# Help! Ghost mating problem



## ismart (Nov 6, 2008)

I currently have 8 adult female ghosts, and two adult males. They have all been adults for about 3 months already. Every time i pair the males up with any of the 8 females they mount the females and just sit there for days at a time and do nothing. Is there something i'm missing or doing wrong?


----------



## mrblue (Nov 6, 2008)

are you sure they dont mate? do you leave them together over night? every time i have had this they have mated during the night (i rarely actually witness it myself).


----------



## hibiscusmile (Nov 6, 2008)

The male ghost seem to lose interest the older they get, when did u first try to mate them (what age after turning adult)?


----------



## ismart (Nov 6, 2008)

mrblue said:


> are you sure they dont mate? do you leave them together over night? every time i have had this they have mated during the night (i rarely actually witness it myself).


I'm pretty sure no mating has taken place over night. I dont sleep so good, and usally i'm up at all sorts of time during the night checking to see whats going on. How long does this species normally stay connected, when they are connected?



hibiscusmile said:


> The male ghost seem to lose interest the older they get, when did u first try to mate them (what age after turning adult)?


Thats not good, my males are already 3 months as adults. The first time i tryed to mate them they were 3 weeks old as adults.


----------



## mrblue (Nov 6, 2008)

i cant really help you on the first questions, sorry, but 3 months does sound like its pushing it a bit, i doubt they have long left. have you kept them together for all these 3 months? because if so then they really shouldve done it by now.


----------



## ismart (Nov 6, 2008)

mrblue said:


> i cant really help you on the first questions, sorry, but 3 months does sound like its pushing it a bit, i doubt they have long left. have you kept them together for all these 3 months? because if so then they really shouldve done it by now.


I have them all in seperate enclosures. I was thinking of putting all the females and both the males in a large net cube. I would have put them all together, but having only two males i did not want to chance them getting eaten. I guess i should just put them together anyway, being there pretty old as it is.


----------



## superfreak (Nov 6, 2008)

you could sacrifice one and cut off his head after he's mounted a female. that should reduce whatever inhibitions he has about mating with her (and not just because he cant see her anymore  )


----------



## ismart (Nov 6, 2008)

superfreak said:


> you could sacrifice one and cut off his head after he's mounted a female. that should reduce whatever inhibitions he has about mating with her (and not just because he cant see her anymore  )


Thats just to risky for me. If it does not work than i only have 1 male for 8 females.

Not to mention i dont want to prematurely end his life.


----------



## PhilinYuma (Nov 7, 2008)

ismart said:


> Thats just to risky for me. If it does not work than i only have 1 male for 8 females.Not to mention i dont want to prematurely end his life.


Look at it this way, Ismart. If the experiment fails, you will just have nine mantises that die of unfulfilled old age.

If it works, you will have one fertilized female and a male who died smiling (or at least, he would be smiling if he still had a head).

Just use a pair of fine dissecting scissors, or those tiny fingernail scissors, and make the snip with the scissor's lower blade directly above the female so that she is not injured when you do the deed. I'll bet you $10 that it will work. And don't forget, it's not length of life that counts, its quality of life!

"(and not just because he cant see her anymore)"

ROFL, Superfreak! Here's to saccadic disinhibition!


----------



## ismart (Nov 7, 2008)

PhilinYuma said:


> Look at it this way, Ismart. If the experiment fails, you will just have nine mantises that die of unfulfilled old age.If it works, you will have one fertilized female and a male who died smiling (or at least, he would be smiling if he still had a head).
> 
> Just use a pair of fine dissecting scissors, or those tiny fingernail scissors, and make the snip with the scissor's lower blade directly above the female so that she is not injured when you do the deed. I'll bet you $10 that it will work. And don't forget, it's not length of life that counts, its quality of life!
> 
> ...


I'm going to give them a little more time before i snipp off any heads. They dont seem to be on there way out just yet. I have used the decapitating method before, but only as a last resort.


