# Metallyticus splendidus



## utterbeastage (Oct 3, 2009)

Just wondering if anybody on here has any of these yet,or heard anything more about them, I'd love to try raising one in the future if and when they are introduced in the UK.







Definetly something I'd love to have in my collection

(If I could keep them alive, that is)


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## Kruszakus (Oct 3, 2009)

Do you, by any chance, have about 300 EU?


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## massaman (Oct 3, 2009)

also wondered bout this species but for that kind of money then lost my appetite a bit


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## utterbeastage (Oct 3, 2009)

Kruszakus said:


> Do you, by any chance, have about 300 EU?


I do , but not for them! :lol: 

no chance haha , hopefully they'll be distributed a bit and we'll learn a bit about their requirements

worth the wait in my opinion


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## AmandaLynn (Oct 3, 2009)

Kruszakus said:


> Do you, by any chance, have about 300 EU?


Are you serious? That's absurd, why are they so much?


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## bassist (Oct 3, 2009)

I've seen em for sale for about 10 larvae for 150 euro or so.


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## massaman (Oct 3, 2009)

prob a rare species in culture and difficult to raise or those who sell them are greedy or selfish!


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## Emile.Wilson (Oct 4, 2009)

massaman said:


> prob a rare species in culture and difficult to raise or those who sell them are greedy or selfish!


You don't even know the people who sell these, and you immediately call them greedy. They are fairly new in culture and are rare, don't be so dumb, and think before you post.


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## Kruszakus (Oct 4, 2009)

bassist said:


> I've seen em for sale for about 10 larvae for 150 euro or so.


Then that was a really great bargain compared to their usual price. About 20 EU is typical for one L1 nymph.

Personally, I don't think they should be worth that much. Never saw them, but don't reall need to - to me the no. 1 is still Idolomantis, hands down.


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## Christian (Oct 4, 2009)

Ok, then I am greedy and selfish... I can live with that...

Anyway, L1 of this species should not be sold, regardless how cheap they may be. Serious breeders will not offer this instar. L2 and 3 will be somewhat more expensive, but there are much fewer losses. The species was already offered a few times.


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## Kruszakus (Oct 4, 2009)

massaman said:


> prob a rare species in culture and difficult to raise or those who sell them are greedy or selfish!


I don't think that breeders, whose level of expertise you will most likely never achieve, would be bothered by comments on their greediness. Good breeders are more than allowed to reward themselves for their competence.


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## Rick (Oct 4, 2009)

Some people just don't understand economics.


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## Pelle (Oct 4, 2009)

I have some  I got them from someone who offers them 10 for 235 euro. So I traded them for a lot of _Gongylus_

But due some deaths while shipping, I only got 13 nymphs. And have 7 left atm :/

So hopefully I'm very lucky  

When they are nymphs only their head is a bit metallic


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## Rick (Oct 4, 2009)

Very nice Pelle.


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## utterbeastage (Oct 4, 2009)

Pelle said:


> I have some  I got them from someone who offers them 10 for 235 euro. So I traded them for a lot of _Gongylus_
> 
> But due some deaths while shipping, I only got 13 nymphs. And have 7 left atm :/
> 
> ...


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## Morpheus uk (Oct 4, 2009)

Oh..._your_...god h34r: 

All the best with them Pelle  

Its incredible to see those photo's of them in someones care, sort of an insight of what you will never be able to have lol


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## yen_saw (Oct 4, 2009)

All the best with the mantis Pim, nice pics of the little nymph, rarely seen.


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## Opivy (Oct 5, 2009)

wow, how cool are these things? I like how 'splendid' is in the name.

The price seems pretty intense though.


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## PhilinYuma (Oct 5, 2009)

Yeah, it's great to even see the pix, Pelle! Good luck with them! Is it true that they only eat cockroaches?


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## Matticus (Oct 5, 2009)

Insanely jealous right now.


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## Morpheus uk (Oct 5, 2009)

I think they do best on firebrats and that sort of thing like bark mantids or so i read. From what you paid for them Pelle didnt they have a garuntee?


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## Pelle (Oct 5, 2009)

Thanks all!  



utterbeastage said:


> wow , VERY nice , you're lucky for having so much of them.are they really as hard to care for as they say ?
> 
> what sort of requirements do they have?


7 is not much imo  

I don't have them very long, so can't really say that..

I was told to keep them at 27-28°C day, and 20-23°C at night. They can't walk on glass/plastic, so you have to put something with grip on the walls.



PhilinYuma said:


> Yeah, it's great to even see the pix, Pelle! Good luck with them! Is it true that they only eat cockroaches?


No, that's not true. I was told the best food for them are firebrats, so I have a small culture of those But they can eat fruitlies and flies as well.( When they are bigger )



Morpheus uk said:


> I think they do best on firebrats and that sort of thing like bark mantids or so i read. From what you paid for them Pelle didnt they have a garuntee?


I didn't pay for them, traded them for a lot of Gongylus.. And sending them was on my own risk.


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## Borya (Oct 6, 2009)

How do they interact with each other? Do they show any agression, or may be kept together?


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## ismart (Oct 6, 2009)

Cute little buggers! Best of luck with them!


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## ABbuggin (Oct 6, 2009)

Borya said:


> How do they interact with each other? Do they show any agression, or may be kept together?


Even if they could be kept together, if I had something that rare/expensive, I would never keep them together.


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## ismart (Oct 6, 2009)

ABbuggin said:


> Even if they could be kept together, if I had something that rare/expensive, I would never keep them together.


Deffinetly not worth the risk!


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## Pelle (Oct 6, 2009)

I think they can be kept together, but I'm keeping them apart


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## d17oug18 (Oct 6, 2009)

there ok, they're not interesting look though. (YES i know economics, but i dont think those should be alot) but in a year or so they may be more spread out.


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## ABbuggin (Oct 7, 2009)

Personally, they are absolutely stunning to me. I would love to get some in the future! Absolutely beautiful!!

http://dokokanototoro.blog.so-net.ne.jp/bl...oro/7969656.jpg


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## MantidLord (Oct 7, 2009)

Where are they found naturally?


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## ABbuggin (Oct 7, 2009)

Malaysia


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## Christian (Oct 7, 2009)

+ Indonesia, India, Thailand, Philippines etc.


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## MantidLord (Oct 7, 2009)

Thank-you, So are they endangered or just hard to find?


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## Christian (Oct 7, 2009)

As every rainforest species, they are threatened by deforestation. Besides this, they are hard to find due to patchy distribution even in intact habitats.


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## MantidLord (Oct 7, 2009)

"As every rainforest species, they are threatened by deforestation."

Figures. &lt;_&lt; . Well I hope you and everyone else with this species have (or has had) success. Not really up my ally as the ideal mantis but a mantis is a mantis and I would hate for them to become lost and forgotten by hobbyists. Best of luck.


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## bassist (Oct 7, 2009)

Christian said:


> As every rainforest species, they are threatened by deforestation. Besides this, they are hard to find due to patchy distribution even in intact habitats.


Are they difficult to raise?


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## Christian (Oct 7, 2009)

I cannot give any infos on breeding conditions, as a publication is ongoing which will reveal most facts on this genus.


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## MantidLord (Oct 7, 2009)

I gotta learn German... (even if this publication will be translated).


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