Stick Insect Questions

[Teaspoons]

Hey all- I haven't posted in a while, but I was hoping I could get some help with a recently captured

Megaphasma dentricus, or at least that is what I'm almost sure he is by all the discriptions I have seen, and

the locations they are known to be found. (I will have some photos to update the thread when I get home hopefully)

I can't find much care info on them specifically and am worried I might accidentally starve him, or not be

able to properly care for him. Does anyone know if these guys do ok in captivity? I am feeding him all

the things that people list for them- oak, bramble, rose, holly, an apple slice, and even a bit of pecan since

that is the tree I found him near. I have him in a fairly large enclosure where he has good space to move around

and I am doing some light misting and putting him in the temperature that the outside is right now.

Any advice is appreciated, he hasn't eaten yet and I've had him overnight. If I can't get him to eat by tomorrow

I'm going to release him where I found him. Thanks in advance!

 

[C.Price]

Try willow if it's still small also try apple,cherry,blackberry and raspberry leaves. You can try triming the ends off of the leaves this may help if it's small. Could be stress from captivity but should be ok in a couple of days. Megaphasma are hard to get started when young but do fine after a couple of months. Hope this helps and good luck!.

 

[Teaspoons]

I will see if I can get some of those berry plants, I'm sure someone around here has some. He seemed to become more active as soon a I put some fresh oak in this morning. He's definitely not small though, from what I understand about them he is full grown. (about 3 1/2 to 4inches) I'm hoping he settles in tonight and chows down, they are truly awesome creatures- of course not quite as cool as my mantids. ;p

 

[C.Price]

3 1/2 to 4 inches sounds more like D.femorata. M.dentricus females are around 6 inches and males around 5 inches when adult but the food is the same. Good luck with your new pet

 

[Peter Clausen]

Definitely not an easy captive species! The oak should work though. You might not notice feeding for a couple days.

Here is a video I did of the species that should help you determine whether you actually have mature M. denticrus. (commonly misspelled)

http://www.youtube.com/user/bugsincyberspace#p/u/18/7DvpjJzoNt0