Peruvian stick insects

Mujician · #1 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 12:04 PM

I just got myself two tall sweet jars yesterdaywith mantids in mind, but then I remembered I wanted some of these stick insects - would a pair live happily in one of these jars? Does anyone have a care sheet to hand? Thanks, Ben

monitorfan666 · #2 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 12:15 PM

they might prefer to have one each, dunno depends on teh size of the jar and the sticks really

al_mcc · #3 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 01:21 PM

are you looking to keep peruvian fern insects (Oreophotes peruana) the Peruphamsa schultei, black stick insects (which have little red winglets)? The latter would probably be fine, but with Oreophotes peruana it's usually easier to keep them on a live fern, in a suitable mesh/plastic container.

dobson · #4 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 02:04 PM

Hi

fern insects are fine living communally, i have kept them for sometime time now. Lovely looking especiually when they become male and turn scarlet. i have a 45cm high glass tank with a live birdnest fern in a pot and gathered fern from the woods when i visited. I keep about 12 together and they do fine. careful introducing nymphs to the enclosure as i have found this tricky. they excrete a toxin in the enclosure that will kill other insects and i am not sure wheter this was the problem or the quality of the nymphs i tried to introduce. I keep the the temp at room or slighty above and mist regulaly to provide a bit of humidity.

They are great and like to come out to explore but keep an eye on them as they can go walkabout.

hope this helps and good luck.

Mujician · #5 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 03:24 PM

Great info but would a pair be okay in a sweet jar? Do they only live on ferns? Would any ferns do? I could plant a small one in the bottom, and put sticks and twigs in the top for them to climb around on. I thought just two would be fine in something of this size as they are quite small.

pecks · #6 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 04:11 PM

You are probably better getting an old aquarium and standing it on end. Leave ferns in their pots rather than planting them that way you can change them on a regular basis but remeber there may be eggs in amongst them. I use a jam jar with Oasis in. You can get it from a florists, keep it wet and poke your ferns and liverworts into it. Problem with jam jars is it is difficult to change fern etc without a lot hassle. Use 50/50 Eco earth and vermiculite as a substrate and they will get on fine. As with previous posts keep them good and humid.BTS show in May and you can get nymphs for a really reasonable price from several breeders. I have found that with a little care that they breed well and i agree with previous posts that hey are a really attractive insect.

al_mcc · #7 (**permalink**) 23-03-2008, 11:24 PM

yeah, they only eat ferns, i don't think it matters too much (i have used various species before), but MAKE SURE it hasn't been treated with insecticides; best bet might be getting one from some local woods etc. they would probably be fine in the jar, but as the above post, it may be tricky to change food, clean etc. they are pretty easy to keep once you get it right, room temp is fine, they don't 'like' hot temps. good luck with them

salad dodger · #8 (**permalink**) 25-03-2008, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al_mcc

best bet might be getting one from some local woods etc.

doubt yer gonna find much in the way of ferns in the woods atm

but you can buy ferns from garden centres etc that havent been treated for vine weavel etc.
also a pair in a sweet jar should be fine,
i keep mine in an xl geo planted with birds nest fern (bought from "the range") & they are thriving, m,y first nymphs hatched last week

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