# FS: Unusual Insects. GIANT Prickly insects



## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

I have some giant prickly insect for sale. Super easy to care for and cool to watch. You can house them in a 10 gal with a screen lid. They grow up to 6 inches. And they eat blackberry bushes. Have a few different sizes. From 1-3 inches. They are around 3 months old.
Selling $5 each discount if you buy more. 

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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

not that I need any insects crawling around my place lol but ...any pix or maybe the name of what kind of insect they are?


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

They are Extatosoma tiaratum or Macleay's Spectre. 

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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

so it one of these guys:










lol man I thought spiders were bad, my woman would kill me if I brought that thing home, Anyway, good luck finding them homes


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

Yeah.. Not as mean looking as that pic more beige.
Thanks.

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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

Is it possible to freeze the leaves, then feed them?


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

TomC said:


> Is it possible to freeze the leaves, then feed them?


Yeah what do u feed in winter time?


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

Blackberry leaves. Never had any problems finding blackberry bushes even in the winter. Our weather is so mild. But if all the blackberry bushes where gone they also eat other leaves such as eucalyptus, oak, rose, hawthorn, raspberry.

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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

TomC said:


> Is it possible to freeze the leaves, then feed them?


Never tried.

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## ThePhoenix (Jul 23, 2012)

is that a scorpion-like stinger on the back?


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

I believe its just a species of mantis... Very cool. No stinger 

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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

yeah they are pretty gnarly looking thats for sure , pretty neat, how prolific are they because i can bet my jags would love to eat them , if they bred like hotcakes might be worth having a pair or 2


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## wsl (Apr 21, 2010)

Foxtail said:


> I believe its just a species of mantis... Very cool. No stinger
> 
> Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk 2


This is actually a species of stick insect. I believe it rears up like a mantis or a scorpion or something to scare away predators that see through its camouflage.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I can't afford to buy them right now (housing and heating and such) but those are AWESOME!

FREE BUMP!!!


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

how many can u house in a 10g? do they need a heat lamp or is 20 degrees house temp ok

can they be sexed?
do you mist them? i used to have stick bugs...........
I want 2 of them please. will pm with details for pick up


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

ok i read up on them. how long r they now?


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

macframalama said:


> yeah they are pretty gnarly looking thats for sure , pretty neat, how prolific are they because i can bet my jags would love to eat them , if they bred like hotcakes might be worth having a pair or 2


meanie..........


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

onefishtwofish said:


> ok i read up on them. how long r they now?


From 1-3 inches


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

your pm box is full


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## STANKYfish (Apr 21, 2011)

I think i have seen these at the Buckerfields? down by the border, in Abby


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## ilam (Apr 28, 2011)

how do i care for these guys


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## onefishtwofish (Apr 21, 2010)

Extatosoma tiaratum / Macleay's Spectre Stick Insect Care Sheet


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

wsl said:


> This is actually a species of stick insect. I believe it rears up like a mantis or a scorpion or something to scare away predators that see through its camouflage.


Wsl is correct. Its an Australian Giant Prickly Stick Insect. One of the largest in its genus. They were used in indiana jones movie instead of scorpions, as they look and mimic them.


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

effox said:


> I can't afford to buy them right now (housing and heating and such) but those are AWESOME!
> 
> FREE BUMP!!!


Thanks for the Bump effox. They are super easy to care for. Keep at room temp away from sunlight. Take a 10gal tank and have the opening facing you. Screen lid on the opening(Or make something). I use a cottage cheese plastic container and cut the plastic so i can put blackberry stems in. Fill the cottage cheese container with water so the bb leaves last a little long and dont dry out and done change once a week.
No special heating or lighting. You could even use a clear rubbermaid container and drill some ventilation holes in it.


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

onefishtwofish said:


> how many can u house in a 10g? do they need a heat lamp or is 20 degrees house temp ok
> 
> can they be sexed?
> do you mist them? i used to have stick bugs...........
> I want 2 of them please. will pm with details for pick up


You can keep as many as you want in a 10gal but the more you have the faster the leave go so you have to change it out every 2-3 days verses once every 1-2 week.
Yes they can be sexed. All mine are females. I had males but sadly they passed away. They don't need males to reproduce but it just takes longer. Takes about 7-8 months before they hatch and when they hatch they are female. Clones of the mom.

BTW! MAILBOX IS EMPTY NOW


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

STANKYfish said:


> I think i have seen these at the Buckerfields? down by the border, in Abby


Hmmm. Maybe... But not likely.
Retail stores are not allowed to sell these.


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## Brisch (May 13, 2010)

2 months till Halloween lol...just throwing the idea out there


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

7-8 moth turn around, yikes that a long time, there super cool ,sound easy enough to care for , i bet if you had a spare 90 gallon you could grow your own bb's in the tank and just have a neat little eco system


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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

Brisch said:


> 2 months till Halloween lol...just throwing the idea out there


Yeah... Didn't even think of that. Might have some stick bugs in the candy bowl this year. 

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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

macframalama said:


> 7-8 moth turn around, yikes that a long time, there super cool ,sound easy enough to care for , i bet if you had a spare 90 gallon you could grow your own bb's in the tank and just have a neat little eco system


That's an idea. There you go. They also eat other leaves as well. Could make a nice eco system with rose bushes.

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## Magistrate (Apr 29, 2010)

All smalls have been sold.
Only have a few larger ones left.
Prices is $15 for 2 for BCA members.


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## roshan (Jul 19, 2010)

Magistrate said:


> Yeah... Didn't even think of that. Might have some stick bugs in the candy bowl this year.
> 
> Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2


yeah, nurtirional treat, lots of protein


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