# Baby stick insects leg still in egg



## Millipedes (Jul 8, 2012)

Dear all,

Three of my indian stick insect eggs hatched today, but two have a strange condition. One has its back left leg still stuck in the egg and the other has both back legs stuck in the egg. Theyre crawling around fine, just pulling the egg with them. Does anyone know anything about this? I tried pulling the egg off gently but i didnt want to damage the legs. I dont know how else i could intervene.


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## sp1d8r (Feb 16, 2010)

Never kept them so no experiences with them...only thing I would suggest is a light misting to raise the humidity to help soften any dried egg case...

Fingers crossed


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## Mr Mister (Oct 12, 2011)

Millipedes said:


> Dear all,
> 
> Three of my indian stick insect eggs hatched today, but two have a strange condition. One has its back left leg still stuck in the egg and the other has both back legs stuck in the egg. Theyre crawling around fine, just pulling the egg with them. Does anyone know anything about this? I tried pulling the egg off gently but i didnt want to damage the legs. I dont know how else i could intervene.


Not really a stick insect person, however, I suppose short of continuing what you were doing, it is a case of just letting them be, and let nature take it's course. Odds are that a bit more time and nature itself would be enough.


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

wiping with a damp paint brush can help.

I generaly gently hold the egs and let them pu there own leg out. If they lose one its not a massive deal as it will grow back over the next few sheds


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## Mr Mister (Oct 12, 2011)

The closest thing I can think of to this, is when a PM is trying to shed.

If they happen to fall, and you are not around to stick it back up right away, it cannot really shed on the ground, since it relies on the gravity.

In those instances, it is sometimes possible to save them, by gently prising the layer of skin off, but in other cases, even if you can, you find the legs crippled, and therefore, it would never be able to catch anything. In the case of these stick insects though, I would really be tempted to just leave for 12hours, and see what happens.


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

I've had nymphs lose 1 or 2 legs when young and they gone on to be perfectly fine.


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## Mr Mister (Oct 12, 2011)

Draco said:


> I've had nymphs lose 1 or 2 legs when young and they gone on to be perfectly fine.


Sticks?

What I mean with the PM thing is sometimes it results in their legs becoming so fused, that they are beyond reasonable help.


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## sp1d8r (Feb 16, 2010)

Mr Mister said:


> Sticks?
> 
> What I mean with the PM thing is sometimes it results in their legs becoming so fused, that they are beyond reasonable help.


Had that before  tried eveything to keep them going drip drinking an holding food to their mouthparts to feed...got 2 to the following moult but just wasnt possible as their legs were banjaxed.....bummer


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## Draco (Nov 23, 2005)

Mr Mister said:


> Sticks?
> 
> What I mean with the PM thing is sometimes it results in their legs becoming so fused, that they are beyond reasonable help.


yeah I was talking sticks.


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## Mr Mister (Oct 12, 2011)

Draco said:


> yeah I was talking sticks.


I take it the leg(s) do not grow back, if they lose one?


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## sp1d8r (Feb 16, 2010)

Mr Mister said:


> I take it the leg(s) do not grow back, if they lose one?


They regenerate after a moult as a thinner weaker limb and strengthen with every moult :no1:


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## Mr Mister (Oct 12, 2011)

sp1d8r said:


> They regenerate after a moult as a thinner weaker limb and strengthen with every moult :no1:


That's not so bad then, even in a worse case scenario.

: victory:


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