# i just recived 2 ghost mantis.how often do i mist them ?



## macro junkie (Nov 23, 2007)

how often do i mist them..i was told not to mist flower mantis so i dont but this ghost mantis..any info on how to look after it?i take it there easy but im stuck on misting it..its L3.


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## tier (Nov 23, 2007)

Hi

Misting does not really matter for Phyllocrania.

You can mist every day just a little bit, but it is no problem to mist them only once a week.

They can molt very good without humidity. Of courese very young larvae should be misted at least twice a week.

Misting every day makes approx. 50% of the larvae become green, misting only once a week makes them brown or black.

Best regards,

tier


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## macro junkie (Nov 23, 2007)

tier said:


> Hi. Of courese very young larvae should be misted at least twice a week.
> 
> Misting every day makes approx. 50% of the larvae become green, misting only once a week makes them brown or black.
> 
> ...


im new to this..u have lost ,me,,u mean u mist the ooth?


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## tier (Nov 23, 2007)

No, I mean the nymphs. But ootheca are treatened the same way.

The nymphs become green with an age of L3 or l4 if they were misted often as they were L1 or L2.


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## Mantida (Nov 23, 2007)

Yeah, I don't usually mist my ghosts and they get through their molts fine, though I have noticed that ghosts drink water frequently so I offer them this by pouring a little water on the tabletop and letting them drink from there.

Btw, for future referance, use the search feature ; it contains most of the topics that you've started here in MF.


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## macro junkie (Nov 23, 2007)

mantida said:


> Yeah, I don't usually mist my ghosts and they get through their molts fine, though I have noticed that ghosts drink water frequently so I offer them this by pouring a little water on the tabletop and letting them drink from there.Btw, for future referance, use the search feature ; it contains most of the topics that you've started here in MF.


ok..hey i took some pics for u of that species your after..i forgot the real name..its nicked named the peacock mantis..il load them up in a bit


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## asdsdf (Nov 23, 2007)

Woah....and I thought they needed lots of moisture.....all of the caresheets I read say they need lots of humidity.


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## tier (Nov 23, 2007)

In fact you can find them in the whole southern africa, ok, not in the deserts.

They tolerate a pretty big span of conditions and parameters. As long as you do not keep them too cool


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## darkspeed (Nov 23, 2007)

When researching Ghosts, I read in more than one place that inadequate humidity is the #1 cause of failure among beginners that try to keep them. I keep mine at about 80% humidity... and they are currently at L3 &amp; L4 and still crimsion/brown colored. Sometimes I mist them as much as twice a day. So would backing off with the humidity now help them retain their current color?


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## macro junkie (Nov 23, 2007)

DARKSPEED said:


> When researching Ghosts, I read in more than one place that inadequate humidity is the #1 cause of failure among beginners that try to keep them. I keep mine at about 80% humidity... and they are currently at L3 &amp; L4 and still crimsion/brown colored. Sometimes I mist them as much as twice a day. So would backing off with the humidity now help them retain their current color?


not sure.spraying 2x per day..why are u doing that?


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## bellerophon (Nov 23, 2007)

mine are never more than an inch apart and have two different colors. I dont put much faith in the humidity statement


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## Mantis_Whisper (Nov 24, 2007)

I spray mine at least three times a day (They're at L5). I've only got one green one, a black one and three brown. I think it depends on genes as well, not just humidity.


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## macro junkie (Nov 24, 2007)

Mantis_Whisper said:


> I spray mine at least three times a day (They're at L5). I've only got one green one, a black one and three brown. I think it depends on genes as well, not just humidity.


i have mine in seprate cups..im not risking 1 getting eaten..i wil when i have oooth but this is my only male and female im not risking it.


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## darkspeed (Nov 24, 2007)

Yeah, I had thought that too. I specifically request the darkest ghosts the breeder had, and I have kept them in a enclosure with black sand substrate and a live plant with purple leaves just in case the color of their environment has any thing to do with it.


