What do stick insects eat?

[Rainwater]

Do they behave/eat similarly to praying mantis?

[C_Strike]

Nope, stick insects generally eat plants.. quite waxy leaves and things.
I know when i kept some stick insects they fed and thrived on ivy

[Rainwater]

ah so no fruit flies!! what sort of plants would they eat and where would i get them from?

[Pincers n Paws]

I used to feed mine privet hedges. That was some 20 years ago when a wee kiddy! Not sure with the chemicals being sprayed today as to the safety factor.

[fundo]

most eat bramble and privet

[salad dodger]

bramble is pretty universal ,
but there are lots of different stick insects from all over the world.
they eat many different varietys of flora.
some specialise & JUST eat ferns or rhodedendron or eucalyptus etc.
so it all depends on which you get