize stick insects can make fantastic pets so let me give you a little background on walking stick insects. Add as a part of your science stem unit, or as part of your storytelling or literacy unit after reading a book. Book discussion card 53 third readaloud small group option 1. They will grow 1520cm in length what size of tank is recommended for my stick insect.
With so many species i made a selection on which i am covering on this website. Stick insects are so named for their effective camouflage among the woody plants where they feed. This comprehensive care guide will show you how to look after a stick insect in 3 easy steps fast facts. These amazing creatures are fascinating to behold and will captivate kids and adults alike. Stick and leaf insects can be kept in a variety of. They blend in so well with the surroundings that we often think they are just sticks. This means that incorrect housing can have a large effect on your success rate when keeping stick insects as pets. Phasmids are herbivores, whereas mantids eat other animals. The walking stick insect makes a captivating and instructive pet for the classroom or other educational venue, provided, of course, that it is not a species that sprays an acidic compound into your face and eyes. This is another very informative book by elliott lang.
Theyre not usually the types of creatures that are given names, but i suppose there are plenty of pet owners of. This name generator will generate 10 random names fit for insects and other creepy crawlies, like spiders, scorpions and worms. Stick insects have been kept as pets since the time of the han dynasty. I have confined this site to one walking stick, the indian walking stick insect. They make a great addition to any classroom or home and are easy to maintain. Many stick insects like to eat rose leaves especially those species which like to eat bramble. Stick insects range in length from a few inches long to more than 1 foot from head to tail. More fragile than most pets, some will even bite or pinch if you handle them too roughly. Lianne is a veterinarian, epidemiologist, and freelance writer whos written nearly 400 articles for the spruce pets. Stick insects, stick bugs and leaf insects as pets book depository.
How to look after a stick insect care guide kellyville pets. Easy to care for and watch the life cycle of mounting to adult and then egg laying. From fish to rabbits and lots in between, youll find a myriad of creatures of. Stick insects, along with leaf insects, are among the most popular insects kept as pets due largely to their unique appearance and the relative ease of caring for them. Removing the old branches and changing the leaves is the most timeconsuming part of keeping stick insects. Stick insects make a very interesting pet and can be a good option for a child or family looking for an easy low maintenance pet with an added bonus of being educational by teaching kids and adults about the different insect life stages. The tank must be big enough for the insect to move around and some insects like the air to be kept warm and moist to stay healthy. Indian stick insects, also known sometimes as laboratory stick insects are in many ways the classic stick insect that most of us have seen at zoos and in pet shops.
An introduction to keeping stick insects for study and as pets the care of stick insects there are nearly 3 000 species of stick insect phasmida in the world all of which feed exclusively on vegetation, they are one of the most popular forms of insect life to be kept as pets. And the best thing is that you should be able to find bramble growing in the wild. Stick insects are insects in the order phasmatodea or phasmida. A complete guide to breeding stick and leaf insects brock, paul d.
However, there are over 3,000 species of them out there. Stick insects and leaf insects belong to the order of insects known as phasmida there are nearly 3,000 different. Safer pets for classrooms include robust species that are not as sensitive to noise and movement. Jun 21, 2016 how to choose the pet bug thats right for you. Stick insects get all their food and water requirements from the leaves that they eat. Keeping stick insects as pets can be great fun for everyone. Stick insects in your classroom is a video conference program available to primary. Each pipe cleaner should stick out on both sides of the egg carton cup.
Require eucalypt leaves only and occasional misting with water. There are over 6000 stick insect species on earth, many of which are kept as pets. Female stick insects dont actually need a male to lay eggs much like poultry but when they do meet up with a male counterpart they mate but only stay together for a few weeks after which they go their separate ways. Besides praying mantises, stick insects, beetles and butterflies there are more species of bugs that can be kept as pets. Stick insects can easily be missed if you arent looking for them. I also learned that you could have potential problem with the hundreds of baby walking sticks that are born. They were kept inside birdcages and people in the far east believe they bring good luck and fortune, just like crickets. If you are interested in more than a visit from minibeast wildlife and would like to keep live insects and other minibeasts at your school then we can help you. The first step to success when it comes to keeping stick insects as pets is the cage they are kept in. There are many different species of stick insects and they make very good class pets and life cycle studies. Mary davy explains how to keep stick insects as temporary pets, discussing where to find them, what to keep them in, what to feed them, and when to let them go. Heres a look at some brilliant options you can keep in australia.
Stick insect simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The tank must be big enough for the insect to move around. Stick insect food in the wild is pretty varied, but as pets they do very well on a bramble diet. To add wings, design, color, and cut the wings out of foil. Thats why his kindergarten teacher at his london school asked him if he would like to be the one taking care of their class pets their three unnamed stick. Despite a passing butterflys constant advice, he doesnt notice the lack of movement or life in his paramour and dreams them up a life together surfing, skating, cinema, rollercoasters.
