Ghost mantis

[Seal36]

Hi guys I am looking at getting some ghost mantis and I am wondering how easy are they to care for as I have read mixed reviews about them. Also how many could you fit in the exo terra nano 20c x 20 x 30cm. I was thinking of 2 maybe 3. Also will this species be happy eating crickets and mealworms thanks from Tom

 

[LAME]

They a pretty easy species to care for, like a majority of them. As for housing them together, I've read they are communal... However I wont house them together regardless of how much foods around, but that's just me. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

ive never fed my ghost meal worms but they've excepted small feeder crickets/flies/fruitflies and anything else small enough

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

Mealworms are fine. I feed most of my mantises mealworms because they are so easy to culture. 1-3 could live an 20c x 20 x 30 environment. (preferably 2)

http://www.mantisonline.eu/index.php?lan=en&show=species_mantids_view&anchor=&time=1419438061&content={%22subshow%22:%22species_mantids%22,%22level_right%22:%22%22,%22level_left%22:%22pqr%22,%22genus%22:%22phyllocrania%22,%22level_left_view%22:%22%22,%22level_left_species%22:%22index%22,%22species%22:%22paradoxa%22,%22level_left_species_mode%22:%22keeping%22}

 

[CosbyArt]

Feeding and such is easy enough to find out - here is the caresheet for Ghosts.

The possible biggie of the questions is the communal one. I haven't kept them, but doing a bit of digging it seems there are three answers to that question -- no matter the species most will turn cannibalistic no matter your setup, others have some luck for awhile, and others no problems at all. Here are several threads about communally kept Ghost mantises in particular.

• communal ghost mantis setup?
• How communal is "communal"?
• Keeping ghost mantids together
• Housing Ghost mantises together.

I have to admit I would love to finally read that a species can be kept together, and in fact prefers it, but with all my reading it seems even the best "communal" mantises even have the occasion "slip".

So you are out the near $20+ bill for each that is eaten, not to mention also out that pet mantis itself.. So it seems it is up to you if it is worth the risk of losing the pet(s) and having to buy new ones too. Best of luck on your choice.

 

[Seal36]

I am going to get two mantids as I would like to try and keep communal mantids for a change I am going to get a make and female and will feed them on crickets and mealworms and when I can catch flies they will be fed flies too. I am going to get in contact with my supplier who sells them for £6 each but as we are good friends I should get a discount on them. I am wondering what substrate would you keep them on would they prefer soil, sand or a mix of both. I hope to breed the two and is there anything else that I should know about them. Do they fly very often as I don't really like flying things. I am also going to provided them with sticks and branches to climb on in their tank. Thanks from Tom