The giant prickly stick insect is a popular, showy Australian phasmid with spiny, leaf-curled females and winged, flight-capable males. It is hardy and beginner-friendly but, as a non-native potential pest, is USDA-regulated in the US and requires a federal permit to keep legally.
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Females large and spiny at 13-15 cm (5-6 in); males slimmer, winged, ~11 cm.
Lifespan
0–1 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Australia and New Guinea
Origin
Old World
Climate
⛅ Subtropical
Family
Phasmatidae
Genus
Extatosoma
Part of the Stick & Leaf Insects
Phasmids (order Phasmatodea) kept as gentle, low-cost display insects prized for their twig- and leaf-mimicking camouflage. Most are herbivorous, non-venomous, and harmless to handle, feeding on bramble and other foliage, though many non-native species are regulated (a USDA PPQ 526 permit is required for many in the US) and must never be released outdoors.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Tall mesh / netted enclosure
12 × 12 × 18 in (≥ 3× body length tall)
Extatosoma tiaratum is large (females ~15 cm) and needs height for hanging moults — at least three times body length. Mesh sides give grip; substrate should be lightly moist coco-fibre or paper towel. House solitary or low-density.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Tall planted terrarium
16 × 16 × 24 in, mesh sides, daily mist
A tall mesh or netted terrarium with bramble/eucalyptus stems in water tubes, light daily misting (60–80% RH), and a litter floor. Multiple females can be kept together at low density with plenty of perches.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Walk-in mesh aviary
24 × 24 × 36 in mesh cage, planted
A large mesh insectarium with living/cut foliage, ample vertical climbing, and stable warmth. Lets adult prickly sticks moult cleanly and display their leaf-mimic posture.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Insects begin as eggs, laid singly or in clusters on or near a food source. Egg size, shape, and incubation time vary widely; some are glued to surfaces, others inserted into plant tissue or soil.
Photo coming soon
Larva / Nymph
The immature stage either looks grub- or caterpillar-like and very different from the adult (a larva, in beetles, flies, and butterflies) or like a wingless miniature adult (a nymph, in roaches, mantises, and stick insects). It eats and molts repeatedly as it grows.
Photo coming soon
Pupa
In insects with complete metamorphosis, the larva pupates — often in a cocoon, chrysalis, or sealed cell — and its body is reorganized into the adult form. Nymph-developing insects skip a true pupa and molt straight to the adult.
Adult
The adult is the sexually mature, usually winged stage with the species' full coloration and form. Adults are typically the dispersing and reproducing stage, and in many insects do not grow further once mature.
Habitat & enclosure
Keep singly or in groups in a tall mesh enclosure at least 45 cm high for adults to allow full hanging molts of the large females. Warm room temperature (20-26 C) and light daily misting suit them. Provide sturdy branches and foodplant standing in water.
Substrate
Coco fiber or paper towel on the floor catches droppings and the seed-like ova, which can be incubated in a deli cup of damp vermiculite.
Equipment & setup
Tall mesh enclosure, water jar for foodplant, spray bottle, and an egg-incubation tub. Heating rarely needed at normal room temperatures.
Diet
A herbivore feeding on bramble, eucalyptus, oak, rose, and salmonberry leaves. Keep cut stems fresh in a covered water jar. Nymphs and adults drink misted droplets; never let the enclosure dry out fully.
Behavior & temperament
Defensive females curl the abdomen scorpion-style and can release a faint odor; males fly readily. Young nymphs are striking ant mimics that run quickly. Reproduces sexually or parthenogenetically (unfertilized eggs yield females). Eggs are flicked to the ground and resemble seeds dispersed by ants.
Health
Robust. Biggest risks are molt failure from low height and dehydration; mist regularly. The large females need ample vertical clearance or they mismoult. Avoid pesticide-contaminated foliage. US keepers must hold the required USDA PPQ permit for this exotic phasmid and never release it.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Incubate eggs on damp vermiculite; hatch times are long (months). Handle the spiny females gently by letting them walk onto your hand rather than gripping. Keep foodplant fresh — wilted eucalyptus is refused.
