What is a good species of mantis to start with?

[PanzoN88]

There’s an expo coming up soon and I was thinking of getting my first mantid(s). I’m just trying to figure out what my options are. My specialty is tarantulas so this is going to be something new.

 

[sparticus]

I would go and see what they have. Most species are fairly straightforward in their care needs, you can research when you see what is available and go from there. At expos local to me only a few vendors carry them and it will only be two or three species anyway. This link has top 5 popular pet species, and these align with the ones I've seen at expos near me most frequently:

Top 5 Praying mantis as pets, for beginners and for those who want the best experience

P Paradoxa. Ghost mantis. They are wonderful docile mantids and are know for easy keeping. Great pets! interesting calm and friendly. They can be kept in groups communally (if well fed) and are a pleasure to watch and to hold. They breed fairly easily and can be so much fun! We always have...

usmantis.com

The orchid mantis is notorious for having bad molts, so I'd probably steer clear of that for a first mantis.

 

[BoyFromLA]

To start, it is always wise to go with a common, not so pricy species. Once you get to know, learn, experience a thing or two about it, then move on to other species.

 

[PanzoN88]

I would go and see what they have. Most species are fairly straightforward in their care needs, you can research when you see what is available and go from there. At expos local to me only a few vendors carry them and it will only be two or three species anyway. This link has top 5 popular pet species, and these align with the ones I've seen at expos near me most frequently:

Top 5 Praying mantis as pets, for beginners and for those who want the best experience

P Paradoxa. Ghost mantis. They are wonderful docile mantids and are know for easy keeping. Great pets! interesting calm and friendly. They can be kept in groups communally (if well fed) and are a pleasure to watch and to hold. They breed fairly easily and can be so much fun! We always have...

usmantis.com

The orchid mantis is notorious for having bad molts, so I'd probably steer clear of that for a first mantis.

Another thing is enclosures, what do you recommend? As I see some kept in jars, others in net cages.

 

[sparticus]

I've used deli cups with the kinda paper vented lids like for fruit flies and also plastic jars with screen lids or DIY enclosures with screen on top. They like to hang out on the ceiling so use something they can hold onto up there. I think tropical species sometimes need a bit more humidity, probably something that needs less humidity would do well in the screen cages, or if you live somewhere that is already somewhat humid it may not be a concern. I've not used them for mine.

 

[ThatOneEightLeggedThing]

I personally started with the Chinese Green (T. sinensis?) . I found him while catching Garter snakes. some people will start with the European mantis (M. religiosa)

(my only pic of Peter)

 

[Tarantuland]

So far I've found ghost mantis easiest to keep of the few I've tried