Best stick insect for staple diet

[Franquixote]

Hi- I'm looking through all of our threads but thought maybe there is an obvious choice if anyone uses stick bugs for a staple and which species offers the best for nutrition, ease/rate of breeding, and doesn't have spines big enough to hurt a child (or chameleon) or come with any other nasty surprises (I know some can produce a noxious odor and/or defensive secretions).

Thanks

 

[etclement]

The only mantis I've ever fed to my cham is a baby Chinese mantis that I caught in my backyard and kept for a few days before feeding, but those get huuuge.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Stick insects are poor staples. They have very little "meat" to them and they generally only consume a few plant species, so they aren't easy to gutload. They aren't unhealthy in any way to feed to a chameleon, that just aren't a practical staple, due to their dietary requirements, time needed for eggs to hatch and nymphs to grow to a reasonable size, and their lack of substance.

 

[Andee]

I agree, I raise them as part of my rotating feeder diet, but my staples are roaches currently. Stick insects are completely not staples. If you live in a very seasonal climate most stick insects will follow that as well. I have found a way to by pass their seasonal breeding and hatching thing. But I don't use them as staples. They also aren't generally the easiest feeders to keep. Most people when they think of feeders to raise they think of something like a dubia roach ease of care, stick insects are one of the harder ones.

 

[Andee]

The only mantis I've ever fed to my cham is a baby Chinese mantis that I caught in my backyard and kept for a few days before feeding, but those get huuuge.

Mantids are different than phasmids, or stick insects. FYI

 

[etclement]

Mantids are different than phasmids, or stick insects. FYI

Oops I thought he said mantis somewhere in there

 

[Andee]

Oops I thought he said mantis somewhere in there

Lmao it's ok XD I have had people thinking stick insects were mantids when they ordered from me, so I wondered if it was like... something in the different part of the states or something? to call them such?

 

[Franquixote]

I'm starting to see that all roads away from 'cricketville' seem to lead to 'roachland'. Stick insects have their place, but not as a staple. Got it.
Guess I'll start researching roach threads. I need something that can't infest - I live in NJ so we do have severe winters but in the house it always stays at least 65 and we live in a heavily wooded/ rural area which is to say that we are constantly battling nature to keep it from reclaiming our homestead and not vice-versa. We have some years where we have to take pretty extreme measures to keep camel crickets at bay so I'm also concerned that even if I stopped putting perimeter insecticide (once per year in spring) we'd be taking a chance feeding any invaders.
At any rate, dubia roaches seem to be the go-to choice.

I'll start a new roach thread if I can't find the answers to:
which roach is best not to crawl, fly, stink, bite, and reproduces fastest?

Also, why is it no one uses camel crickets (also known as cave crickets)

they are extremely meaty and seem like they would be a natural choice for you folks that like to feed crickets.

 

[jamest0o0]

I don't know anything about camel crickets, I'll have to look them up. Some crickets can be pretty aggressive and destructive though, the ones that are readily available tend to have more mild temperaments, easily reproduce, do well in captivity, etc.

I'd get orangeheads instead of dubia if I had to pick. Same care, can't fly, climb, etc. But they are meatier, gutload easier IME, and much more active.

 

[Andee]

Camel crickets are so cute, I love them. They are relatively a chill species. Generally tropical roaches won't infest your house at that temps. There are those select few that can and will do well but look for species in the Blaptica, Eublaberus, and Blaberus families and you should find something ^^

 

[Franquixote]

Congrats, you are the first person to say that EVER. Since they began infesting homes in NJ about 10 years ago everyone I know is waging all out war on these monsters. They get as big as small frogs and jump 4 feet. I've batted them midair with a sandal and after they sail across the room and hit the window or wall with an audible thud will hop back towards you looking for more. I think that one in a chameleon cage could seriously hurt it if the lizard didn't nail it fast.

 

[jamest0o0]

Hahaha that's andee for you. Wait till she tells you about how cool the parasite phorid flies are. Just messing though @Andee

 

[Andee]

>3> I am not weird

 

[leedragon]

my Jacksons loved stick insects. I would have them as my rotations feeders eventually. you should do it too. other than that I do not know much about them just that some species reproduce reaaaaaaaallly often and not need to mate for this. that´s the one i would aim for as feeders.

 

[Andee]

my Jacksons loved stick insects. I would have them as my rotations feeders eventually. you should do it too. other than that I do not know much about them just that some species reproduce reaaaaaaaallly often and not need to mate for this. that´s the one i would aim for as feeders.

I have one of the species you mention, but they still usually only hatch seasonally because of how the ova survive in the wild. You have to fake out the species you have that it's time to hatch year round.

 

[leedragon]

I have one of the species you mention, but they still usually only hatch seasonally because of how the ova survive in the wild. You have to fake out the species you have that it's time to hatch year round.

don´t know. maybe. I see people that have them in swarms. but then again I dont see Them all the time.

 

[Whyte Monkee]

Camel crickets are so cute, I love them. They are relatively a chill species. Generally tropical roaches won't infest your house at that temps. There are those select few that can and will do well but look for species in the Blaptica, Eublaberus, and Blaberus families and you should find something ^^

I could not disagree with you more. I don't mean any disrespect but they scare the hell out of me. One bad encounter with one of those alien looking things jumping on me, and I now have had a life long phobia of them!

 

[Andee]

don´t know. maybe. I see people that have them in swarms. but then again I dont see Them all the time.

As far as wild ones? I just sold of excess numbers of 150 or so... Though I need to send out some replacements for DOA which worries me how many died and makes me generally terrified why that happened and I am trying to track down the reason... before sending out the replacements etc. I do not accept that. Currently I still have like 25+ that I will be keeping. XD

 

[leedragon]

As far as wild ones? I just sold of excess numbers of 150 or so... Though I need to send out some replacements for DOA which worries me how many died and makes me generally terrified why that happened and I am trying to track down the reason... before sending out the replacements etc. I do not accept that. Currently I still have like 25+ that I will be keeping. XD

no in the wild but people who keep them and them they just keep poping offsprings. like guppies