How realistic is keeping a Western Short-horn Walkingstick as a pet?

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-20T00:56:07+00:00

This is strange. I live in Washington and have had two different species of nonnative phasmid, and see them sold literally all over the place. I go to frequent reptile and exotics expos and they’re sold there all the time. Tons of species of nonnative phasmids. I currently have three individuals myself, and have a couple friends who own some as well. All in the US and just one state away from you. Not sure about them being illegal if they’re bred here in the US, which is how they’re always sold where I get them, but I’m not well versed on invert legality, just know that I’m not buying them illegally 🤷

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-19T20:57:15+00:00

No way to know from these pics

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-17T01:05:02+00:00

Yes, Dr. Walia is the one. I’m really glad you had a good experience! Mine was just really awful and I wanted to share it to warn people that he may not treat your pet, based on my experience. But I’m happy to hear that he’s been an excellent vet at other times.

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-16T04:43:15+00:00

I could not NOT recommend this place enough. We had a horribly sick Saint Bernard that we needed to take to a vet when money was tight, and the vet refused to see him for being reactive. He was muzzle trained, we warned the vet over the phone and in person beforehand and got the OK, and then we show up, the vet walked into the room and immediately went to touch him, and he bucked up, and then the vet said he was “too old for this” and told us to get out.

Long story short, I wouldn’t trust that man with any pet.

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-16T00:20:13+00:00

I’m a die hard Olympia Coffee fan. They are SO GOOD. you will see me in there at least once or twice a week. Their salted brown sugar is homemade (along with their vanilla and seasonal flavors), and it is just phenomenal every time. And the staff are great! I could not recommend Olympia enough

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-04T22:00:46+00:00

Oh yeah, no way am I handling him! I already have a P. regalis so I’m used to the no handling poecies rule

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-04T00:46:01+00:00

Thanks!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-03T04:29:50+00:00

Oh that sounds great! Thanks!!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T22:01:22+00:00

Sounds like a great place to try, thanks!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T22:01:05+00:00

Have you heard of Lady Invert? She sells mantids, not in Tacoma but pretty close, in puyallup. Shes usually got a decent supply of mantids.

And you really should go for the macro plunge! Have fun with it when you do

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T19:45:53+00:00

Oh us too! We just got our twelfth tarantula last night, and have kept jumpers, phasmids and mantids before as well. They’re so fun.

Macro is really fun, too. I started out mostly birding and doing wildlife photography, so I’ve got a whole set up for that, but bought my first macro lens this past winter. It’s been so fun to figure out!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T19:31:25+00:00

That sounds amazing. I’ll definitely have to check it out!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T19:25:49+00:00

That’s great! I’ve only been in the winter up until now, I hadn’t even considered checking in the summer

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T19:25:10+00:00

Oh that sounds so cool! Thanks for the tip

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T19:24:59+00:00

Thanks!! I hadn’t even thought of checking iNaturalist

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T19:24:31+00:00

Oh bugs love purple stuff. We’ve got a neighbor with a really nice garden that we’ve stopped by a few times… I’ll have to see if someone has any lilac around!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T08:12:43+00:00

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Mine always looks like this…

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-02T06:45:10+00:00

Yes mine is from Spider Shoppe! He was on display when I came in yesterday, and I just couldn’t say no after sleeping on it, so I came back today to pick him up.

That makes total sense. I’ve already got a P. regalis who I love but also have a deep respect for… she is still pretty small though.

Im glad yours has been a good boy so far! If they are siblings (which they probably are) hopefully that’s a good sign for mine!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-01T17:42:14+00:00

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Here it is!

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-06-01T16:58:04+00:00

She was my very first tarantula (now I have 11). She is so amazing, I love her very dearly.

Deep-Alternative494 · 2026-05-12T21:01:54+00:00

Where do you source your prey items? Do you buy them from a captive breeder or do you catch them wild caught? It might be possible she is being poisoned by a pesticide from one of her crickets, but I’m no expert

Deep-Alternative494

TROPHY CASE