# Mating Device



## Termite48 (Mar 1, 2014)

This is a home made contraption that can be used with prudence with some species that might want to remain mounted for quite some time and there would be no ill effects from having them mate with this device in place. It is obvious that it is better not to use it. It is also not so nice to loose males to the females desire of cannibalistic behavior that some of us have experienced in the past. The height can be adjusted by trimming the length of the coat hanger uprights. The turkey feather which has been hot glued to the wire is so that there is not a feeling of encroachment onto the females body, nor any harm from her rubbing up against the wire.


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## HungryGhost (Mar 1, 2014)

Sex toys for bugs, now I've seen it all!


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## patrickfraser (Mar 1, 2014)

Love the feathers. When are you going to work on a sling? :lol:


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## Termite48 (Mar 1, 2014)

I was thinking of hand cuffs.


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## patrickfraser (Mar 1, 2014)

Rich S said:


> I was thinking of hand cuffs.


You mean tarsi cuffs? I will work something up with copper wire.


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## Termite48 (Mar 1, 2014)

I stand corrected Scott, it is tarsi cuffs. Copper wire would be fine.


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 2, 2014)

I do have to agree! What a world, what a world........( as the witch shrinks when Dorothy throws water on her)


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## Krissim Klaw (Mar 2, 2014)

All the females I have would flip you the claw and walk out from under that.


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## Termite48 (Mar 2, 2014)

We shall see soon.


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## Rick (Mar 2, 2014)

I agree with some sort of device that just holds the front legs closed. Be sure to choose something that the mantis cannot chew through.


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## Krissim Klaw (Mar 2, 2014)

Wait he was serious about the cuffs for the claws? I have to admit I find the thought of restraining the female rather disturbing.


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## Rick (Mar 3, 2014)

Krissim Klaw said:


> Wait he was serious about the cuffs for the claws? I have to admit I find the thought of restraining the female rather disturbing.


Agree. I'm overall against the idea. I think it will stress the female which could impact the mating.


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 3, 2014)

Yea, whatever she may get, will probably be ejected like a rocket!


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## Krissim Klaw (Mar 3, 2014)

Yep, I can't see the female taking it well. If she is actually hooked to something there is even a risk she might panick injure/rip a limb off trying to get free. I also can't see it making for a good sex life. I think a lot of people tend to view the mating as a one sided affair, but it isn't. The female is an active particapent, from calling in the boys, then twisting her abdoman and opening up so the boy can get his manly mantis self in.

I don't like the notion of loosing a boy in the process either, but there are already ways that can dramatically reduce the odds of it happening, and if it does happen, it is part of their nature.


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## Termite48 (Mar 3, 2014)

All I know is that there are a lot of killed males. It takes two to make it happen. It would be nice if a well fed, and healthy female meant a successful mating. This is not true in all cases. This idea of mine is just an idea, and it is not something prefer to use. I do not want to loose anymore males, especially borrowed ones. If you do not like the idea, just give it a rest.


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## Termite48 (Mar 3, 2014)

Then perhaps those of you that come up with techniques that save your males will share these ideas with the rest of us as I have tried to do.


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## Rick (Mar 3, 2014)

Rich S said:


> Then perhaps those of you that come up with techniques that save your males will share these ideas with the rest of us as I have tried to do.


There are many but I found over the years the chances of losing a male are small if he has a good avenue of escape. This means free range them during mating or put them in to a large enclosure. In my experience most males are eaten while attempting to mount or dismount. Simply standing by while he mounts and remaining until things are settled down is easy to do and you can easily prevent the female from eating the male with nothing more than your hands. Many people will give the female food while the male approaches and during the mating.


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## Termite48 (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks Rick for your kind reply. I am aware of these preferred techniques. My device is to use when perhaps one cannot be there the whole time to supervise and these other techniques are being used.

Your friend,

Rich


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 3, 2014)

I know some have tried the (not sure what it is called, when a dog or cat get a cone collar) to put on the female so she cannot reach behind her, not sure if that works or not. I have some round foam bullets that Fuzzy and I shoot at balloons and those could possibly work too, hummmm.


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## Krissim Klaw (Mar 4, 2014)

Rich S said:


> Thanks Rick for your kind reply. I am aware of these preferred techniques. My device is to use when perhaps one cannot be there the whole time to supervise and these other techniques are being used.


I think Rick's point is though that you don't need to be there to supervise the whole time and yet still keep the chances of canniblization very low.

I have also found that the greatest risk to boys tends to be during the initial connection and then after the mating is over. The first, as Rick mentioned, is easy to supervise. I find it generally goes off without much of a hitch to begin with as long as the female is well fed, is ready, and by ready I mean actively calling, and you make sure the boy sees the girl, so he knows what he is dealing with. Preparing for the dismount is a matter of making sure there is plenty of room. In all cases I've ever witnessed, my boys fly off and in the wild would be free to gain tons of distance between themselves in the girl. This is why I don't think it can be overstated how much a nice big enclosure can be if you aren't letting them freeroam. I've noticed however 'big cage' can mean different things to different people.

The reason we were bringing up why this might be a bad idea is because we felt we had some valid points about how it could potentially over stress or even result in injury to the girl. I am at least guessing you don't want the females injured in the process either?

I also admit that an Elizabethan collar like Rebecca mentioned, would probably be the way I would go if I wanted to attempt something like this. That or if you are intending to put something around the claws to hold the female in place, you might as well just put something around the claws to keep her from being able to open them without the need for the bar and feathers too.


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 4, 2014)

Thanks for the name, I could not remember it!


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