# this is what happens when you don't mist...



## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

Hi everyone,

so I'm basicly retired and only work 2 days a week. but I had to work all week and I might even be called in today too. :helpsmilie: 

my back is killing me. my feet want to fall off. I can't even keep my eyes open as I've barely had any sleep with all this pain.

so sue me. I didn't mist any of my mantids last night. but I should have known better.

after all, just what happens when you forget to mist? well, almost every mantid you own desided to molt. :devil: 

but what I found that molted is crazy.

my H majuscula female, that I got as a freashly molted sub adult is now a full adult!!!!

I'm not saying that Yen gave me bad info, but he did say that my pair was freashly molted and I didn't expect this.

sure, she stoped eating for a day. in fact the two BB flys are still in her cage. but this seems to be at least a few weeks early, if not a month too early for her to molt.

my male is still eatting like he landed in an all you can eat buffet, so he's clearly not ready.

so I know what you are going to say...Harry, stop being silly. she molted right on time. you got a slightly older female then Yen believed, and it's all good as she molted perfectly.

so here is my reply to you...Oh yeah, well if that doesn't seem strange, then how about me also finding an L5 Idolo after it only molted to L4 just a week ago? huh? riddle me that, I dare you?

what if I told you that I don't even have a heat lamp on the cage? my temps are what I call even a bit low to keep Idolos (76F-78F when heat is off, upto 84F when heat is blasting in my apartment).

yet I have a perfectly molted L5. it's clearly bigger then the L4s and I have the molted skin so I must not be going crazy. :blush: 

but from L4 to L5 should be about 3 weeks. I'm not even sure I got my L3s that long ago, and they all just changed to L4 over the last week. so what in the world is going on?

here are some pics..

I tried to post a side by side photo to show you the size differance, but her legs were still not hard enough to hold her upright, so I just put her right back after I took the bellow images.

at least you can tell that her head is bigger then the males. the size differance in the shields are a better way to show the differance, but I had to put her back and could not take my time and get a good shot.












my girl...











well, I've always said that if you forget to mist them, they will molt on ya. thankfully, all turned out great.

I hope you enjoy. I'm going back to bed.

edit: more pics on page 2

Harry


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

That's a nice hierodula lol


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

That means my H Majuscula MIGHT molt soon. Got to go mist my mantids now!!!!!!!


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> That means my H Majuscula MIGHT molt soon. Got to go mist my mantids now!!!!!!!


I would just wait till your pigs stop eating for a day. then mist like crazy.

I'm far from an expert, but my pigs don't stop eating for any other reason. really, just look how fat she is even after her molt.

oh, I did notice that her wing buds were puffy for two days prior but I thought that it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. so look for this too before you go crazy on the misting.

Harry


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

agent A said:


> That's a nice hierodula lol


thanks.

both the male and the female love to come out and play with my friends. they are so friendly and I love them to death.

I almost didn't get them as I'm not into the big mantids. but I'm glad I did...you hear that Yen, you can't have them back. forget it! they are mine!!!!!!

Harry


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

Ya. my female hasnt eaten in a while. put will flick away food. My male continues to eat.


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## Mvalenz (Feb 26, 2012)

Nice pics.

I have all my mantids under heat lamp. Mist idolos twice a day unless they stop eating before a molt. I keep them at 95° during day and about 85° at night. H. Majuscula I mist once a day. One of them will usually eat right through a molt though. I Keep them at 85°/75°. So far so good. Sound right to you guys?


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

Mvalenz said:


> Nice pics.
> 
> I have all my mantids under heat lamp. Mist idolos twice a day unless they stop eating before a molt. I keep them at 95° during day and about 85° at night. H. Majuscula I mist once a day. One of them will usually eat right through a molt though. I Keep them at 85°/75°. So far so good. Sound right to you guys?


yes. sounds perfect.

that's why it's crazy that I have an L5 Idolo with my temps in just 10 days since it molted to L4.

Harry


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## Mvalenz (Feb 26, 2012)

How are you gauging the temp? Are you just using the thermostat in your apartment? And what do you have around around your enclosures? Any FF cultures or anything that emits heat?


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## Termite48 (Feb 26, 2012)

Not wanting to be stupid, but what does having ff cultures around the mantids' enclosures have to do with anything? Do you mean if they are on a heating mat?


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

no, my Co-Op controles the heat based on the temps outside. I can't controle it at all, other then shutting off my radiators in each room...and keeping windows cracked open when it gets too warm. I even used my AC last week as it was just way too hot for my chameleons in my livingroom.

my bedroom is where I keep my bugs. I keep the door closed to keep the heat in and only keep it open when I'm inside to deal with them so they get some fresh air. I use a simple digital temp and humidity gages that you can get at any hardware store or a local walmart.

