Looking at Mantid. Wondering what kind of care they need.

[Ratmosphere]

Get a Ghost mantis. I spray mine every day around feeding time. Simple care!

 

[Socfroggy]

Are fruit flies capable of harming an L2 mantis And how often should I be misting?? I bought a Hierodula sp. Golden and I totally forgot how often the guy at the store told me to mist it... Not only that but I can't seem to find a lot of info on google. Was is reclassified recently or something?

 

[InvertsandOi]

Are fruit flies capable of harming an L2 mantis And how often should I be misting?? I bought a Hierodula sp. Golden and I totally forgot how often the guy at the store told me to mist it... Not only that but I can't seem to find a lot of info on google. Was is reclassified recently or something?

No the fruit flies won't hurt your mantis. Mist it 2 or 3 times a week and it'll be fine.

 

[Socfroggy]

No the fruit flies won't hurt your mantis. Mist it 2 or 3 times a week and it'll be fine.

Is it okay to leave the ones it doesn't eat in the deli cup??

 

[GingerC]

Mantids are a tad bit higher maintenance than some other invertebrates, but they're definitely not difficult at all. They don't bite (although I've heard some larger species can draw blood with their arms), they can be tamed to a fair extent, most species are not picky eaters, and they're generally easy to look after.

You need to have an enclosure three times as tall as your mantis is long in order for it to molt properly. As for substrate, I'd be careful with paper towel- one of my nymphs managed to get trapped under the paper towels in the cage and his legs became bent oddly, and then he molted immediately after and died. This may have just been a freak accident, but it's definitely worth knowing about. Eco earth works just as well, but be careful about mold.

Your nymphs will initially eat fruit flies, and since fruit flies are basically mantis junk food, it'll take it ages for it to molt. Once it gets big enough, you can move on to larger feeders. I feed my mantis a staple of mealworms, supplemented with crickets, moths, crane flies, and other bugs for variety. Be careful about wild caught insects, because they pose a significant risk of passing on parasites and pesticides to your mantis!

Humidity requirements vary depending on species. No matter how hard I try, I just can't keep my mantis enclosure humid, so I mist lightly two or three times a day. The species I keep (Hierodula membranacea) is not very dependent on high humidity- at least, not in my experience- so my mantis is fine. The only other cage maintenance I do is cleaning it out every month. I dump the substrate and wash the decorations and walls, then put it back together again. Whole process takes ten minutes.

Some species that are recommended for beginners are the Chinese, Carolina, giant Asian, giant African, budwing, and ghost mantids.

 

[InvertsandOi]

Is it okay to leave the ones it doesn't eat in the deli cup??

Yes. I mean, I wouldn't pour a swarm of 50 fruit flies in a deli cup with your mantis (not cuz they'd hurt it directly, but would stress it out and maybe screw up a molt if they're climbing all over it while it's molting), but don't worry about a few uneaten extras. Your L2 will eat them soon enough.

 

[Socfroggy]

Yes. I mean, I wouldn't pour a swarm of 50 fruit flies in a deli cup with your mantis (not cuz they'd hurt it directly, but would stress it out and maybe screw up a molt if they're climbing all over it while it's molting), but don't worry about a few uneaten extras. Your L2 will eat them soon enough.

Thank you! I only put 6 in there yesterday and I only saw him eat one...Should I repeat tomorrow?

 

[InvertsandOi]

Thank you! I only put 6 in there yesterday and I only saw him eat one...Should I repeat tomorrow?

I wouldn't if there are still some in there. If they're all gone, sure why not. A good way to do it is to look at the abdomen. If it's big and fat, the mantis is well fed and there is no immediate need to feed. If the abdomen is flat, it's time to feed and keep feeding until that abdomen fattens up. It takes weeks for a mantis to starve, so it's not something to stress over as long as you stay fairly on top of it.

 

[Socfroggy]

That's very helpful, thank you!

 

[Socfroggy]

...is Hierodula Sp. Golden a raptor??

Edit: Nevermind.

 

[Zuzu]

Are fruit flies capable of harming an L2 mantis And how often should I be misting?? I bought a Hierodula sp. Golden and I totally forgot how often the guy at the store told me to mist it... Not only that but I can't seem to find a lot of info on google. Was is reclassified recently or something?

You prob can't find much info because Hierodula sp. Golden isn't giving you a specific species, only the genus (hierodula) and color variation. I'd ask whoever you got it from for the exact species.

 

[Socfroggy]

You prob can't find much info because Hierodula sp. Golden isn't giving you a specific species, only the genus (hierodula) and color variation. I'd ask whoever you got it from for the exact species.

That explains it! Thank you.

 

[Socfroggy]

How often should I feed?? 2-3 times a week??

 

[Zuzu]

How often should I feed?? 2-3 times a week??

Some people feed based on how plump their abdomen looks; if it doesn't look plump then feed.

I've been offering my L2 and L3 fruit flies every day.

 

[Socfroggy]

Some people feed based on how plump their abdomen looks; if it doesn't look plump then feed.

I've been offering my L2 and L3 fruit flies every day.

How many?? No mishaps from everyday feeding, I assume?

 

[Zuzu]

How many?? No mishaps from everyday feeding, I assume?

I give them as many as they will eat (I put them in a separate smaller container to feed).

No mishaps yet, haha.

 

[Socfroggy]

Good to know! I've heard of feeding them when their abdomen is flat but I don't like the idea of waiting until they are basically starving to feed them.

 

[Socfroggy]

Taking care of a mantis isn't hard, if you start out with the right species.

Enclosure should be 3 times the length of the mantis high, and 2 times the length of the mantis wide and deep, because it needs that space to succesfully molt.
Add lots of sticks or mesh for it to sit/hang/molt from.
Spray once a day/three times a week for humidity and drinking
water depending on the species.

A diet of only crickets is not very healthy, it can cause impaction and
lead to illness and death. Every now and then a cricket is fine, but not only crickets.Flies, maggots, mealworms/superworms,waxworms, S.lateralis/B.dubia are all good feeders.

Mantids aren't aggressive, but they can be startled or annoyed by sudden movement and handling. Always move slow and don't feed with your hands. Bites are rare, but the raptors have sharp spikes and can be painful if a large mantis latches on to your finger.

You can keep them on substrate or kitchen paper. Always provide adequate ventilation.

Phyllocrania paradoxa ('ghost mantis') can be a good beginner species, but they have a strong preference for flying food and can be easily intimidated by larger prey. Gets about 7/8 cm long.

Hierodula membranacea/majuscula are great beginner species as well. They get to 12cm adult size, eat everything that moves, and aren't shy at all.

Creobroter gemmatus is another nice beginner species, gets about
7cm big, have awesome colours and spines, and are good eaters.

Sphodromantis sp. and Tenodera sinensis are good starters as well.

Will it still need that much space once it is fully grown?

 

[Andrea82]

Will it still need that much thece once it is fully grown?

Yes. It needs space for hunting and grooming. Bigger is better, especially for the larger species.

 

[Socfroggy]

Thank you!