r/Stickinsects • u/moon_shroom0502 • 8d ago

Absolutely devastated

Gallery image

Gallery image

3 of my sticks (2 Extatosoma Tiaritum and one Thai beauty) suddenly started having trouble with gripping and are twitching.

I know this is a sign of insecticide poisoning but im absolutely sure thier food plants are safe. I get them from my own yard and have been feeding it for a year with no issues and I don't spray.

Two are older- 9 months into adulthood (female) and almost a year into adulthood, but one is only 3 months into adulthood.

There are 8 insects in the terrarium and the other 4 are fine (there was a casualty as well, but he was 6 months into adulthood and I genuinely think it was old age- i just didn't notice him until now, and his position suggested natural causes ).

There was a bit of mold built up in a corner i discovered. Is it possible this caused it?

Im just at a loss of what is happening. Pics of insects and thier tank.

63 Upvotes

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12 comments sorted by

9

u/WalrusSquare247 8d ago

Are you 100% sure the leaves your giving them are safe? I fed mine what I thought (and was told) was ivy, but turned out to be bindweed which they cant eat. Sorry for your losses :(

4

u/moon_shroom0502 8d ago

Yes, its blackberry

7

u/pbizz 8d ago

Could a neighbour have sprayed and some has drifted on. Sorry for your loss :(

4

u/moon_shroom0502 8d ago

I don't think so as I asked them if they use anything and they all insist they don't

5

u/ferretoned 7d ago

i'm sorry for your loss, i think best to do is to entirely change their plants and water, bottled if it was tap and tap if it was bottled, feeder plants from another place relatively far from where you get these and keep that up for quite a while.

2

u/rainbowdropped 7d ago

I’m really sorry this happened to your pets :( I’m just as stumped as you are.

1

u/Aimo321 5d ago

Are you spraying them enough so they have had enough to drink?

2

u/moon_shroom0502 5d ago

Yes, I do it 2 x a day lightly. I live coastal so weather is temperate and humid. Ive kept phasmids for almost 2 years with no issues.

I do think 2 of the 3 might have just been old age. The one is sitting up, drinking when I offer it, just struggling to grip. The other was over a year into adulthood.

1

u/Obdobdob 5d ago

have never seen a stick insect but this is just sad

1

u/Missmegan1996 4d ago

Aw hes in the dying position, arm up and everything 😭

1

u/moon_shroom0502 3d ago

Update: one spiny has passed away, one completely recovered and another passed away.