Decor & plants
- Tall greenery — bramble, ivy, and rose leaves (food + structure)
- Wash leaves before adding
- Heat mat on the side or back of the enclosure
- No UV lighting required on this sheet
Miscellaneous · Care guide
Stick Insect Care Guide
Phasmatodea
Long-bodied, nocturnal leaf-eaters that need height for shedding, a mild heat mat, humid substrate, and fresh bramble, ivy, or rose. Common species can often share a setup when space and food are adequate.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
-
Warm end
~78 °F
26 °C · mat probe
-
Night drop
~68 °F
20 °C · set on thermostat
-
Spray
AM + PM
Night humidity spike
-
Diet
Leaves
Bramble · ivy · rose
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
Height over floor space so long-bodied stick insects can shed comfortably, with tall greenery, humid substrate, and a mild heat mat.
Adult minimum size
12″ W × 8″ D × 12″ H
Prefer more height than floor space so they can shed skins comfortably. Common species can share if space and food allow.
Substrate
- Highly humidity-retaining mix
- Orchid bark, humus brick, spider life, or coconut bark
- Spray morning and evening for humidity
Maintenance
- Every other day: replenish greenery (or when needed)
- Once a month: full clean
- Maintenance is minimal overall
- Dispose of unwanted eggs at clean-out if not breeding
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 12″ × 12″ (depth 8″) · heat mat on side/back · bramble greenery · humid substrate · height for shedding
- Adult minimum — 12″ × 8″ × 12″; height over floor space for shedding
- Heat mat — side or back of enclosure on a thermostat
- Greenery — bramble, ivy, and rose leaves (food + drink surfaces)
- Substrate — orchid bark, humus brick, spider life, or coconut bark
- Spray — morning (and evening spike); treated or bottled water only
- Communal OK — common species together with enough space and food
Setup diagram
Heat mat & probe placement
Mat on side or back · probe taped next to mat outside · ~78 °F day / ~68 °F night
- Mat — side or back of the enclosure on a thermostat
- Probe — taped next to the mat on the outside
- Day — about 78 °F (26 °C) at the warm end
- Night — drop to about 68 °F (20 °C)
02 · Climate
Temperature, humidity & spray
Mild tropical heat with a night drop, humid substrate, and morning-plus-evening spraying for nocturnal activity — no UV on this sheet.
Daytime warm end & night drop
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of ~78 °F (26 °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) | ~78 °F (26 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~68 °F (20 °C) at night · set on thermostat |
Heat & gradient
- Most species need a heat source (tropical / subtropical origins)
- Day warm end about 78 °F (26 °C)
- Night about 68 °F (20 °C)
- Ambient room temperature away from the mat
Activity
- Nocturnal — active mainly at night
- Evening humidity spike supports night activity
- No UV lighting listed on this care sheet
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 when nocturnal stick insects are awake
- Bramble care — morning spray helps keep food plants fresh
- Water safety — de-chlorinator or bottled water only
Humidity & spray routine
- Spray enclosure and greenery every morning
- Spray humid substrate morning and evening
- Night spike when they are awake and active
- Drink from leaves and sides — morning spray also keeps bramble fresh
03 · Nutrition
Diet & feeding
Leaf diet only — bramble, ivy, and rose, washed and refreshed regularly.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Food plants
- Bramble, ivy, and rose leaves
- Source
- Local greenery · wash before use
- Refresh
- Every other day (or when needed)
- Drinking
- Droplets on leaves and sides after spraying
Bramble
Core food plant — keep fresh with morning spray
Ivy
Local leaves — wash before adding
Rose
Local leaves — wash before adding
Water & greenery care
- Morning spray encourages drinking from leaves and sides
- Morning spray also helps keep bramble fresh
- Treated water (e.g. Reptisafe) or bottled water only
04 · Behaviour
Handling, breeding & eggs
Easy to handle if careful — fragile legs and feet. Breeding is common when conditions are right.
- Handling
Gentle removal
Stick insects can be handled easily, but they are fragile. Be careful when removing them from clothing or the enclosure so you do not damage feet or legs.
- Hygiene
Wash hands
Wash or disinfect hands before and after handling.
- Breeding
Eggs on substrate
They breed readily. Females lay many tiny eggs (~3 mm, brown/cream, sometimes with a white spot) in or on the substrate — easy to miss.
- Warning
No aerosols
No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.
Managing eggs & babies
- Place damp cardboard egg boxes on the floor for laying — easier to spot and remove eggs
- If you do not want breeding, dispose of eggs when you clean
- Babies can stay with adults from birth, but a smaller enclosure reduces escapes and helps monitoring
05 · Welfare
Health & welfare
Height for shedding, fresh food plants, correct mild heat, and safe spray water are the main welfare pillars.
Best prevention: good husbandry
Adequate height for comfortable shedding, a mild heat-mat gradient, humid substrate with morning and evening spray, fresh washed food plants, and treated spray water keep stick insects healthy with minimal daily work.
Questions
FAQ
What size enclosure does a stick insect need?
Adult minimum is 12″ wide × 8″ deep × 12″ tall. Most species are long-bodied and need more height than floor space to shed their skins comfortably. Common species can be housed together if there is enough space and food. Provide humidity-retentive substrate, tall greenery (bramble, ivy, rose), and a heat mat on the side or back of the enclosure.
How do I set heat for stick insects?
Most stick insects come from tropical or subtropical climates and need a heat source. Use a heat mat on the side or back of the enclosure on a thermostat. Set about 78 °F (26 °C) by day and drop to about 68 °F (20 °C) at night. Tape the thermostat probe next to the heat mat on the outside so it monitors the warm end. The side away from the mat stays at ambient room temperature for a gradient.
What do stick insects eat and drink?
They feed on bramble, ivy, and rose leaves sourced locally and washed before adding. Spray the enclosure and greenery every morning so they drink from leaves and sides and so bramble stays fresh. Use treated water (e.g. Reptisafe) or bottled water — never tap water. Replenish greenery every other day or when needed.
How often should I spray?
Spray the enclosure and greenery every morning. The humid substrate should also be sprayed morning and evening — the night-time humidity spike matters because stick insects are nocturnal and active then. Always use treated or bottled water.
Can stick insects breed, and how do I handle eggs?
They breed readily in the right environment and can produce large numbers of eggs. Females lay eggs in or on the substrate — tiny (~3 mm), brown/cream, sometimes with a white spot. Damp cardboard egg boxes on the floor make eggs easier to spot and remove for cleaning. Dispose of eggs at clean-out if you do not want breeding. Babies can stay with adults but are better in a smaller setup to reduce escapes and improve monitoring.
Next steps
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