Stick insects are gentle, low-maintenance invertebrates that make a genuinely good first pet for both kids and adults, thanks to their incredible camouflage and easygoing nature. At Birdsville we primarily stock the Australian Spiny Leaf Insect (Extatosoma tiaratum), a hardy species that settles into home care easily and isn’t fussy about its leaf diet. This pet stick insect care guide walks through everything a first time keeper needs to know, from enclosure setup and feeding through to spotting the early signs of a health issue.

Quick Facts

Scientific name: Phasmatodea (order); Extatosoma tiaratum for the Spiny Leaf Insect we stock
Also known as: Giant Prickly Stick Insect, Macleay’s Spectre
Adult size: females roughly 10 to 15cm, males noticeably smaller and slimmer at around 9cm (other Australian species such as the Titan and Goliath stick insects can reach 20cm plus)
Lifespan: 6 to 18 months, varying by species and sex
Diet: strictly herbivorous, fed on fresh leaves such as bramble, rose, eucalyptus or angophora
Enclosure minimum: roughly twice the insect’s length in width and depth, three times its length in height (around 30cm x 30cm x 46cm for a 15cm adult)
Temperature: 20 to 26°C, no additional heating usually needed indoors
Licence requirement: none, only reptiles need a NSW Native Animal Keeper Licence
Experience level: beginner friendly

On This Page: Stick Insects as Pets, Essential Supplies, Housing, Environment, Diet & Feeding, Providing Water, Behaviour & Handling, Common Health Issues, Parasite Control & New Arrivals, Health, Hygiene & Safety, Toxic & Dangerous Hazards, Sexing, Breeding, Record Keeping, Holiday Care, Transportation, Compatibility with Other Animals, Enrichment and Natural Behaviours, Recommended Vets and Links, Frequently Asked Questions, Stick Insect Fun Facts

Several Australian species turn up in the pet trade, including the Spiny Leaf Insect, Titan Stick Insect (Acrophylla titan), Goliath Stick Insect (Eurycnema goliath), Children’s Stick Insect (Tropidoderus childrenii) and Margin winged Stick Insect (Ctenomorpha marginipennis). Birdsville’s shelves are stocked with the Spiny Leaf Insect specifically, chosen for how forgiving it is with beginners and how readily it takes to a wide range of common garden leaves. They’re slow moving, arboreal and entirely plant eating, which makes them a comfortable fit for classrooms, families and anyone keeping their very first invertebrate.

Secure enclosure: tall and well ventilated is the priority here, since stick insects need vertical drop space to moult successfully. A mesh or ventilated plastic enclosure with a lid that seals properly (while still allowing airflow) works well.
Substrate: paper towel, coco fibre or a soil based mix all help hold light humidity and keep cleanup simple. It should stay just barely damp, never wet.
Climbing branches: sturdy branches running close to the enclosure roof give the insect somewhere to hang upside down while it sheds its exoskeleton, which is how moulting actually happens.
A steady leaf supply: fresh, pesticide free bramble, rose, eucalyptus or angophora needs to be on hand at all times.
Misting bottle: stick insects take in water as droplets off leaves rather than drinking from a bowl, so a fine spray bottle is a genuine essential, not an optional extra.
Cleaning tools: paper towel, spare substrate and invertebrate safe cleaning gear keep mould and odour under control.

Birdsville carries every item above, plus branches, enclosures and accessories in a range of sizes to suit a growing colony, all available in store.

What You May Consider: a small thermometer and hygrometer to track conditions without guesswork, a spare quarantine enclosure for any newly purchased insects, a ventilated carry container for trips home or transport, and extra branches on hand for when an established colony starts to outgrow its current setup.

Height matters more than floor space here. As a rule of thumb, aim for an enclosure at least three times the insect’s body length in height, since a stick insect that can’t fully extend during a moult risks serious injury. Most keepers can comfortably house several insects together provided there’s enough leaf supply and room to go around, though a solitary insect does just as well on its own.

Start juveniles in a smaller enclosure sized to their current length rather than dropping a tiny nymph into a full adult sized setup, and step the enclosure up in stages as they grow through each moult. Keep the whole setup somewhere quiet, out of direct sun and away from draughts or heater vents.

Environment

Stick insects are comfortable at everyday indoor temperatures of 20 to 26°C and rarely need supplementary heating. A light daily or every second day misting keeps humidity in a comfortable range without tipping into damp, mouldy conditions, good airflow is what prevents that tipping point. Ambient natural light through a window is enough, there’s no need for UVB or specialised lighting.

Diet & Feeding

Stick insects are strict herbivores that live entirely on fresh browse, and which plants they’ll accept does vary a little by species. Whatever the source, leaves need to be pesticide and herbicide free, and anything wilted, dried out or fouled should be swapped for fresh cuttings straight away.