I was going to remove all my female Idolos to an exotera in my livingroom today, but I'm too tired and lazy. I'm suprised I'm not fast asleep as I'm dead today.

my Idolo cage is also the highest cage on my dresser. it is slightly above my head and the temps up high is higher then say the cages bellow them...as heat travels upward in my room.

but temps are what the meters say they are, and that is far bellow what most should keep them at.

Harry


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## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

Not to be a Debby Donner or anything but I'm not convinced the idolo is and L5. My L5 is SOOOOOO much bigger than my L4s. I'm not an expert but I think it could just be a large L4.

The majuscula is very pretty! Can you get more pics of her?


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## Mvalenz (Feb 26, 2012)

Rich S said:


> Not wanting to be stupid, but what does having ff cultures around the mantids' enclosures have to do with anything? Do you mean if they are on a heating mat?


I read that they give off heat. Not sure how much though. Anyone have one of those pointer thermometers to check the heat of a culture? Just out of curiosity.


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

Mvalenz said:


> I read that they give off heat. Not sure how much though. Anyone have one of those pointer thermometers to check the heat of a culture? Just out of curiosity.


I'll stick one of my moms meat thermometers in it!!!


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## patrickfraser (Feb 26, 2012)

I know that the GB and BB I raise give off a lot of heat when "brewing". They like to stay in a large group to keep the heat amongst themselves. If felt from below it can actually be hot at times, especially if it is cold out.


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

Well I tried culturing both bottlefly species in the same bucket inside and ended up stinking up the whole house for a week and we had the heat on so we couldn't open the window to air the place out (good thing I can't smell lol)


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

Well neither of my 2 ff cultures r giving off any heat


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

agent A said:


> Well I tried culturing both bottlefly species in the same bucket inside and ended up stinking up the whole house for a week and we had the heat on so we couldn't open the window to air the place out (good thing I can't smell lol)


I tried that. The smell was so strong! Why cant you smell? Do you have anosmia?


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> I tried that. The smell was so strong! Why cant you smell? Do you have anosmia?


Yes, yes I do

And a variety of other issues...


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## Termite48 (Feb 26, 2012)

I have never noticed the heat from a culture but with some things I am not very observant. I do have one of those probe type thermometers but currently the battery needs replacement. I will have to give the matter a try when I replace the battery. It does give out an instant reading.


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## Mvalenz (Feb 26, 2012)

I have seen one of my FF cultures sweating on the inside from heat and humidity when I had them close together.


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> That means my H Majuscula MIGHT molt soon. Got to go mist my mantids now!!!!!!!


LOL me 2!! gtg!!!


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> Ya. my female hasnt eaten in a while. put will flick away food. My male continues to eat.


+1!!!!


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

Yay! I am not the only one!


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> Yay! I am not the only one!


Her wingbuds have turned green! Is that a good sign?


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

gripen said:


> Not to be a Debby Donner or anything but I'm not convinced the idolo is and L5. My L5 is SOOOOOO much bigger than my L4s. I'm not an expert but I think it could just be a large L4.
> 
> The majuscula is very pretty! Can you get more pics of her?


the size differance is night and day in the cage...she just couldn't stand on her hind legs and her raptors were also soft and bending.

her shield is twice the size of everyone else. that is what I was going to show but didn't want to mess her up as her legs are twice the size as all my L4s.

yes, I'll post more of my female Majuscula. I have her out right now. a friend came over just to see her with her new wings. this guy likes to play with my pair.

Harry


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

Dont know! i am horrible at telling if wing buds are swollen.

I once thought my ghost was gonna molt so I brought her on our road trip. He didnt molt then. BUT then only time i didnt think he was gonna molt he did when I went on vacation and died from low humidity


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## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

warpdrive said:


> the size differance is night and day in the cage...she just couldn't stand on her hind legs and her raptors were also soft and bending.
> 
> her shield is twice the size of everyone else. that is what I was going to show but didn't want to mess her up as her legs are twice the size as all my L4s.
> 
> ...


OK  Thanks.


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> Her wingbuds have turned green! Is that a good sign?


I didn't take pics, but I think I remember shiny green highlights in the wing buds. maybe a green on green is the best way I can say it.

I thought I was just dreaming it, as I never really looked too close to even check. but I noticed a change and it looked more 3D then when I first got her. I think that they always looked how I described, but maybe far more colorful just before she did it.

Harry


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## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

Yup wingbuds get white and shinny before the moult.


