# Hello im new and need some help



## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

Hello all im new I had a cocoon in my bedroom and it hatched and they were mantis's! I moved the cocoon to a 10 gallon aquarium so they could hatch the rest of the way. But the thing is its winter! And I cant find any little bugs anywere to feed them. A lot of them ate each other probally cause theres only like 10 now. I seperated them. used potting soil for their dirt used a wet cotton ball for the water... But the food is a problem... I bought pinhead crickets but they look too big I dont want them to die please help! : (


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

Here is one of the little mantis babies

http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss154/x...=DSCF2014-1.jpg


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 5, 2010)

The soil is not necessary at all, and maybe the pet store has some fruit flies u can get, Maybe u can find someone near u who has some too, check the pet stores free want ad sections, some of them have post a lot of people use. Other than that u can try express shipping and hope they get to u in time, make sure u mist them a couple times a day with warm water, but I would take and put them in something smaller and clean out the dirt from your aquarium and put in soem moss and sticks instead.

Sorry, I forgot to welcome you with all the questions u had! welcome from OHIO!


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## Rick (Jan 5, 2010)

Welcome. Sounds like you need fruit flies. Plenty of places sell them. Do a search online.


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## Katnapper (Jan 5, 2010)

Hello and welcome to the forum, glad to have you here. What Rebecca and Rick said above is good advice.  Neither soil or cotton balls are of any use and will not help. The soil will make things messy when you mist. To give them water, mist with a regular spray bottle filled with water daily. Like Rebecca said, I'd take the soil out, clean the tank, and line the bottom with paper towel.

Your L1 (code for first instar, how old they are at hatching) nymphs need fruit flies. You need to get them in a hurry, or all will eat each other or die. Local PetCo's sell them (not best choice for quality, but good if you're in a pinch and need them fast). Otherwise Google "Buy Fruit Flies" and you can order them online at many places, like Rick said.

You do have a screen lid on the top of your aquarium for ventilation, right? They need ventilation. Otherwise, and eventually anyways, you'll need to separate the nymphs or they will eat each other... even with plenty of food available. Look in the Housing section for some tips of what people keep their mantids in. After getting some fruit flies, reading through past threads in the forum is one of the best ways to learn about keeping your new little babies. And if you get stuck, you can always ask.  Best of luck to you and your little ones, and again, welcome!


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

The nearest petco is 50 miles: ( Will they eat meat until I can get some fruit flies? Can I cut a cricket in half and maby they will eat it? Wax worms anything? If I dig in the ground could I find small worms they will eat? I dont get my paycheck until tomorrow I was not at all prepaired for this. : (

How long can they go without food? I would have never bought the cocoon inside if I would have known what was inside: ( I love praying mantis's but never saw their cocoons. Can I force feed them something? I am worried for them and if they die ill feel like a stupid fool! : (


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 5, 2010)

Don't feel stupic, it happens all the time. you can try cutting crickets up into small pieces and sticking on toothpick, or worms anything will work, if they have been eating each other u prob have a day or two before they get weak, if u leave them together, they will eat each other, which if nothing else is available, then u will at least would of saved some of them till u get food. Also don't know where u r located, but if u go express I could get u some by tomorrow if u hurry before the post is over for the day, can't promise, but all depends where u r cause the weather is real bad here, but may be worth a try.


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

Looks like im making the 50 miles trip to save these guys. Im seperating them right now before I leave to get these fruitflies. So what do i use for water then if i dont wet a cottonball? Right now Im seperating them all in little plastic cups temporary with plastic for the lid with a bunch of little holes punched in it so they can breath. Im going to need your help on here Ive never raised these things and have no choice sense its too cold outside to let them go.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 5, 2010)

Use a water sprayer bottle with a fine mist, get some distilled water while u r out, and heat in micro wave and spray them with it, they will drink off the containers.


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

whats the distilled water for?


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

Does anyone on here from ohio wanna adpot a couple of them? So far I have gotten 20 live ones out of the aquarium and theres still more in there! They must be hiding then! I thought there was only like 10 or so!


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## Rick (Jan 5, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> whats the distilled water for?


So they can drink and have humidity. Get a cheap spray bottle and once a day lightly mist the inside of their enclosure. Don't overdue it though. You can use regular tapwater but it will leave a residue on the cage.


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

If I just mist the container then I will worry that they arn't getting enough water.


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## Katnapper (Jan 5, 2010)

I'd call the PetCo first, if you're going that route to get fruit flies right now, to make sure they have some in stock. Some don't or run out. Make sure you ask (if they do have them) if there are live flies in the cultures right now. Sometimes you find they just have pupae, and no live flies... or the flies are all dead.

I just mist the mantids directly. Just make sure you put paper towel in the bottom of the containers (I cut it to fit) when they are small/tiny like that... they can easily drown in a droplet of water. I use tap water and it works just fine.


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## revmdn (Jan 5, 2010)

Welcome to the forum. And to steal Rick's line: use the search. You'll get a lot of great advice.


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

I got the fruit flies lots of the fruitflies are alive. I hope the fruitflies keep reproducing I have about 25+ babies to feed everyday. One of the baby mantis's caught one already and is eating it. How long after the mantis hatch til the time they start to grow bigger?


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## Opivy (Jan 5, 2010)

Wait, you just found the 'cocoon' inside your bedroom?

That's awesome!!!

I'm not sure how long they take for their first molt. But I think it's anywhere from 1-2 weeks.


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## Katnapper (Jan 5, 2010)

Glad you were able to get ff's (fruit flies)!  I suggest you read up on how to make your own ff cultures to keep them going. They won't live forever.... cultures only last a few weeks (give or take) depending on how old they were when you got them. Look in the Feeding section or do a forum search on "fruit fly cultures." It will help you understand what you need to do to keep them going.  Best of luck with your new little ones!


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## coolchicka (Jan 5, 2010)

Just found out a lot of people sell them on ebay.. It will get easier when they can eat crickets though.


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## planetq (Jan 7, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you got some food for the L1 nymphs.

Just a tip (since nobody mentioned it yet):

The thing you found isn't a 'cocoon', it's a mantis 'ootheca' or 'egg case'.

Cocoons are what is spun around moth caterpillars, and a few other insects when they enter their pupal stage.

The use of the word cocoon doesn't even apply for butterfly pupa(unless I am forgetting some species), so it definitely isn't the appropriate use of word when applied to mantis egg cases.

Best of luck!


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## ismart (Jan 7, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!


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