I started keeping stick insects about 6 months ago - Trachyaretaon Bruekneri - (Giant Thorny stick insects) bought as nymphs from ebay. I started out with seven - they were doing extremely well, until about a week ago. One of the females wasn't walking properly, and then died. Thought it was just bad luck, until another one of the girls started to look rather ill and eventually stopped moving. The third and final lady also gave up the ghost yesterday. Yet, weirdly, the four remaining boys are still healthy and chipper and full of energy. (At least as far as stick insects go!)

They live on ivy from my back garden, which isn't sprayed.


picasaweb.google.com/109400832393706440174/2011#5672816460820364674

My favourite sticky - until she passed away

When I had stickies a few years ago I fed them on privit (sp) leaves. I know that is what is recommended. Are they getting enough water? They won't get enough moisture from the leaves itself. Use a spray bottle that has a delicate spray (you don't to blast them off their leaves now do you!?) and spray the leaves and walls of the cage with water. You can also hand feed water using a pipette which is fascinating to watch!! I started off with 6 and 3 years later I had had thousands as they laid eggs!!

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Bonnie 29.01.97 - 21.09.11
Millie 01.02.01
Seamus 09.07.00
Tyler 08.11.00
Kiki 15.10.10
Chico 01.07.11
Riley & Louie 16.02.11
Holly & Ivy - 11.11.11

My Husband started of with 2 stick insects about 10 yrs ago he has had 1000,s they seem to go on forever. There's always 100's of babies...

They get fed privit leaves... Anyone close by are welcome to some, also there always 100's of eggs, when he cleans the cage out he always has to get rid of the eggs because it gets to the point there's to many... get in contact if you want any lol...

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"Life is not about how many breathes you take, but about the moments that take your breath away"

Trachyaretaon Bruekneri is spelt Trachyaretaon brueckneri and is the Giant Sabah stick insect. These do best on bramble (blackberry) leaves. Most species of stick insect do best on bramble (blackberry) leaves. Only a few types eat privet leaves - these include the Peruvian Black stick insect (Peruphasma schultei) and the common Indian stick insect (Carausius morosus). The problem with Giant Sabah stick insects (Trachyaretaon brueckneri) is that the adults can suddenly die for apparently no reason. That is why they're not the best type to start with because it can be upsetting when they die. That species does drink more water than many other types and so it's a good idea to have a shallow dish of water in the cage for them (that applies to the standard Sabah stick insect too, Aretaon asperrimus).