Reliable, Easy to Source Plants

Bramble (Rubus species, the same plant blackberries grow on) is the single most reliable food plant for the Spiny Leaf Insect and is what most keepers rely on day to day, it’s palatable, easy to find growing wild or in gardens, and rarely refused. Rose (Rosa species) leaves are a solid backup that most individuals take to without any fuss, and guava (Psidium guajava) is a further option some keepers rotate in for variety.

Natural Diet Plants

In the wild, Spiny Leaf Insects feed mainly on eucalyptus and angophora, particularly smooth barked species such as Forest Red Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis), River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and Sydney Red Gum (Angophora costata). These are worth offering where available, though many captive bred individuals take just as readily to bramble and rose without ever being offered gum leaves. Other Australian species stocked more widely in the trade lean harder on eucalyptus specifically, the Titan and Goliath Stick Insects in particular are considered eucalyptus specialists and do best on a gum leaf heavy diet.

Plants to Avoid

Skip anything sprayed with pesticide or herbicide, and avoid heavily resinous or highly aromatic foliage, along with any ornamental plant known to be toxic such as oleander or azalea. When in doubt about a plant’s safety, stick to the reliable options above rather than experimenting.

No powdered or liquid supplements are needed on top of an appropriate leaf variety, correct plant choice covers everything a stick insect needs nutritionally.

Providing Water to Your Stick Insects

Because stick insects drink droplets directly off foliage, a water bowl won’t do the job, misting is the only reliable way to hydrate them. A light spray once or twice daily, timed around when fresh leaves go in, keeps both the insect and its food source properly moist without waterlogging the substrate underneath.

Stick insects are calm and unhurried, and most will happily walk onto an open hand rather than needing to be picked up. Let them come to you instead of grabbing at legs or the body. Keep handling brief and infrequent, and avoid it altogether around moulting time, when their exoskeleton is soft and a fall can cause a lasting injury. Always handle low over a table or your lap so a sudden drop isn’t a long one.

Stuck or Failed Moults

The most common issue keepers run into, usually traced back to low humidity, not enough vertical room, or being disturbed mid moult. Watch for limbs still caught in old skin or a body that looks visibly misshapen afterwards. Correct humidity and tall, unobstructed branches are the best prevention.

Dehydration

Skipping misting sessions or letting leaves dry out too fast can leave an insect looking shrivelled, sluggish or reluctant to feed. Getting back onto a regular misting routine with fresher foliage usually turns this around quickly.

Mould in the Enclosure

Too much moisture paired with poor airflow breeds mould on substrate or leftover leaves, and it’s harmful if the insect ends up eating it. Pull out anything affected straight away and open the enclosure up to better ventilation.

Falls and Physical Injury

A fall during handling, or a bad moult, can do real damage to a body this delicate. Sticking to correctly sized enclosures and gentle, occasional handling keeps the risk low.

Parasite Control & New Arrivals

Any newly purchased stick insects should spend 4 to 6 weeks in a separate quarantine enclosure before joining an established colony, the same standard Birdsville recommends across all new animals. This gives you a window to confirm the new arrivals are settling in and feeding normally before they share space with insects you already have.

Health, Hygiene & Safety

Spot clean droppings and spent leaves on a regular basis, and refresh substrate before it starts smelling or growing mould. Wash your hands before and after handling insects or working inside the enclosure. Keep the area free of any chemical residue, stick insects are extremely sensitive to airborne toxins.

Toxic & Dangerous Hazards

Pesticide or herbicide residue on foliage is the biggest risk, always source leaves from a spray free plant or wash them thoroughly first. Beyond diet, keep the enclosure well away from aerosols, air fresheners, scented candles, insect sprays used elsewhere in the home and any strong cleaning chemicals, even trace fumes drifting through the air can be fatal to an animal this small.

Adult Spiny Leaf Insects are straightforward to tell apart once mature: males are noticeably slimmer, smaller and have functional wings that let them fly, while females are bulkier, spinier in appearance and stay wingless. Younger nymphs are much harder to sex confidently, so most keepers wait until after the final moult to be sure.

Breeding Stick Insects

Female Spiny Leaf Insects can lay fertile eggs on their own through parthenogenesis, no male required, though those unmated clutches produce females only and typically take much longer to hatch than mated eggs. If a male is present and mating does occur, expect a mix of both sexes and a noticeably shorter incubation.

Egg Laying & Collection

A mature female flicks her eggs, one at a time, down onto the ground below her rather than laying them in a nest. Each egg looks remarkably like a small seed, complete with a fatty cap that wild ants collect and bury, which is exactly how this species disperses in nature. In captivity, place a shallow tray of substrate under the branches to catch eggs, and collect them every week or two into a dedicated incubation container rather than leaving them mixed in with frass and dropped leaves.

