# Stick insects - commercially viable feeder food?



## Guest (Nov 16, 2011)

This crossed my mind the other day after ordering some indian stickies off ebay for use as live food (mainly for mantids, however my cresty might find its way to gobbling a few).

Is there any particular reason that these haven't been taken up as a slightly alternative live food for adding variation to diets (much in the way that beetle grubs, silkworms, butterworms, etc have - not staples but good options for variations). I mean they'd be easy to raise commercially (anybody who has attempted to breed locusts at home will attest that they're tricky, and yet they're one of the staples of the live food industry), display high fecundity, and whilst species like indian stick insects don't have too much meat on them so to speak, other common species like macleays spectre, etc, would make a meaty food option.

So, can anybody think why they haven't been embraced by the live food industry a little more? I'm sure once established they'd be extremely viable, as cheap as other food, and provided they are not fed foods like privet, they'd be perfectly safe.

Thoughts guys?


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## damien1010 (Feb 16, 2009)

because theres basically naff all to them


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2011)

damien1010 said:


> because theres basically naff all to them


Try telling that to this little critter I found in Borneo (Sarawak to be specific):













PS - Yes thats me


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## damien1010 (Feb 16, 2009)

yea but that my friend would probably eat your lizzrd haha


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2011)

Haha yeah, I think thats more croc food than cresty food...


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

One issue may be that stick insects don't really move much or very fast when they do and considering that most livefood eating reps/insects respond to movement especially, they may not even bother with them.


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## 123dragon (Jan 15, 2011)

they are slow to breed, for feeder insects fast turn over means they get more to sell, 
slower growth would be good for us because they would last longer lol


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

also alot of the plant foods they eat would be toxic to lizards

and alot of species have spikes and spines so could get stuck in there mouth


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