A big, dramatic Australian stick insect that curls its abdomen like a scorpion when threatened — impressive, gentle and one of the best large stick insects to handle.
🟢 Spectacular & handleable🌿 Herbivore🦂 Scorpion-mimic pose⏳ ~1–1.5 years
Care difficulty
Easy–Moderate
Animal cost
£5–£15 each
Full setup
£40–£150
Adult size
Females 12–20 cm
Lifespan
~1–1.5 years
Min. enclosure
Tall mesh 40×40×60 cm+
📋At a Glance
Also called the giant prickly or Macleay's spectre, this large Australian stick insect is a superb leaf-and-lichen mimic. Females are big, spiny and heavy-bodied; when alarmed they curl the abdomen up over the back in a scorpion-like bluff (they're harmless). Hardy and gentle, they're one of the most impressive and handleable stick insects.
Best for: keepers wanting a large, spectacular, gentle, handleable stick insect.
💷Costs & Getting Hold of One
The animal
£5–£15 each (nymphs); nice as a small group.
Full setup
£40–£150 (a tall mesh enclosure).
Ongoing costs
Very low — foliage (bramble/eucalyptus).
Availability
Fairly easy; commonly bred.
These are minimums, not budgets. The low end still has to meet the animal's needs — proper UVB, a heat gradient, space and filtration are not optional extras. A vivarium alone can cost £250–£300+, and a tortoise's UVB lamp alone is often ~£100. Price the whole setup before you commit to the animal.
Buying tip: A group is engaging. Females are the big spiny ones; males are slimmer and can fly.
🏠Enclosure & Where to Keep It
A tall, airy (mesh) enclosure — height is essential for these large insects to moult.
Group
A tall mesh enclosure from 40×40×60 cm.
Height
Ample height to hang and moult (they're big — need real clearance).
Furnishing
A pot of fresh foodplant standing in water (block the top).
Where to keep it
Room temperature, out of direct sun.
These are large insects — give generous height, or moults fail and legs/bodies deform.
🌡️Temperature, Lighting & Humidity
Temperature
Room temperature 20–26 °C.
Lighting / UVB
Normal room light.
Humidity
Light daily misting; a touch more humid than Indian sticks.
Bedding / substrate
A little substrate/kitchen paper to catch droppings and eggs.
🍽️Diet, Supplements & Feeding
A herbivore — fresh leaves.
Staple
Bramble (blackberry), eucalyptus, oak and rose.
Freshness
Keep fresh foliage in water; replace as it wilts.
Frequency
Constant access to fresh leaves.
Water
Daily misting for droplets to drink.
Wash foliage and avoid pesticides. Bramble is the reliable year-round staple in the UK.
✨Grooming, Shedding & Additional Needs
No grooming; they moult by hanging — height and humidity make moults succeed.
🖐️Handling & Interaction
Gentle and slow, and one of the best large stick insects to handle — the scorpion pose is pure bluff. Delicate, though, so let them walk rather than gripping.
How to handle
Let the insect walk onto your hand; never pull it off a surface. Support the large body gently and stay low.
✅ Do
Let it walk onto your hand.
Support the big body gently, low over a surface.
Supervise children.
Keep foliage fresh and the enclosure tall.
Wash hands after handling.
⛔ Don't
Don't pull it off a surface (legs shed).
Don't grip or squeeze.
Don't use pesticide-sprayed foliage.
Don't keep the enclosure short.
Don't be alarmed by the scorpion bluff — it's harmless.
🦎Fun Facts
Curls its abdomen into a scorpion-like pose as a bluff when threatened.
A superb leaf-and-lichen mimic; females are big and spiny, males slim and winged.
Females can lay eggs without a male (parthenogenetically), producing females.
Newly-hatched nymphs mimic ants for protection.
Native to Australia.
⭐Overall Verdict
A large, spectacular, gentle stick insect that's a joy to keep and handle — the scorpion pose is all show. Give it height and fresh bramble, handle it gently, and it's one of the most impressive beginner-friendly invertebrates.