Incubation

Keep collected eggs on a barely moist substrate such as vermiculite or coco fibre, in a container with some airflow, at a steady 24 to 28°C. A light weekly misting is enough, oversaturating the substrate invites mould and can kill developing eggs. This is a genuine test of patience: mated eggs commonly take 4 to 9 months to hatch, while unmated eggs can take well over a year, and hatch rates are never perfectly even across a clutch.

Caring for Newly Hatched Nymphs

Freshly hatched nymphs are dark and fast moving, a temporary resemblance to ants that helps protect them in their first vulnerable days. Move them into a small, well ventilated nursery enclosure with fresh, tender leaves on hand immediately, older or tougher leaves are often refused at this size. Expect losses in the first week or two even under good conditions, this is normal for the species and not necessarily a sign anything was done wrong.

Record Keeping

A simple log is worth keeping, especially if you’re breeding or running a classroom setup. Note moult dates, any change in leaf species offered, cleaning schedule and anything that looked off health wise. Tracking moults over time makes it much easier to spot a genuine problem early rather than after the fact.

A short trip away is fine as long as fresh leaves are left in place beforehand. For anything longer, arrange for someone to swap in fresh foliage and mist the enclosure on schedule, and leave simple written instructions if they haven’t cared for stick insects before.

Transportation

Use a ventilated container lined with paper towel and a small branch to grip onto for any trip. Keep the journey short, avoid direct sunlight or extreme temperatures along the way, and never shake or jostle the container.

Many stick insects tolerate being housed together in pairs or small groups, provided there’s enough leaf supply and space to go around, though a single insect will also do perfectly well alone. Keep the enclosure somewhere your cats, dogs or birds can’t reach or disturb it, and remember new arrivals need their own 4 to 6 week quarantine period before joining an existing group.

Fresh branches to climb and a bit of variety in the leaf species on offer both support natural behaviour. Watch for a slow, rhythmic swaying, this isn’t random, it’s a defence mechanism that mimics a twig moving in the breeze. Their antennae grooming and general exploring make for surprisingly calming viewing once you start paying attention.

Vet visits are rarely needed for stick insects given how few health issues they run into with correct care, but if something does come up, the following exotic focused practices can help: SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital), 02 9190 6806, Level 1, 1 Richardson Place, North Ryde, sashvets.com; The Wild Vet, 1300 945 3838, 22A Bridge Road, Glebe, thewildvet.com.au; SERV, 02 9436 4884, 57 63 Herbert St, Artarmon, exoticsvet.com.au; Southern Cross, 02 9516 0234, 60 Princes Hwy, St Peters, southerncrossvet.com.au; Carlingford Animal Hospital, 02 9871 6036, 772 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, birdhealth.com.au; The Unusual Pet Vets, 02 9319 6111, 995 Bourke Street, Waterloo NSW 2017, unusualpetvets.com.au; Vetafarm, vetafarm.com.au.

Are stick insects always in stock at Birdsville?

Spiny Leaf Insects are almost always in stock at our Alexandria store, though numbers shift with breeding cycles and demand. If you’re after a specific quantity for a classroom or breeding setup, it’s worth calling ahead or asking in store to check what’s currently available.

How often do stick insects moult, and how do I know one’s about to happen?

Spiny Leaf Insects moult 5 to 8 times on their way from nymph to adult, often weekly at first and less frequently as they near full size. An insect nearing a moult typically stops eating, dulls in colour and goes still near the enclosure roof, that’s the cue to leave it completely undisturbed until the old skin has come off.

Can I keep just one stick insect, or should I get a few?

Either works well. A single stick insect settles in fine on its own, and small groups also cohabit peacefully as long as there’s enough leaf supply and room in the enclosure for everyone. It really comes down to how many you’d like to keep an eye on.

How big does a stick insect enclosure need to be?

Height is the key measurement, aim for roughly three times your insect’s current body length so it can fully extend during a moult. Width and depth only need to be about twice its length, and the enclosure should be stepped up in stages as a young insect grows into an adult.

What do pet stick insects eat?

Fresh leaves and nothing else, bramble is the most reliable choice for the Spiny Leaf Insects we stock, with rose, guava, eucalyptus and angophora all accepted too. Leaves must be pesticide free and get replaced as soon as they dry out or turn soggy, and no powdered supplements are needed on top of an appropriate leaf variety.

Are stick insects safe for kids to handle?

Generally yes, they’re slow, docile and don’t bite or sting, which makes them a popular classroom and family pet. That said, they’re fragile, so handling should always happen low over a table with an adult supervising younger children to avoid an accidental fall.

Some species can reproduce without a male at all, through a process called parthenogenesis, meaning a lone female can still lay viable eggs. Their entire survival strategy leans on camouflage, right down to that slow, swaying walk designed to mimic a twig stirring in the wind, a small but genuinely clever piece of evolution at work.

Our Alexandria store at 684 Botany Road, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney, is where you’ll find our stick insects in person. Drop in any time and our team will walk you through everything you need to get started.

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