Madagascar Stick Insect (Achrioptera fallax)

Madagascar Stick Insect Achrioptera fallax
Name	Madagascar Stick Insect
Name Lat.	Achrioptera fallax
Family	Walking Sticks
Family lat.	Phasmatidae
Order	Phasmids
Order lat.	Phasmatodea
Origin	Madagascar
Habitat	Tropical forest
Diet	Fresh rose-family leaves
Humidity	60-70 %
Behavior	Peaceful
Keeping	Individual, group
Care Level	Easy
Housing	Semi-humid terrarium
Breeding	Simple
Life Span	5-10 months
Protection	No
Metric Units
Size	17-21 cm
Temperature Day	20-28 °C
Temperature Night	20-22 °C
Housing Size	50 x 50 x 60 cm
US Units
Size	6.7"-8.3"
Temperature Day	68-82 °F
Temperature Night	68-72 °F
Housing Size	20" x 20" x 25"

Distribution and habitat

The Turquoise Giant Stick Insects are native to northern Madagascar. There the flightless animals live on bushes (e.g. Euphorbia) and trees of the dry forests and tree-covered savannas.

Maintenance

A terrarium of at least 50 x 50 x 60 cm (L x W x H) for a small group is recommended. A terrarium with a cover made of gauze or fine metal mesh is best. The terrarium should be placed in a quiet place without sunlight

They need climbing opportunities, such as cork backs, twigs and branches, which also serve as food plants. In order to keep them fresh for a longer time, they should be served in narrow-necked, well-sealed (danger of drowning), stable containers (e.g. vase). Suitable substrate is terrarium humus or a soil-sand mixture covered with moss, which should always be kept slightly moist. Every 1-2 days, preferably in the evening, the insectarium should be finely sprayed with water inside (humidity), but a rain or mist system is better. Waterlogging should be avoided at all costs. Good ventilation is especially important.

Daytime temp: 24-28 °C

Temp. night: 20-22 °C

Humidity: 60-70

Light sources that also produce the necessary heat are ideal. The lighting duration should be 8-12 hours, depending on the season

Diet

The food supply consists of fresh leaves of blackberry, honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida), laburnum, elderberry and ivy (Hedera helix), as well as leaves of ferns. Leaves of other roses and rose plants, such as red and hawthorn, raspberry, currant, wild rose, etc., as well as the leaves of beech, oak, linden, hazel, eucalyptus or sweet chestnut, and lettuce are also accepted differently from individual to individual. Blackberries are ideal as food in winter, as they remain green. By spraying the forage plants, the animals can satisfy their drinking needs. Additionally, a wick waterer is recommended. Eaten branches, dried and rotten leaves must be removed regularly

A varied diet promotes the well-being of the animals.

Reproduction and breeding

The females are much larger but more inconspicuously colored than the slimmer males, which develop a magnificent blue coloration a few weeks after imaginal molting. The legs of the males have many spines.

They can reproduce sexually rarely but also asexually (parthenogenesis).

The female drops the about 40-50 eggs on the ground. After a week, more may follow. The incubation period is about 5 months at about 25 °C. But even after 8-10 months larvae can still hatch. The newly hatched young are dark brown in color and have very short antennae. Males are adult after about 4-5 months, females after about 5-6 months. After the last molt (imaginal molt), the animals can live for several months.

Important

For molting, they hang upside down in the branches or on the lattice cover and slide out of their old shell. Therefore, they need at least a whole body length of free space below them.

When threatened, the animals flap their short wings and make a loud rustling noise.

Before purchasing, a terrarium should be prepared that meets the species-specific needs. Good ventilation without drafts is necessary, as well as equipment for measuring temperature and humidity. The lighting has to correspond to the species-specific day-night rhythm and has to be placed in such a way that the animals cannot injure themselves

The terrarium should be locked in such a way that neither unauthorized persons can open it nor the animals can escape. Special attention must be paid to thorough hygiene and impurities must be removed regularly

Further literature can be found in your pet store

References

Text: petdata; Image: Franz Lowak

Source: SEILER, BRADLER, KOCH (2000): Ratgeber Phasmiden, Verlag Bede; ENGELMANN & LANGE (2011): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Wirbellose, Harri Deutsch Verlag