Stick insects are popular pets that are generally easy to keep, but welfare can be compromised by inadequate humidity, temperature, food plants, and space in captivity.
Stick insect welfare, while less certain than vertebrate welfare, deserves consideration given their basic pain-sensing capacity. Moulting problems caused by low humidity are the most common welfare failure - insects unable to complete the moult can lose limbs or die. Poor temperature management causes starvation through feeding cessation. These are preventable with correct setup. The relative simplicity of meeting stick insect needs makes welfare failures largely a product of inadequate research and education before purchase.