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## macro junkie (Nov 24, 2007)

DARKSPEED said:


> Yeah, I had thought that too. I specifically request the darkest ghosts the breeder had, and I have kept them in a enclosure with black sand substrate and a live plant with purple leaves just in case the color of their environment has any thing to do with it.


this is great news tho..i have always wanted a species that u can put together..great news.


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## tier (Nov 24, 2007)

Hi

genes doesn't matter. It's humidity and temperature. If it is cooler and wet in Africa, the bush is becoming green and also the Phyllocrania.

You should not build up an opinion if you are keeping three ghost, but 500!

The only way you can kill Phyllocrania is keeping them too cool and too humid. Best is 28°C and 40% humidity!

Spray once every 5-7 days, and none will die, but none will become green.

If you just have three ghosts, you should not experiment with them. But if you have 500 it is no problem to keep about 100 very cool and humid. In these enlosures a lot will die, but the approx. 50% of the surviving ones are green.

regards,

tier


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## Mantis_Whisper (Nov 24, 2007)

macro junkie said:


> i have mine in seprate cups..im not risking 1 keeping eaten..i wil when i have oooth but this is my only male and female im not risking it.


I don't have any separate containers, so I just keep them in a large cage, so far I haven't had any deaths.


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## Mantida (Nov 24, 2007)

I keep mine in separate cups, force of habit I guess. I never spray; I take them out to give them waterings. Both females I have are dark brown and the male is light brown.


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## darkspeed (Nov 25, 2007)

tier said:


> Higenes doesn't matter. It's humidity and temperature. If it is cooler and wet in Africa, the bush is becoming green and also the Phyllocrania.
> 
> You should not build up an opinion if you are keeping three ghost, but 500!
> 
> ...


Considering that just about all of the top breeders and distributers of ghosts state in their care sheets that high humidity is absolutely necessary for ghosts to survive, I dont quite see how following the directions of experts would be considered experimenting. Following instructions from someone relatively unknown in this hobby that completely contradict everyone else on the other hand is.


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## macro junkie (Nov 25, 2007)

DARKSPEED said:


> Considering that just about all of the top breeders and distributers of ghosts state in their care sheets that high humidity is absolutely necessary for ghosts to survive, I dont quite see how following the directions of experts would be considered experimenting. Following instructions from someone relatively unknown in this hobby that completely contradict everyone else on the other hand is.


this isnt very helpfull to me..i dont know who to belive..mayby il ask graham tomorow..


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## macro junkie (Nov 25, 2007)

bellerophon said:


> mine are never more than an inch apart and have two different colors. I dont put much faith in the humidity statement


lovely looking ghost..how big do they grow to?


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## Mantida (Nov 25, 2007)

macro junkie said:


> lovely looking ghost..how big do they grow to?


2 inches


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## tier (Nov 26, 2007)

> Considering that just about all of the top breeders and distributers of ghosts state in their care sheets that high humidity is absolutely necessary for ghosts to survive, I dont quite see how following the directions of experts would be considered experimenting. Following instructions from someone relatively unknown in this hobby that completely contradict everyone else on the other hand is.


Hi

It is not my fault that your top-breeders do not know better or that your researches in the www are not right.

I know humidity is not relevant for this species. They rise wonderfull in very lot circumstances, that's why they are so easy and - together with Hierodula - Germanys No1 Beginner-mantis. Every eleven year old kid can easyly breed them.

regards,

tier


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## macro junkie (Nov 26, 2007)

tier said:


> HiIt is not my fault that your top-breeders do not know better or that your researches in the www are not right.
> 
> I know humidity is not relevant for this species. They rise wonderfull in very lot circumstances, that's why they are so easy and - together with Hierodula - Germanys No1 Beginner-mantis. Every eleven year old kid can easyly breed them.
> 
> ...


they will grow good in high or low humidity it seems from what i read,


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