Only around one in every thousand stick insects are male and they can usually fly. Dryococelus australis, commonly known as the lord howe island stick insect or tree lobster, is a species of stick insect which lives on the lord howe island group. The escape of this species into the wild has caused ecological problems in southern california and britain. Stick insects stick bugs and leaf insects as pets download stick insects stick bugs and leaf insects as pets ebook pdf or read online books in pdf, epub, and mobi format. Although walking stick bugs are available in the pet trade, there are laws in some areas that forbid owning these insects as pets. The presence of the indian walking stick in the wild in southern california, specifically san diego, is a concrete example of the damage that can be done by feral walking stick insects. You should know what they eat, how humid they need their environment to be and any other particular requirements that will help them thrive.
It was thought to be extinct by 1920, only to be rediscovered in 2001. Dioramas insect display featuring insect orders, etc. For everyone there is a nice species to keep, but all species require care. They are found in south and southeast asia to new zealand. The custom of keeping stick insects as pets was probably brought to australia by either chinese, japanese or vietnamese immigrants during the world war ii, korean wars or vietnamese war. Also, national geographic notes that it is unknown if harvesting walking sticks from the wild is causing an adverse effect on wild populations. If you are stumped at what pet to get the kids and getting a dog or a cat is out of the question, theres a heap of other pets which could be a great choice and which are pretty easy maintenance. A complete guide to breeding stick and leaf insects. Walking stick insects are not permitted in all areas. These harmless fascinating creatures take up very little space, and are much cheaper to feed. They have been in southern california since before 2001 and have been expanding their range over the years see links below. This book is a must have guide for anybody passionate about stick insects as pets.
This information is provided to help you incubate, raise and maintain these amazing invertebrates all while learning about their biology. If you have been lucky enough to come across stick insects in the uk, please report your sighting here we would be very grateful to hear from you. Care should be taken that the stick insects cant fall into the water container and drown. Schools also often have stick insects as classroom additions and are a fantastic way to learn about evolution and camouflage. As an animal lover, he enjoys writing animal books and advising others how to take care for their animals to give them a happy home. Males will live for one year in adulthood females will live for.
The pet trade presents a potential threat, along with the popular practice of. Stick insects are shortlived meaning that you wont be left cleaning and feeding them for decades to come if your children get bored. Stick insects in your classroom is a video conference. Ivy is an evergreen plant that is an exclusive food source for some species of stick insects. Sungaya inexpectata size facts habitat and images petworlds. Amazing insects and arachnids to have as pets petbarn. Stick insects make perfect classroom pets as they are easy to. Pdf stick insects stick bugs and leaf insects as pets. Stick insects, stick bugs and leaf insects as pets stick. Keeping stick insects as pets may be a great option if your landlord wont let you have a dog or cat. Without the right housing stick insects can struggle to change their skins and grow. The indian walking stick carausius morosus may make a good candidate for a teachers. This page will take you through all the basics of caring for any stick insect.
Oct 12, 2017 stick insects make perfect classroom pets as they are easy to maintain. Intentional teaching card ll66, reading nonfiction books. The world book encyclopaedia definition for walking sticks is. Eucalyptus gum leaves are eaten by almost all the species of stick insects that are kept as pets. The slim book only 60 pages plus illustrations contains a great deal of information on both stick insects and insects in general. Tarantulas are quiet and need little space, so keeping them as pets can be a fascinating hobby. Many species are easy to care for and will live for 1 year or more in captivity. Stick insects enjoy being handled, provided you are gentle.
A stick insect will take about 23 months to become an adult and then can live for up to one year. Stick insects, stick bugs and leaf insects as pets stick insects care, facts, costs, food, handling, cages, health, breeding and where to buy all included. Stick insects can represent an ideal first pet for children, on account of their ease of care. Teachers and students all over the country are now stuck. A number of pet stores now sell mesh and glass terrariums which make great homes for stick insects. Just a few benefits of stick insects for kids include. Nothing lengthy, this is nevertheless a nice little book all about the insects known as walking sticks or stick insects with lots of great pictures and information for people who want to start a terrarium or vivarium with walking sticks. Stick insects, stick bugs and leaf insects as pets by elliott lang, 9781909151925, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Books about insects and bugs for a read aloud see the teaching about bugs, insects, and spiders book list for suggestions. An introduction to keeping stick insects for study and as pets. It is a species in the order of the stick insects phasmatodea and the only member of the genus sungaya. Stick insects are insects that often mimic sticks, branches or leaves. In a straight forward, no nonsense fashion, elliott lang covers all.
Stick insects or phasmids eat leaves and resemble leaves or sticks. Little is known about stick insects, making it difficult to declare the vulnerability of their status in the wild. Believe it or not stick insects actually make great pets, particularly if you are looking for something with built in education it is a great way to learn about insects and their life cycles. Some insects like the air to be kept warm and moist to stay healthy. If your school or library uses another system for leveling books, you can. What do stick insects eat stick insects diet zooologist. Keeping and caring for pet tarantulas the spruce pets. Graphic organizers pdfyou can use this bundle in many ways. Males will live for one year in adulthood females will live for two years in adulthood. Apr 19, 2012 stick insect facts and information introduction to stick insect. A crowned stick insect one of many australian species.