Here are my Newish Year Resolutions:-to be more helpful around the kitchen and try out some recipes
-to be more vegetarian, except for bacon
-to be more interested in Dad's teeth collection
Mum does not approve of resolutions because she says they are never kept. Dad says he will shave off his beard for charity which is a funny kind of resolution but then he is a funny kind of person. Grandpa Jack has threatened to get married to someone unsuitable and I really have no idea what THAT means.
Anyway, it is time I made a move on the stick insects. We are well into the New Year now and Miranda says that Stinky's babies are no longer babies and more like teenagers and that I had better collect them soon before they all start getting really angry for no apparent reason (I think that was a joke).
Miranda has given me all sorts of warnings about the do's and don't of looking after sticks (as we in the know call them). Here they are:
-Thorny stick insects are happy at normal room temperature but keep windows shut as th
ey are unhappy in a draught-Sticks need tall cages with mesh sides as they like to climb. If you put little pics of other sticks on the walls it will encourage your sticks to climb and be sociable
-Sticks are generally clean but give off Phasmid Exusions which can be fatal to furniture
-Sticks do not like cats, so make sure your feline is kept well away from them - the sticks will attack.
-Sticks are not keen on telephones and it is wise to either muffle your phone or make tiny
earnuffs for your sticks-Clean your sticks by placing them in the dishwasher on a low temp setting. Follow up with a polish
-Don't answer them back - the sticks will attack
Hmmm. I am not sure about some of these rules. And I still have to think of 10 good names for them. Sticky, Stocky or maybe they respond to the more classic , Hazel, Rowan. I just don't know. I am abit afraid, if I get it wrong - the sticks will attack.
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14 comments:
"Clean your sticks by placing them in the dishwasher on a low temp setting. Follow up with a polish..."
LOL!! Hillarious. What happens if you set the temp too high. Charcoal?
xx
KS
I adore your stories of stick insects, Wilf.
I thought at first, your mum had helped you make such splendid resolutions. :-)
I am slightly afraid my mum would not let me use the dishwasher for the sticks - or any other part of the house for that matter - and so I will never know.
Thanks, Susan. No my mum does not help me with anything that involves a computer.
Hello young Wilf,
I have just discovered your electronic diary and find it greatly amusing and informative. I have learned much from reading it and have added a web link to your website from my own website so that other people might click the web link and enjoy your website too, and possibly even add web links to your website from their own websites for other people to enjoy.
One more interesting fact about stick insects - they only look like sticks because people breed them in a stick-filled environment. However, they are akin to chameleons and will take on whatever form best suits their immediate surroundings. If you allow one to hatch in a well-stocked freezer, for example, it will grow up looking like a small choc ice. Try it yourself!
All the best,
Horton Carew
well the sticks sounds utterly charming - not! I also enjoyed the dishwasher recommendation. I would much rather have a warm and cuddly cat for a pet than something that looks like a twig though. But to each his own.
These stick insects sound like dastardly devils, even more heinous than Granny at full moon. Are you sure you'll be able to sleep easy with them in the house?
I wonder if they can be trained to attack on command. They could make handy anti-burglar "pets".
Cool! Stick Insects! Love it. I found this great blog on ants the other day but, I can't find it now. Else I would have left the link. The blog owner was getting all upset because a friend wanted to feed his ants to his spiders.
Very nice to meet you Horton Carew and thankyou for reading.
Although I do like the idea of a choc ice stick, I am very afraid that Dad would get to the newly hatched stick before I could save it. Despite being a dentist, Dad will eat anything which looks like it might contain sugar - the stick would not stand a chance.
We have a cat as well, Saleeha. Her name is Serena. She is pretty tough and is the chief cat in our garden which is overrun with cats but I hear that sticks are very bad-tempered and I worry for her safety.
I really like the idea of training them to do stuff. Anti-burglar sticks -fantastic.
Ooo, a blog on ants, Anita, this sounds quite exciting. I expect Miranda knows about the ant site, I will have to ask her.
Hi Wilf,
I've enjoyed reading about your adventures with stick insects.
I've added a link to your blog on my blog, http://starislanders.blogspot.com.
The Star Islanders is a journal about Miami, a place where there are way too many biting insects (including the natives).
-Francie
Hello Francie
Thankyou for visiting and I have added your amusing blog to my list.
It is good you like stick insects because they are pretty special.
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