Sorry for the newbie post, but I am now the proud owner of 4 mantids: 2 Chinese (L3/4), one African (SPHODROMANTIS BACETTI L4), and one Ghost mantis (L5/6 I think). The Chinese are thriving, eating, growing. Both molted once, and one molted again a couple of days later (is this weird?). The African mantis seems ok, I haven't seen him feed yet I don't think, but is active and interesting in flies, so I assume he/she has fed while I wasn't looking. The Ghost Mantis was extremely active when I first got him, so cute. After a day or two he got much less active. Haven't seen him feed yet. I'm keeping him a little warmer and higher humidity than the others. The Ghost Mantis spends a lot of time just hanging there moving his head around a bit, occasionally moving to a new perch. I could not coax him out to walk on my hand except when I first got him, when he seemed quite friendly. I though maybe he was getting ready to molt so I have prety much left 'em alone.
My main question is how many and how often to add flies. I have tried to keep 5-10 flies in each enclosure. I have them all in large deli cups, like:
Is it bad to have too many in there, like maybe it might annoy the mantids? Or, i wondered if having too many might actually be harder for the mantids to focus on one long enough to grab them. Should I feed them as much as they would take? I did hear this was ok for younger mantis. I also noticed that the flies (hydei) seem to get less active after a couple of days. as compared to when I first got the culture. I would like to find out more about how to keep these. Are there any comprehensive references?
My main question is how many and how often to add flies. I have tried to keep 5-10 flies in each enclosure. I have them all in large deli cups, like:
Is it bad to have too many in there, like maybe it might annoy the mantids? Or, i wondered if having too many might actually be harder for the mantids to focus on one long enough to grab them. Should I feed them as much as they would take? I did hear this was ok for younger mantis. I also noticed that the flies (hydei) seem to get less active after a couple of days. as compared to when I first got the culture. I would like to find out more about how to keep these. Are there any comprehensive references?