diff --git a/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/visualize.py b/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/visualize.py
index b942d763..a6c2f233 100644
--- a/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/visualize.py
+++ b/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/visualize.py
@@ -503,8 +503,7 @@ class stick_show(mocap_data_show):
         try:
             self.vals = self.vals.reshape((3, self.vals.shape[1]//3)).T
         except ValueError as e:
-            print("Passed values to stick_show need to have a dimension which is divisible by 3 for display as they should be a point cloud of 3-D points.")
-            raise(e)    
+            raise ValueError("Passed values to stick_show need to have a dimension which is divisible by 3 for display as they should be a point cloud of 3-D points.") from e
             
 
 class skeleton_show(mocap_data_show):