# Stick Insects as food



## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

I am not sure if there is any nutrition in them but my Leos seem to like eating the Indian Stick Insects. I had a few spare adults and the next thing was a Leo with a mouthful of legs. 
I have run out now but does anybody breed them for feeder insects?


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## ChrisBowman (Jan 1, 2008)

i have 11 indian stick insects what are up for sale in a tank all about sub adult????


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## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

Thanks for the offer but I wouldn't buy them as food and I already have some, I have given loads away and to be honest you are going to struggle to sell them because they are the most common species.


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## zirliz (Nov 15, 2006)

I know someone who fed them to a sick chameleon who refused everything else


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

I used to feed em to my vittys and leos all the time, and mantids.
:no1:


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## blue-saphire (Oct 22, 2007)

arn't stick insects like 60p each? even if they do like them at that price (unless i bred them) would only offer as a treat lol


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## badboiboom (Oct 22, 2007)

we used 2 occasionally feed our pandinus imperators with indian stick insects when i bred stick insects


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## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

Indian Sticks are so easy to breed and privately you would struggle to sell them the pain is getting the food in the winter.


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## bigsky (Nov 21, 2007)

My yemen used to love stickies my daughters used to breed like mad so just gave them to him.
Lloyd


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

Mr T said:


> Indian Sticks are so easy to breed and privately you would struggle to sell them the pain is getting the food in the winter.


Ive wanted to get some as feeder treats for ages.

What do they eaT??


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## bigsky (Nov 21, 2007)

brambles used to feed mine on blackberry plant as it used to grow like mad behind (and in ) my work


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## Tina (Apr 9, 2007)

Mr T said:


> Indian Sticks are so easy to breed and privately you would struggle to sell them the pain is getting the food in the winter.





Crownan said:


> Ive wanted to get some as feeder treats for ages.
> 
> What do they eaT??


 
Bramble is good but if you're struggling for that in winter you can feed them eucalyptus which is evergreen. I planted a small eucalyptus tree in my garden for ours... food for the stick insects and a nice tree for the garden (as long as it's pruned well each year as they grow very tall VERY quick).

I don't keep them anymore but when I did they bred quite easily. I really liked them so I'm not sure I could use them as feeders.


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

Brambles and Eucalyptus?

Are these safe for lizard consumption?


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## zirliz (Nov 15, 2006)

bigsky said:


> brambles used to feed mine on blackberry plant as it used to grow like mad behind (and in ) my work


I switched mine to Ivy a while ago and they seem to prefer it,
I've never bred these as a live food but have bred them at times and once they start laying you become over run with them in no time.


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## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

Most Indian Sticks eat bramble but I have heard of them eating Privet and Ivy. They are dead easy to breed as the females do not need a male to fertilise the eggs. The eggs have a high hatch rate and take about 2 months to hatch I think.


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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

Mr T said:


> Most Indian Sticks eat bramble but I have heard of them eating Privet and Ivy. They are dead easy to breed as the females do not need a male to fertilise the eggs. The eggs have a high hatch rate and take about 2 months to hatch I think.


I fed all my common species Privett Bush.


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## Mark75 (Jan 21, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> I used to feed em to my vittys and leos all the time, and mantids.
> :no1:


I've actually thought about feeding these to my mantids but never got round to it.

Was it the common Indian ones you used YG?


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## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

The problem with feeding to Mantids is the sticks ten not to move much, the Leos smell them and bang they have a mouthful of legs.
If you hand fed your Mantids it might work.


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## Mark75 (Jan 21, 2007)

Mr T said:


> The problem with feeding to Mantids is the sticks ten not to move much, the Leos smell them and bang they have a mouthful of legs.
> If you hand fed your Mantids it might work.


The stick insect would only have to move once for a mantid to zero in and get it.

Hand feeding is ok for the smaller mantids I have but some of my big adult females bloody hurt when there raptoral arms get you and not the bug you're holding.


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## Mark75 (Jan 21, 2007)

I've kept Indian sticks when I was a kiddie and I don't think they'd be all that suitable for the larger mantids I keep.

I know nothing of stick insects. What slightly larger and bulkier stick or leaf insects that feed on privet / bramble are there that may be more suitable for a mantid?

Not mega expensive ones and they'd need to lay viable ova withought the need for breeding.


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## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

My Orchids wouldn't touch them anything slower than a fly they didn't notice.


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## Mark75 (Jan 21, 2007)

Mr T said:


> My Orchids wouldn't touch them anything slower than a fly they didn't notice.


Orchids can be quite particular with their prey, mine eat small locusts just fine.

The sticks would be for my larger mantids like H mem or S lineola.


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## Uncle Les (Dec 29, 2007)

That would be fine then as for larger species I am not sure of many that are so easy to breed and cheap.


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

Crownan said:


> Brambles and Eucalyptus?
> 
> Are these safe for lizard consumption?


So.......anyone able to answer this question? What about privet?


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## pecks (Dec 29, 2007)

Indian stick insects will eat, Bramble, currant, rose, privet, ivy, potatoe plant and a whole heap of other stuff. No food problems in the winter. If you want a large sp that breeds quickly try Baculum Thai. Eggs hatch in 2 months or less but they will end up all over the place.


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## garysumpter (Apr 18, 2005)

Would indian stick insects be suitable for chameleons to eat?

Gary


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

garysumpter said:


> Would indian stick insects be suitable for chameleons to eat?
> 
> Gary





Crownan said:


> So.......anyone able to answer this question? What about privet?


I would wait for the above question to be answered before making a descision. It'll be dependant on the sticks diets.


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## pecks (Dec 29, 2007)

Here we go then many years ago i kept a quadracornis who enjoyed them, only problem is they had to move for him to be interested. As a an addition to the diet IMO it would not cause any problems. Carefull with some stick sp though they have meta thoracic defence glands which some herps might find unappealing.


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## Crownan (Jan 6, 2007)

pecks said:


> Here we go then many years ago i kept a quadracornis who enjoyed them, only problem is they had to move for him to be interested. *As a an addition to the diet IMO it would not cause any problems.* Carefull with some stick sp though they have meta thoracic defence glands which some herps might find unappealing.


Depending on the sticks diet. I was lead to believe privit and other stuff they eat can be toxic..... but I dont know, hence the multiple enquiries


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## garysumpter (Apr 18, 2005)

Still waiting for an answer if anyone can help


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## Stoke Lad (Jan 26, 2007)

Privet is fine, 

i fed my Indian stick insects For about 3-4 generations on privet and nothing but. I got board of them so dident hatch any eggs after that, i think my mates family still have some of mine, that was from about 6 years ago, feeding only on privet.

When they start laying they never seem to stop, i think i almost filled a egg cup with them.

Not sure how long they take to grow though


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