----------



## ismart (Nov 10, 2008)

I decieded to put them all together in a large net cage. So far no canibalism has occured. The males are constantly mounting the females, But i have yet to see any of them connect. One female has finally laid an ooth. I just hope it's fertile? I guess only time will tell.

Thank-you all for your help!


----------



## harryallard (Nov 11, 2008)

dont worry about cannibalism

my 2 ghosts are subs and they live in a sweet jar

they're usually right next to each other


----------



## harryallard (Nov 11, 2008)

dont worry about cannibalism

my 2 ghosts are subs and they live in a sweet jar

they're usually right next to each other


----------



## femmephyllocrania (Jan 19, 2009)

harryallard said:


> dont worry about cannibalismmy 2 ghosts are subs and they live in a sweet jar
> 
> they're usually right next to each other


I'd be careful with that. I had all mine in one cage for a while until one of them turned on her brother. They had plenty of food, too. I dunno what compelled her to go after him instead of one of the flies/crickets that were there, but she did. Usually it's ok but still, just a warning, keep a close eye on them.


----------



## ismart (Jan 22, 2009)

Cass said:


> I'd be careful with that. I had all mine in one cage for a while until one of them turned on her brother. They had plenty of food, too. I dunno what compelled her to go after him instead of one of the flies/crickets that were there, but she did. Usually it's ok but still, just a warning, keep a close eye on them.


They have all past on except for one last female. She still seems to be going strong. I still never never did see any mating. I did end up with a a few ooths though, but i dont think there fertile. I'm incubating them anyway just incase. My last adult male ghost was cannibalized by one of the females even with plenty of food in the enclosure. The other male i gave away in hopes maybe someone else might have better luck in breeding him.


----------



## Katnapper (Jan 23, 2009)

ismart said:


> They have all past on except for one last female. She still seems to be going strong. I still never never did see any mating. I did end up with a a few ooths though, but i dont think there fertile. I'm incubating them anyway just incase. My last adult male ghost was cannibalized by one of the females even with plenty of food in the enclosure. The other male i gave away in hopes maybe someone else might have better luck in breeding him.


Thanks for the update...  I was wondering what eventually happened with them. You'll have to let us know if any of the ooths hatch.


----------



## kamakiri (Sep 20, 2009)

Paul, What happened to the ooths from this batch of ghosts? My apologies for digging up an old one, but I am researching ghost connection times. Thanks.


----------



## Katnapper (Sep 20, 2009)

Hmmm.... I'd like to know also.


----------



## ismart (Sep 20, 2009)

kamakiri said:


> Paul, What happened to the ooths from this batch of ghosts? My apologies for digging up an old one, but I am researching ghost connection times. Thanks.


No need for apologies!  I do find it rather odd that you just happened to ask this question while i had a pair of ghost mate for the first time today. I cant give you an exact connection lenght. They were connected two hours before i went visit my mom. I came home 3 hours later to find he was already done. So for me it could have been anywhere from 2 to 5 hours of connection time. I just hope she is fertile. From my last batch of ghosts none of the ooths had hatched.


----------



## kamakiri (Sep 20, 2009)

ismart said:


> No need for apologies!  I do find it rather odd that you just happened to ask this question while i had a pair of ghost mate for the first time today. I cant give you an exact connection lenght. They were connected two hours before i went visit my mom. I came home 3 hours later to find he was already done. So for me it could have been anywhere from 2 to 5 hours of connection time. I just hope she is fertile. From my last batch of ghosts none of the ooths had hatched.


Thanks, Paul! Well, at least it is one data point that supports a successful mating. Liana, my female, is now/today doing some gyrating of sorts with her valves slightly out of the ovipositor/subgenital plate. She also ate two subadult crix today. All good signs I suppose.


----------



## Katnapper (Sep 21, 2009)

Glad to hear you had a pair mating today, Paul. I've been having kind of a problem with mine too. I've witnessed one mating, but otherwise the pairs seem to be oblivious to each other. I've just chucked them all in one net cage together today to see what happens, if anything.


----------

