1) Lightening
2) Tap water
3) Disturbances in living quarters
4) Breeding phasmids in living quarters


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Lightening

·   lighting conditions have not been taken into consideration seriously enough in the past.
    Although quite a few species can be cultured successfully at dusky lighting conditions.
    Nevertheless other species do not tolerate a lack of light for a prolonged time. Amongst
    these are such precious species as Achrioptera and Phyllium

·   particularly I have made the experience that Achrioptera (A.p.cliquennoisi, A. fallax) do
    much better when there is enough light in their cages. Achrioptera do even like direct sun
    light, they will crawl out into the sun from a shady place. But of course one has to be very
    careful that the cage will not heat up too much when exposed directly to sun light

·   if you do not have a lot of natural light available in your phasmid room - like me - then it is
    advisable to install some additional artificial lighting. I am using HID (metal halide lamps)
    day light lamps - there are different manufacturers of such blubs. These bulbs have at the
    moment the strongest luminance - proportionally to the energy consumption. For example,
    the luminance of a 150 W HID lamp equals a 500 W halogen lamp. And the light emitted by
    HID bulbs is quite similar to natural sun light !

·   I am using Philipes CDM (ceramic discharge metal) lamps - which is just one brand of HID
    lamps available

·   HDI lamps need a special socket, should burn behind breack-proof glass, an electrical
    ballast is needed - and they are still quite expensive. Two 150 W HID lamps, burning for
    about 13 hours every day, consume about 1500 KWh per year

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Tap water

·   might be chlorinated which could be harmful to insects as well (as it is for humans). If you
    do not know how your tap water is being preserved, then as your local authorities

·   in case your tap water is chlorinated heavily (especially when you can smell the chlorine),
    then it might be better to use bottled water. Both for you and your sticks

·   to briskly boil water for some time is said to reduce chlorine as it evaporates

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 Disturbances in living quarters

·   livingroom and bedroom are not really ideal places for breeding phasmids. In such places
    there often is quite a lot of agitation - lighting is going on and off irregularely, people
    rush in and out

·   music at a deafening volume might be fun for the two-legged listener, but this is certainly
    not benefiting phasmids

·   these influences mean an ongoing stress for the animals, which can hamper their
    developement and health

·   some species might be very tolerant towards such conditions and breed well, which
    does not mean that they are not stressed at all

·   but if you fail to breed some species you may wanna take this into consideration too ...

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Breeding phasmids in living quarters

·   in most cages for breeding phasmids mould will grow - inevitably. If nothing else because
    of the higher humidity needed for many of the species. And mould has that naughty habit
    to multiply by spores. Spores which are produced in the billions and they are that small
    that even the lightest of ventilation carries them away. This results in an increased
    concentration of mould spores in the air of the breeding room - which we then inhale ...
    I have measured this myself, as I am also working part time in a microbiological laboratory

·   thus mould spores also end up in our lungs. As they are a potential pathological threat, our
    immun system has to deal with them immediately and effectively. Thus it is common sense
    that the more spores are in the air, the more spores will end up in ones lungs - thus health
    hazard increases

·   without panicing - every breeder should be aware of this subject and take possible
    measures to minimize the intake of mould spores. Negative health effects will not develop
    overnight. And once they are manifest they can't be cured that easily