Will I poison my babies?

[MeruJack]

I knew that title would get your attention!

Earlier this month, I received a long awaited shipment of baby Indian Walking Sticks from one of our CF members. The member had other species of walking sticks available but I chose to waiting until this variety of sticks was available because they eat both blackberry vines and ivy. I like that they eat ivy because I have a bunch growing in my back yard. Free food! However, I just read today that ivy is toxic when it comes to chameleons. So my question is this:

If I feed my baby walking sticks ivy, will the walking sticks poison my chameleon kids?

Thanks!

 

[Nicholasdeaan]

Do you know what species of Ivy it is?

 

[JGuinan007]

If the Ivy is toxic to Chameleons it will you really need to find out the type of ivy it is

 

[Extensionofgreen]

English Ivy or the genus Hedera is known to be inedible. I doubt the Phasmids would enjoy it much and it isn't deadly toxic.

 

[MeruJack]

Do you know what species of Ivy it is?

Here is the ivy in my back yard. I am currently feeding it to my Indian Stick Bugs but have not fed any of my stick bugs to any of my chameleons. I am waiting for the next generation of bugs...which is probably about 6-8 months away.

If it is toxic, I will probably continue to feed it to the bugs for another 5-7 months (It's free and it's even available in the winter) and then switch to blackberry brambles (or I think they eat Romain lettuce as well) for a couple of weeks before I feed them to my chameleons.

Anyone know the name of this ivy? English Ivy? Thanks!

 

[Chamifornia]

Looks like english ivy that i also have all over my neighborhood. From listening to chameleonbreeder podcast with nick barta it sounded as if it was safe but hopefully he can confirm when he sees this thread. After a quick google search it sounds too sketchy to risk

 

[Extensionofgreen]

It is English Ivy or Hedera. I don't know a great deal about the plant, as in if it has any merit as a food source, but brambles, rose, and edible fig, grape vine, and mulberry are known to be high in calcium, safe, and very easy to obtain and grow. I'd leave the Ivy alone, as a food source.

 

[Andee]

Also can feed Indian Stick Insects evergreen oak.

 

[cyberlocc]

Here is the ivy in my back yard. I am currently feeding it to my Indian Stick Bugs but have not fed any of my stick bugs to any of my chameleons. I am waiting for the next generation of bugs...which is probably about 6-8 months away.

If it is toxic, I will probably continue to feed it to the bugs for another 5-7 months (It's free and it's even available in the winter) and then switch to blackberry brambles (or I think they eat Romain lettuce as well) for a couple of weeks before I feed them to my chameleons.

Anyone know the name of this ivy? English Ivy? Thanks!

View attachment 160823

I am curious about the same thing. I also have a ton of that stuff in my yard, and was thinking about putting some in some enclosures. I would gladly grow some in the bugs enclosure and was thinking about getting some sticks.

Why has no one Paged @nick barta lol.

Also the english Ivy thing is confusing. I been reading about it, it is as extension said, inedible and toxic to humans. It is however edible and not toxic to birds. So that creates a whole new paradox lol.

There again, if you read 2 different places you get 2 different answers.

 

[nick barta]

I am a bit late to the party...sorry.

There are at least 20 Phasmid species that eat Ivy, but the majority of the stick insects in culture eat Blackberry, Oak, and Privet. I can't give you a definitive answer, but I have had no reports from my customers of any colonies dying from eating Ivy, or chams getting ill or dying.

I use Hahn's ivy for my Ivy-eating sticks, and have had no problems with chameleons eating the Indians. I would guess there may be some varieties of Ivy that Indian Sticks won't eat, but I have used Variegated Ivy, English Ivy, and Hahns Ivy without any ill-effects to the Indians or the chams who ate them. Hahn's has a light red center in the leaf, you can get it in garden shops.

Oak has several varieties, I have only tried 2 types, and don't know which type of Oak they are, and again no downside observed in the Sticks or chams.

You can use Romaine lettuce and dried Oak leaves in the winter for some species of Sticks if you can't find other food sources.

With all my sticks and leafs I try to give them Blackberry, Oak, and Salal, in their cage very week, and let them eat the one they want. Like chameleons, variety is better for the feeders IMHO.

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[cyberlocc]

I am a bit late to the party...sorry.

There are at least 20 Phasmid species that eat Ivy, but the majority of the stick insects in culture eat Blackberry, Oak, and Privet. I can't give you a definitive answer, but I have had no reports from my customers of any colonies dying from eating Ivy, or chams getting ill or dying.

I use Hahn's ivy for my Ivy-eating sticks, and have had no problems with chameleons eating the Indians. I would guess there may be some varieties of Ivy that Indian Sticks won't eat, but I have used Variegated Ivy, English Ivy, and Hahns Ivy without any ill-effects to the Indians or the chams who ate them. Hahn's has a light red center in the leaf, you can get it in garden shops.

Oak has several varieties, I have only tried 2 types, and don't know which type of Oak they are, and again no downside observed in the Sticks or chams.

You can use Romaine lettuce and dried Oak leaves in the winter for some species of Sticks if you can't find other food sources.

With all my sticks and leafs I try to give them Blackberry, Oak, and Salal, in their cage very week, and let them eat the one they want. Like chameleons, variety is better for the feeders IMHO.

CHEERS!

Nick

Dried oak would work, huh. I have alot of oak trees around here (not sure what kind, it has acorns? EDIT: googled the trees in the are is Gambel Oak.)

We dont have blackberrys or anything even close here, nor will it grow here. So Oak and Ivy are about the limits for me . We get 2 months of warm weather the rest of the time its cold.

Is there a smaller stick that you carry that will eat Ivy and Oak?

 

[bobcochran]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned rose leaves, the Indian sticks love them and they are safe for your chams. Sorry Nick, but no Ivy I have access to works with the stick bugs, especially English Ivy, yes they will eat some of it, but could never get them to thrive or reproduce using just Ivy! Bramble berries or rose leaves and some Romaine lettuce in a pinch.

 

[MeruJack]

Also can feed Indian Stick Insects evergreen oak.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[MeruJack]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned rose leaves, the Indian sticks love them and they are safe for your chams. Sorry Nick, but no Ivy I have access to works with the stick bugs, especially English Ivy, yes they will eat some of it, but could never get them to thrive or reproduce using just Ivy! Bramble berries or rose leaves and some Romaine lettuce in a pinch.

Thanks! I definitely want them to thrive and reproduce.

 

[cyberlocc]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned rose leaves, the Indian sticks love them and they are safe for your chams. Sorry Nick, but no Ivy I have access to works with the stick bugs, especially English Ivy, yes they will eat some of it, but could never get them to thrive or reproduce using just Ivy! Bramble berries or rose leaves and some Romaine lettuce in a pinch.

Have you ever tried Oak?

 

[Vanjan]

I feed my stick insects mulberry and they seem to like it. They get the same leaves as the silks but need much smaller amount. The sticks are about 4-5 weeks old and 7 cm in length.

 

[bobcochran]

Have you ever tried Oak?

I used oak with the Australian leaf sticks, but haven't tried it with the Indians, but I definitely will now!

 

[Andee]

Using oak with sticks can be complicated, if it isn't freshly grown stuff and relatively tender I always tear or cut the edges of the leaves. It makes the babies start eating it faster.