PSG 9 Australian stick insect nymph

1 Australian stick insect nymph. The sex of the nymphs is not always visible yet.

General information

A young nymph of the stick insect species Extatosoma tiaratum. This is also called the Australian Stick Insect. The species has also been given the number PSG9.

The Australian stick insect originates from Australia and New Guinea and is very popular due to its unusual shapes and size. They look more like a cactus than a branch. They have spines and striking protrusions on their legs. They are often brown in color, and occasionally green varieties of this type are also available. In the photos above you can see how beautiful they are!

What is striking is the big difference between males and females. The females are thick, spiny and 15 cm long. Males are simply narrow with long wings, small spines and a length of about 12 to 13 cm.

Movement and behavior

This stick insect is a peaceful animal. Because most stick insects are nocturnal, they will not move much during the day. In the evening you will see them moving and eating.

Food

This species eats various leaves such as blackberry leaves, raspberry leaves, oak leaves, rose leaves, hazelnut and eucalyptus leaves. Blackberry leaves are easy to find, even in winter. Make sure the food is unsprayed!

The nymphs are raised by us on blackberry leaves, so we recommend using this type of leaf for the nymph. You can also mix different leaves (but at least blackberry) so that they can get used to another type of leaf.

Conditions

The temperature can vary between 20 ° C and 30 ° C. So room temperature is fine for these animals. The stick insect does not make high demands on humidity, make sure you spray at least 2-3 times a week, as they need water to survive. Watch out for mold development.
As with all species of stick insects, the animals require an enclosure that is at least 3 times the length of the animal in height and at least 2 times the length of the animal in width. For an adult female, this means an enclosure of at least 45 cm high and 30 cm wide.

Reproduction

Adult males can be distinguished because they are smaller, have wings and long antennae.
This species can reproduce sexually or parthenogenetically. You can keep the males and females together in an enclosure. The eggs are round brown balls.
The eggs hatch after about 4 to 6 months if a male has fertilized the female, parthenogenetic eggs hatch after six months to a year. Store the eggs on a damp paper. This should always be damp, but not really wet. Preferably keep the eggs at a temperature of 25 ° C. Watch out for mold!

Own breeding

The insects are bred by us and are only shipped by parcel post. The sex is not always visible yet. Have fun observing these amazing animals!