SpeciesMacleay's spectre
Macleay's spectre
Extatosoma tiaratum
An animal like a dried leaf that rears up like a scorpion when disturbed. Females reproduce without males: Unfertilised eggs hatch into more females.
- Group
- Phasmid
- Level
- Beginner
- Origin
- Australia
Where the species comes from
- World region
- Australia
- Countries
- Queensland and New South Wales
- Habitat
- Eucalyptus forests
The app does not yet hold an origin entry for this species. The distribution given here comes from the specialist literature.
The natural habitat is the yardstick for how you furnish an enclosure. Knowing where an animal comes from is knowing why it needs heat zones, hides and a particular humidity.
Husbandry at a glance
The same details appear in the animal’s profile inside the app.
- Enclosure
- 30 × 30 × 50 cm for two to three animals. Height at least three times the body length.
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C, a night-time drop is desirable.
- Humidity
- 60–70 %, mist lightly every day.
- Lighting
- No special lighting needed.
- Substrate
- Coco humus, which catches the eggs.
- Furnishings
- Fresh browse in a vase, a mesh lid to hang from.
- Water
- Droplets on the foliage.
- Feeding
- Bramble and raspberry leaves, oak or hazel: Fresh all year. That is the real work with stick insects.
- Behaviour
- Nocturnal, motionless by day. When disturbed it adopts a threat posture with the abdomen raised.
- Handling
- Possible, but the animals are delicate; never grip them by the legs.
- Cohabitation
- Groups are unproblematic.
- Health
- Failed moults if the enclosure is too low or the air too dry.
- Seasonal cycle
- No rest period. Life expectancy about one year.
- Safety
- No permit required. Never let eggs or animals reach the wild.
Legal position in Switzerland
No permit foreseen
No permit required. The species does not belong to any of the groups listed in Art. 89 of the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance
No certificate of competence foreseen
No proof of competence required. It is only demanded for the animals named in Art. 89 of the Ordinance
No CITES listing
Not listed in the CITES appendices: Import and transfer require no species-protection papers. Keep the proof of purchase nonetheless
Minimum enclosure dimensions
The Animal Welfare Ordinance does not apply to these animals: under Art. 1 it governs the handling of vertebrates, cephalopods and reptant decapods. There are therefore no minimum dimensions. Housing, climate and places to retreat should still match the needs of the species. The cantonal veterinary office can say whether cantonal rules apply, for example to venomous animals.
What the enclosure must provide
Enough height for moulting, fresh browse all year, escape-proof closure. Freeze surplus eggs rather than passing them on: Stick insects multiply fast.
Paperwork
Keep a receipt bearing the scientific name. Never release invertebrates into the wild: Even seemingly harmless species can establish themselves.
These details are a guide, not legal advice. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office; the text of the ordinance is what counts. More on the legal position