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## Chivalry (Feb 26, 2012)

I have the Idolos in a ZooMed terrarium and I am having a hek of a time keeping humidity up in there with a 60 watt bulb on it. I spray the cr*p out of it and an hour later we're back to 30%. Substrate is coco bark. Suggestions?


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 26, 2012)

gripen said:


> Yup wingbuds get white and shinny before the moult.


Mine are kinda a light aqua color. She hasn't been eating. Will she molt soon?


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

here are two more...












Harry


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

Chivalry said:


> I have the Idolos in a ZooMed terrarium and I am having a hek of a time keeping humidity up in there with a 60 watt bulb on it. I spray the cr*p out of it and an hour later we're back to 30%. Substrate is coco bark. Suggestions?


Pour water directly on the substrate


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> Mine are kinda a light aqua color. She hasn't been eating. Will she molt soon?


my guess is YES!

I see no other reason yours would stop eating. mine enjoy the all you can eat insect buffet at my house.

Harry


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

Mine pick up food but then drop it? She also flicks it. Her wingbuds loook longer than normal. is she gonna molt?


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> Mine pick up food but then drop it? She also flicks it. Her wingbuds loook longer than normal. is she gonna molt?


just what mine did before she molted. only mine ate untill the day before. then "flick"...she seemed anoyed with the flys.

Harry


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> Mine pick up food but then drop it? She also flicks it. Her wingbuds loook longer than normal. is she gonna molt?


What color are your girls' wingbuds? Do you think that has anything to do with it?


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> What color are your girls' wingbuds? Do you think that has anything to do with it?


yes, there is a change in color or vibrancy/saturation. the wing buds also look more 3D or puffy.

Harry


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## patrickfraser (Feb 26, 2012)

warpdrive said:


> I have her out right now. a friend came over just to see her with her new wings. this guy likes to play with my pair.
> 
> Harry


Which pair? :lol:


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> Which pair? :lol:


Lol that's wat she said


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> Which pair? :lol:


you silly boy. btw, two of your ghosts molted too today.

Harry


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## patrickfraser (Feb 26, 2012)

I couldn't help myself. :devil: I'm glad the ghosts are working out for you. I'm getting more all the time.


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 26, 2012)

OMG my female majuscula's molting right now!!!!!!!!!!!


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## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> Which pair? :lol:


LOL


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## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> OMG my female majuscula's molting right now!!!!!!!!!!!


I told you so!


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> OMG my female majuscula's molting right now!!!!!!!!!!!


Thats great!!!! Male or female!?

mine look puffy. They are a nice lime green color. Hope she molts soon!


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## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

Hertarem45 said:


> Thats great!!!! Male or female!?
> 
> mine look puffy. They are a nice lime green color. Hope she molts soon!


Ugh look in his post for your answers...


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## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

gripen said:


> Ugh look in his post for your answers...


Whoops. Missed that.. Sorry


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## Mvalenz (Feb 26, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> OMG my female majuscula's molting right now!!!!!!!!!!!


Congrats!!


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## hibiscusmile (Feb 26, 2012)

u guys are crazy! :kiss:


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## agent A (Feb 26, 2012)

hibiscusmile said:


> u guys are crazy! :kiss:


Why thank u and...

YOU JUST NOTICED???! :huh:  :taz:


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## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

agent A said:


> Why thank u and...
> 
> YOU JUST NOTICED???! :huh:  :taz:


I couldn't have said it better my self.

Harry


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## warpdrive (Feb 27, 2012)

brancsikia339 said:


> OMG my female majuscula's molting right now!!!!!!!!!!!


you luck SOB. you got to see her wings grow. :clap: 

Harry


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## sporeworld (Feb 27, 2012)

Chivalry said:


> I have the Idolos in a ZooMed terrarium and I am having a hek of a time keeping humidity up in there with a 60 watt bulb on it. I spray the cr*p out of it and an hour later we're back to 30%. Substrate is coco bark. Suggestions?


Been a while since I had ZooMeds going, but I think you can just put a piece of glass on top to partially cover the screen, to keep the humidity in. Don't use anything that might melt or catch fire (assuming you're using heat lamps above to warm it).

If you don't want to kill your air flow, you can buy or make one of those "Big Drippers", or just soak a CLEAN sponge in water and toss it in there each night.


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## Mvalenz (Feb 27, 2012)

I have sponge as a subsrate in my enclosures. It holds moister very well and easy to clean. And it's a nice cushion in case of a fall during molt. haven't had that happen so far so im not sure how well it works in that compacity. Got the idea from your "sponge world" thread. Thanks for that one Sporeworld.


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## sporeworld (Feb 27, 2012)

Ha, ha! Thanks!


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