Decor & plants
- Tall greenery — bramble, ivy, and rose leaves (food and drinking surfaces)
- Wash leaves before adding
- Heat mat on the side or back of the enclosure
- No UV required — heat mat only
Miscellaneous · Care guide
Giant Hooded Katydid Care Guide
Siliquofera grandis
A large nocturnal insect from Papua New Guinea — about 15 cm long with a 25 cm wingspan. A pair needs a tall humid enclosure, a mild heat mat, and fresh leaves plus soft fruit.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
-
Warm end
~82 °F
28 °C · mat probe
-
Night
~72 °F
22 °C · set twice a day
-
Spray
AM + PM
Night humidity spike
-
Diet
Leaves + fruit
Bramble · ivy · rose
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
A large tall enclosure for a pair, with humid substrate, food plants, and a heat mat on the side or back.
For a pair
45″ W × 45″ D × 60″ H
Adults can reach about 15 cm long with a wingspan of about 25 cm. This is larger than a typical stick insect enclosure.
Substrate
- Highly humidity-retaining mix
- Orchid bark, humus brick, spider life, or coconut bark
- Spray morning and evening
Maintenance
- Twice a day: alter the temperature and spray
- Every other day: replenish greenery (or when needed)
- Once a month: full clean
- Day-to-day work is light if the setup is stable
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 45″ wide × 60″ tall (depth 45″) · pair · heat mat on side/back · bramble greenery · humid substrate
- Pair size — 45″ × 45″ × 60″ high
- Heat mat — side or back, on a thermostat
- Greenery — bramble, ivy, and rose (food and drink surfaces)
- Substrate — orchid bark, humus brick, spider life, or coconut bark
- Spray — morning and evening; treated or bottled water only
- No UV — heat mat only. No standing water bowl
Setup diagram
Heat mat & probe placement
Mat on side or back · probe outside or just in front of the mat · ~82 °F day / ~72 °F night
- Mat — side or back of the enclosure, on a thermostat
- Probe — taped outside next to the mat, or through the lid gap just in front of it
- Day — about 82 °F (28 °C) at the warm end
- Night — about 72 °F (22 °C). Alter the temperature twice a day
02 · Climate
Temperature, humidity & spray
Mild heat with a night drop, humid substrate, and a morning-plus-evening spray. They are nocturnal. No UV required.
Daytime warm end & night drop
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of ~82 °F (28 °C) warm end creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Ambient side | Room temp (Away from mat) |
| Warm end (probe) (thermostat probe target) | ~82 °F (28 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~72 °F (22 °C) at night · set on the thermostat |
Heat & gradient
- Tropical or subtropical origins — they need a heat source
- Day warm end about 82 °F (28 °C)
- Night about 72 °F (22 °C)
- Room temperature on the side away from the mat
Activity
- Nocturnal — active mainly at night
- The evening humidity spike supports night activity
- No UV required — heat mat only
Climate diagram
Spray cycle & drinking
Morning spray for drinking · evening humidity spike · nocturnal · treated water only
- Morning — spray enclosure and greenery; drink from leaves and sides
- Evening — humidity spike while they are awake
- Bramble — morning spray helps keep food plants fresh
- Water — Reptisafe or bottled only, never straight from the tap
Humidity & spray routine
- Spray the enclosure and greenery every morning
- Spray again in the evening — that is when the humidity spike is needed
- They drink from leaves and sides. Morning spray also keeps bramble fresh
- Found mainly in Papua New Guinea; the family is widespread in warmer, humid climates, though not always
03 · Nutrition
Diet & feeding
Leaves first, plus soft fruit. Many species also take flowers, seeds, and small soft-bodied insects.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Leaves
- Bramble, ivy, and rose — wash before use
- Also
- Soft fruit — apricots, plums, pears, citrus — plus other vegetation
- Many species
- Flowers, seeds, and small insects such as aphids
- Refresh
- Every other day, or when needed
- Drinking
- Droplets on leaves and sides after spraying
Bramble
Core food plant — morning spray helps keep it fresh
Ivy & rose
Local leaves — wash before adding
Soft fruit
Apricots, plums, pears, and citrus
Extra foods
- Many species also eat flowers, seeds, and small insects such as aphids and other soft-bodied insects
- Some tropical species are more predatory and may hunt small invertebrates
- Treated water (for example Reptisafe) or bottled water only
04 · Behaviour
Handling & breeding
Easy to handle, with care around leg spines on full-grown animals. They breed readily when conditions are right.
- Handling
Easy, with care
They can be handled easily. Full-grown animals have sharp spines on their legs, so a kick can scratch.
- Hygiene
Wash hands
Wash or disinfect hands before and after handling.
- Breeding
Eggs on substrate
They breed readily and can lay a large number of eggs at one time, in or on the substrate. Hatch time is about 3–5 months, depending on temperature.
- Warning
No aerosols
No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure. The chemicals can be harmful.
05 · Welfare
Health & welfare
Enough space, a stable day–night temperature, fresh food plants, and safe spray water.
Best prevention: good husbandry
A pair enclosure at 45″ × 45″ × 60″ high, a heat-mat gradient of about 82 °F by day and 72 °F at night, humid substrate with morning and evening spray, and fresh washed food plants keep day-to-day care simple.
Questions
FAQ
What size enclosure does a Giant Hooded Katydid need?
They are large — about 15 cm long with a wingspan of about 25 cm — so they need more space than a typical stick insect. For two, use an enclosure 45″ wide × 45″ deep × 60″ high. Provide humidity-retentive substrate, tall greenery (bramble, ivy, rose), and a heat mat on the side or back.
How do I set heat?
They generally come from tropical or subtropical environments and need a heat source. Attach a heat mat to the side or back of the enclosure on a thermostat. Set about 82 °F (28 °C) by day and drop to about 72 °F (22 °C) at night — alter the temperature twice a day. Tape the probe next to the heat mat on the outside, or drop it through the cable gap in the lid so it sits just in front of the mat. Either way it monitors the warm end. The side away from the mat stays at room temperature.
What do Giant Hooded Katydids eat and drink?
They eat bramble, ivy, and rose leaves, sourced locally and washed before use. They also take soft or exposed fruit such as apricots, plums, pears, and citrus. Many species also eat flowers, seeds, and small insects such as aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Some tropical species are more predatory and may hunt small invertebrates. They drink from droplets on leaves and enclosure sides after spraying — use Reptisafe or bottled water, never tap water. Refresh greenery every other day, or sooner if it wilts.
How often should I spray and clean?
Spray the enclosure and greenery every morning, and spray again in the evening. The night humidity spike matters because they are nocturnal. Maintenance is light: change the temperature twice a day, spray twice a day, replenish greenery every other day or when needed, and do a full clean once a month. Always use treated or bottled water.
Can they be handled?
Yes — they can be handled easily. Full-grown animals have sharp spines on their legs, so a kick can scratch. Wash or disinfect your hands before and after handling, and do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.
Will they breed?
They breed readily in the right environment and can produce a large number of eggs at one time. The female lays eggs in or on the substrate. Eggs can take 3–5 months to hatch, depending on temperature.
Next steps
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