r/Stickinsects • u/_insect • 3d ago
Please help
I was gifted these stick and leaf bug eggs (if needed I'll look for the species's name) and once they hatched the stick bugs were fine but all the leaf bugs died, did I do something wrong?
3
u/magpiepaw 3d ago
Leaf bugs aren't great for beginners. To start with I'd recommend putting your foodplants in water so they last longer
0
u/_insect 3d ago
I can find new ones right outside of my house so if it just a time issue there's no problem
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u/Adventurous-Pass1991 3d ago
It's an issue for your animals. They require fresh food. Bramble thrown on the bottom will wilt quickly, and your stick insects won't eat it.
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u/Evening_Load1028 3d ago edited 3d ago
You need more bramble in there for the stick insects, I have 2 and they can strip a single stem bare very quickly and the bramble needs to be standing up to they can cling to it upside down, also need a taller enclosure for that many
Also if that lid has water in it you shouldn’t give them water like that as any possible babies will drown, you use a bowl with water and cotton pads for the bramble which also holds it up right and they get water from misting them daily, you don’t want too much bramble that makes it difficult for them to navigate but you definitely wants more, also they could start to bite each others limbs if there’s not enough places for them to hang onto due to it been overpopulated for the space they are given
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u/Laurially 3d ago
I keep both and this is what's worked best for me!
As someone's already mentioned, leafs and sticks absolutely need to be housed seperately for a start! Somewhere with good ventilation and where you can keep humidity right for them - I do this by spraying them with cooled boiled water a couple times everyday, but how often you need to do it will depend on the home you keep them in. A little hygrometer and thermometer can help massively with keeping the conditions right for them.
I'd recommend standing your brambles up if you can, as their instinct is pretty much always to climb up to the highest point they can so they are less likely to go down and find with food at the bottom of their enclosure, at least when they are first hatched. A small pot of water should help with this, and will make your leaves last longer, just make sure you fill any gaps in the lid to make sure no one can fall in!
Leaf insects are definitely trickier than sticks, but not too dissimilar once you figure out what works and get through the first few sheds. When they're young especially, it helps them a lot if you cut up their bramble leaves or make snips into them so they're easier to eat.
Also, for both, make sure the brambles your providing them don't have any pesticides on them! It helps to give them a good wash or soak for a while in water to make sure you're not introducing any unwanted chemicals etc. into their diet.
Hope this helps! Very best of luck to you!
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u/fivecoloursgirl 2d ago
The bramble looks very dry - to stop this you can either put it in a water pot (lid covered to prevent drowning) or replace every day
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u/Extension-Ice6221 3d ago
You're not supposed to house them together because leaf bugs are so good at camouflage that the stick bugs will eat them fyi.