{"id":1325,"date":"2020-09-28T19:52:40","date_gmt":"2020-09-28T19:52:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/?p=1325"},"modified":"2021-08-14T22:32:17","modified_gmt":"2021-08-14T22:32:17","slug":"pharnacia-ponderosa-a-practical-care-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keepingbugs.com\/pharnacia-ponderosa-a-practical-care-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Pharnacia ponderosa (Giant Walking Stick): A Practical Care Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This impressive species is a very large and sturdy stick insect. Pharnacia ponderosa <\/em>does not have an official English name, but is often called as ‘giant walking stick’ or ‘heavy stick insect’. And large they are, especially the females who can get up to 21cm of body length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, this species native to the Philipines (Samar Island) is not kept much as pets. It is a shame because it is a very easy going stick insect and breeding with them is quite easy. Although, you need to take into account that these stick insects need a relatively large enclosure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We will discuss in this practical care guide how you need to take care of this beautiful and large stick insects. We will talk about housing, creating a proper environment, how to feed them, the cleaning routine and discuss some breeding tips. First, let’s have a look at this amazing species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

About the giant walking stick<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/span>
Giant walking stick \/
Heavy stick insect \/
Philipine giant walking stick<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>
Pharnacia ponderosa<\/em> (PSG 284)<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>
10 to 14 months<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>
Body length up to 21cm (8″)<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Appearance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Females are big and have a thick heavy-build body. Their main colour is green, but vary between bright green to green-brown and green-grey. They are often covered with darker brown spots. They have a typical stick insect head, and with females, the head is also quite large. Females lack wings completely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Males are much smaller, mostly around 13cm (5″) and are thin-bodied. They are more green-brown coloured and have some brown spots on their body. The males have fully developed wings, although when they try to fly it is very clumsy. Males also have many small spines on the legs, where females lack or have lesser spines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newly hatched nymphs are always bright green, and even when eggs are of a regular size (5mm), the nymphs are big and can be up to 2,5 cm (1″)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behaviour, temperament and handling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pharnacia ponderosa <\/em>is quite docile, and especially the nymphs up to L3 are easy to handle. From L4 to an adult, they may be quite nervous. When they feel threatened, but also when you try to handle them, they display defensive behaviour in which they drop to the ground and start wriggling wildly with the legs. When adult males feel threatened, they sometimes begin fluttering with their wings. They also display the typical rocking\/waving behaviour when they feel threatened. As camouflage, they mimic a branch moving in the wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although they are large and sturdy, even the adults are quite fragile. When handling, you need to be very careful that they don’t lose a limb. Although it can regrow within successive moults, it is a bit of a shame when they lose it, and it makes it more difficult for them to move around. When you handle them go carefully that they don’t let themselves drop off your hand and fall a great distance, damaging the stick insect or even kill it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n