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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 22, 2011 6:35:53 GMT
I just went to look at my stick insects, and found two of them mating.  I have three. I don't know what gender the first (Who is missing a front leg) is, but it is the same size as the male. The female is very big in comparison to her partner. I don't know how long they've been doing it for, or how long it is meant to take until the female is fertilized. It's happening as I type this, in fact. But does anyone know when she will start laying eggs, and the incubation times?  I'm very pleased with this, it was only a few days ago that I got them a proper tank to live in. For now, I'm keeping away from their tank so as not to disturb them. |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 22, 2011 7:19:08 GMT
As I'm not sure what species of stick insects you have, I can only go off my own for mating habits I find that once a male mates with a female it usually takes about 7 days for her to lay eggs, and the larger and more mature she becomes, the more eggs she lays. On average my bark females drop between 7 and 10 eggs a day when they are well fed and full grown. Hope this info helps a bit Timenova? |
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Post by lotsofants on Jun 22, 2011 14:10:58 GMT
Do stick insects lay a lot of eggs?  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 22, 2011 14:25:13 GMT
Do stick insects lay a lot of eggs? This is how many mine have laid over the last week.  Attachments:
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 22, 2011 14:27:53 GMT
Thanks Wood. I'm not sure about egg amounts, but I was told that depending on the species, a average female lays about 70 each time she mates.  I don't know what species they are, but I have a photo from last week when I cleaned them out.  The top left is the father, and the big one at the bottom is the soon-to-be mother. The one on the top right is the one I'm not sure about, but I suspect to be a male. It is missing it's front right leg. |
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Post by lotsofants on Jun 22, 2011 14:40:27 GMT
So you will have a lot of babies ;D The one without a front leg does look like the male that mated with the female so I would guess hes a boy |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 23, 2011 6:39:13 GMT
There's a number of objects in there that look completely identical to this:  They feel hard and like seeds, unlike their mess does. I think she's laying already. I've collected exactly 11 of them.  |
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Post by Jenny on Jun 23, 2011 7:17:55 GMT
Yes that is definitely a stick insect egg. Wood is picking out about 40 more eggs from ours before he has his breakfast, though I don't know where we will put them all if they all hatch |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 23, 2011 7:19:49 GMT
That's wonderful. ;D I don't think I'll be able to manage with 11 new stick insects, let alone the ones she might lay by tomorrow. I'll keep some of them, but I'll have to give some to the pet shop. On a related subject, I've been interested in the type of insect that look exactly like leaves, but they don't sell them anywhere nearby. |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 23, 2011 7:30:43 GMT
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 23, 2011 7:33:02 GMT
Thanks, I'll look into that. They look so convincing that like stick insects, you would never find them in a forest unless you knew what to look for. |
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 23, 2011 18:35:54 GMT
The mother stick insect has laid a further 5 eggs today, making 16. Funnily enough, the male whom she mated with seems to be close to her most of the time. I changed their bramble a few minutes ago, and accidentally brushed against her which made her shuffle to a different place. I looked down a few seconds later to see a brand new egg on the floor underneath her.  I shall keep an eye on her, I believe that this is merely the beginning of the stick invasion. ;D |
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Post by lotsofants on Jun 23, 2011 19:13:34 GMT
Will you be keeping all the eggs ?
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 23, 2011 19:16:44 GMT
I'll keep them until they've hatched. But I won't be able to keep all of the nymphs, there simply won't be space for them all- I could maybe keep about 4 or 5. The others will have to be given to my local pet shop, where I bought the adults from.  |
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Post by lotsofants on Jun 23, 2011 19:25:14 GMT
Well at least you will be giving them to a good place where other people can purchase them and have as much fun as you are having with yours ;D
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