Mary Allen
The Australian stick insect is a member of the order Phasmatodea, which also includes walking leaves and stick insects.
They are probably among the most common insects kept in terrorists. The reason for this may be their bizarre, external appearance on the one hand and their easy-care handling on the other.
Extatosoma tiaratum are masters of camouflage. Over time they have adapted perfectly to their natural habitat. In their homeland, the tropics and subtropics of Australia, they live particularly in Queensland and New South Wales. In addition, they are also found in New Guinea. There they can be found in forest areas with eucalyptus occurrences, whereby it is not exactly easy to spot the insects. They owe this to mimesis, which is considered a form of camouflage and aims to remain unnoticed by enemies. The yellow to brown cricket is characterized by a long, thin body with limbs that have a leaf-like appearance. From the outside, they can hardly be distinguished from real leaves.
But not only adult animals are well camouflaged, even newly hatched nymphs already use camouflaging abilities. Mimicry is the name of the adaptation that benefits the defenseless newcomers against their enemies, the Australian fire ants. They mistake the spider insect eggs for nutritious seeds and transport them to the granary of their ants’ nests. Because of the hard shell, the eggs remain unopened there until they hatch. In the first few days, the young nymphs look very similar to the ant workers, so that they can leave the burrow unnoticed.
After the first molt (L2), the Australian stick insect eventually returns to its original appearance and engages in mimesis rather than ant-mimicry.
Purchase
The Australian stick insect is acquired quickly and inexpensively. The land insect is available in pet shops as well as online.
Requirements for the Terrarium
Caterpillar boxes or glass terrariums or plastic terrariums are suitable as terrariums. For an adult pair, a minimum size of 30 cm x 30 cm x 50 cm (length, width, height) should be ensured, as the animals tend to move vertically. When housing a larger number of fosterlings, the size of the terrarium should be increased accordingly.
The terrarium must have good ventilation to avoid waterlogging or even mold.
Peat or a dry, inorganic substrate (e.g. pebbles or vermiculite) are suitable as soil material. Kitchen roll can also be used as it makes it easier to see discarded eggs. The organic or inorganic floor covering must be changed at regular intervals, otherwise, mold or fungus can develop. In addition, the insect’s excrement has an unpleasant odor.
The terrarium should be filled with branches so that the animals have sufficient opportunities for food, climbing, and camouflage. Cut-off forage plants are suitable for this, which are placed in a container with water in the terrarium and replaced at regular intervals.
The terrarium inhabitants prefer a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Often this temperature can already be reached by the normal room temperature.
The humidity should be 60 to 80%. To achieve this, it is sufficient to spray the terrarium once a day.
However, technical aids (heat lamp, automatic irrigation, etc.) can also be used to meet the climatic requirements of the insects.
Gender Differences
Male and female Australian stick insects show striking differences. Females have small thorns all over their bodies, while males have none. Another difference is the abdomen (back part) of the insect. While this protrudes over the back like a scorpion in female animals, it is stretched straight back in males.
The insects also differ in size and shape. Females are significantly rounder and larger than males. In addition, they only have stumpy wings, with which they cannot fly. The pen-shaped, slender bodies and large wings of the males, on the other hand, enable them to fly relatively well.
Feed & Nutrition
Australian stick insects are phytophagous insects. “Phytophage” describes the eating of leaves, which are the insect’s main source of food. In the tropical and subtropical forests of Australia, they feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus.
Since this does not grow in our latitudes, native foliage must be used. Blackberry, raspberry, rose, currant, or also oak, beech, hawthorn, or hawthorn leaves are suitable for this.
Since the hungry insects are not very choosy, you can also experiment with other plants.