Download FACT Spiny Leaf Insects SHEET

Spiny Leaf Insects
FACT
SHEET
Extatosoma tiaratum
Introduction and Origin
There are over 2500 stick insects or
Phasmids worldwide, with around 150
species being found in Australia. The
Spiny Leaf insect occurs mainly along
the east coast, particularly in warm,
tropical regions.
Phasmid comes
from the Greek
word meaning
“phantom”,
which describes
how these stick
insects blend
into their surroundings by resembling
dry, shriveled leaves. If they are
disturbed, they will sway from side
to side like a leaf being blown by the
wind and sometimes they will even fall
to the ground and remain motionless,
blending in with leaf litter.
A baby spiny
leaf insect is
called a nymph.
While the Spiny looks quite bizarre, it
is actually quite docile and completely
harmless.
Housing
These insects will need a relatively
large, well ventilated cage so there is
enough room for them to walk around.
These can be purchased from any
good pet shop.
The cage should be positioned where
there is sun light during the day but not
extreme heat that is going to cook your
insect. It is important that they have
UV from the sun to help them grow and
shed their skins, so try and avoid dark
rooms.
Diet
The Spiny Leaf Insect feeds mainly
on Eucalyptus leaves. Generally they
prefer broad leaf varieties but you may
have to try out a few different varieties
to find one that they like to eat. They
have also been known to eat wattle and
rose leaves, which will change their
colouring from brown to green. Fresh
leaves should be provided every 2 – 3
days and keeping the leaves in a jar of
water will help maintain their freshness.
Care should be taken that the Spineys
can’t fall into the water container and
drown.
Spineys get all their food and water
requirements from the leaves that they
eat and they will enjoy a fine mist of
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RE07 Spiny Stick Insects
Spiny Leaf Insects
FACT
SHEET
water sprayed in their enclosure once a
day to maintain humidity.
uncurl their bodies as they emerge from
the egg. The newly emerged nymphs
can uncurl themselves up to four times
the size of their egg, and they look like
ants, having a black body with an orange
Stick Insects are very clean animals,
head. Care should be taken with feeding
and will require minimum maintenance.
the hatchlings as they haven’t yet
Collection of shed skins poo and wiping
developed the strong, cutting mandibles
down of the sides of the enclosure
of an adult spiny, so the babies are
weekly will ensure good
quite dependant on a supply
hygiene for your Stick Insect.
of soft, newly sprouted leaves.
Learn more
Over the next few months the
Never use detergents or
from the team
young leaf insect will go through
at Kellyville Pets
insecticides when cleaning.
several moults, known as Instars,
shedding and leaving their old
skin behind as they grow too big for it.
The female Spiny Leaf Insect is unable
After their first moult the babies stop
to fly as she only has tiny wings that
looking like ants and start to look like
can’t lift her body weight. She is quite
miniature adults.
spiky in appearance, and her tail curls
up over her back. She will live for around
18 months. Males are
long, straight and slender
and have fully developed
wings with which they are
able fly and they live for
approximately 12 months.
Cleaning
Breeding
The female will lay
anywhere from 100 to 1300
eggs. She doesn’t need a
male to produce eggs, but
eggs produced without
a male result in all her babies being
females. The female flicks her eggs from
the end of her tail. These eggs resemble
small, round, cream seeds and can take
anywhere up to three years to hatch,
waiting for the right conditions.
Further information on diet, hygiene,
vitamins, Vets and much more is
available from the team at
Kellyville Pets.
If you happen to have a female lay eggs,
then mist the eggs every 2 – 3 days with
a fine water sprayer, and keep your eyes
out for tiny spiny leaf insects which will
At Kellyville Pets, we encourage responsible pet ownership.
Phone 9629 3282 OPEN 7 DAYS
106B Windsor Rd Kellyville NSW 2155
www.kellyvillepets.com.au
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consequence and or result that may eventuate as a consequence of any information obtained from this brochure.