Just sharing my invertebrates

TheWidowsPeak

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
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64
Nice, I've kicked around the idea of keeping mantids. I have only kept the local natives for a few days before releasing them they are neat.
 

mantisfan101

Arachnoprince
Joined
Dec 26, 2018
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1,755
Nice, I've kicked around the idea of keeping mantids. I have only kept the local natives for a few days before releasing them they are neat.
You should really try keeping them, go for it! They have awesome personalities and are one of the few pet insects that I highly recommend to handle.
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,462
Nice looking collection! What is the communal scorpion species in the 4th photo?

You should really try keeping them, go for it! They have awesome personalities and are one of the few pet insects that I highly recommend to handle.
If only they lasted a little longer than a year...

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 

mantisfan101

Arachnoprince
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Dec 26, 2018
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Yeah, that’s one major turn off. I know for some species like pnigomantis, deroplatys, and hierodula the females can live for quite a decent a mount of time.
 

Tortuga

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
191
Yeah, that’s one major turn off. I know for some species like pnigomantis, deroplatys, and hierodula the females can live for quite a decent a mount of time.
How would you rate husbandry for those species?
 

Zevil

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Messages
87
Nice, I've kicked around the idea of keeping mantids. I have only kept the local natives for a few days before releasing them they are neat.
Oh I love mantids the most. Currently I have the orchid, Asian and devil flower. Getting the Chinese and dead leaf soon.
 

mantisfan101

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Dec 26, 2018
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All 3 are really easy, with the hierodula and pnigomantis being the best. Both get really big and have ferocious appetites. If you do want to get mantids I’d highly suggest the hierodula since they are more readily available. Deroplatys are ok as well but the nymphs tend to be more fragile in early instars and breeding is supposed to be difficult since the males don’t really do anything.
 

mantisfan101

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Dec 26, 2018
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Also if you want smaller species, I’d also highly recommend either creobroter or ghost mantids. Both need a bit more himidity and can be a bit more difficult, and the creobroter don’t live as long but both have their own charm to them. The creos will wave their arms around and seem to almost communicate with each other while the ghosts are one of the more communal species.
 

Zevil

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Messages
87
Also if you want smaller species, I’d also highly recommend either creobroter or ghost mantids. Both need a bit more himidity and can be a bit more difficult, and the creobroter don’t live as long but both have their own charm to them. The creos will wave their arms around and seem to almost communicate with each other while the ghosts are one of the more communal species.
You can keep ghost mantis together?
 

mantisfan101

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Dec 26, 2018
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You can since they are less cannibalistic but keep in mind that all predatory species will at some point cannibalize if given the chance. Cannibalism seems more common with lager instars. Other potentially species include deroplatys(I’ve heard good reports about them), empusids(i.e. idolomantis, gongylus, blepharopsis), thesprotia, schizocephala, and I believe brunneria borealis.
 

Zevil

Arachnosquire
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Jul 27, 2018
Messages
87
You can since they are less cannibalistic but keep in mind that all predatory species will at some point cannibalize if given the chance. Cannibalism seems more common with lager instars. Other potentially species include deroplatys(I’ve heard good reports about them), empusids(i.e. idolomantis, gongylus, blepharopsis), thesprotia, schizocephala, and I believe brunneria borealis.
Idolomantis can be kept together too? I didn't know that.
 

mantisfan101

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They can mostly because they prefer flying prey. With that logic most empusids can be kept communally but keep in mind that there are also many reports of latger individuals cannibalizing molting mantids.
 

Zevil

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 27, 2018
Messages
87
They can mostly because they prefer flying prey. With that logic most empusids can be kept communally but keep in mind that there are also many reports of latger individuals cannibalizing molting mantids.
That means orchid mantis can also be kept together right.
 

mantisfan101

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Dec 26, 2018
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That means orchid mantis can also be kept together right.
Not necessarily. Orchid mantids are known to be rather aggressive and will gladly take crawling prey as well. Also the males grow much faster and stay much smaller than females so they will be easily picked out.
 
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