# cilnia humeralis; please define "agressive"?



## LLCoolJew (Sep 3, 2011)

Greetings, Earthlings.

I'm expecting an L6 female cilnia humeralis in a few days, so I've been reading up on your posts in the forum. Thanks!

I continually find mention of the cilnia humeralis being a particularly agressive species. 

Is this intended to describe its relationship to hunting/eating, in that it likes to snatch up prey and rip its head off with a particular agression?

Or, does this (also) describe its relation to humans? What type of behavior can I expect from her in terms of our own personal friendship? I was rather hoping we could hang out on the couch and watch tv together without my getting bit.   

What are your thoughts?

Thanks!

-Lauren


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## guapoalto049 (Sep 3, 2011)

At L6, a female Cilnia will start to get aggressive. As long as you don't wave your fingers around in front of her face, she won't grab ya.

They are very aggressive towards prey, which is pretty convenient for you (they will pursue it around the cage).

If you want to hold it, just place your open hand in front of her and gently blow on her. This seems to get them moving.


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## azn567 (Sep 3, 2011)

I believe "aggresive" means towards other insects and fellow mantises. They can usually distinguish between prey and human beings but occasionally some larger species will mistake your hand for food and nibble on it. But other than that you should be fine.


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 3, 2011)

Thanks! I hope that she likes me


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## RevWillie (Sep 3, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Thanks! I hope that she likes me


She'll walk all over you!


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 3, 2011)

I really want that species as my next.  

If you don't surprise or grab her, she will probably just hang with you, or walk all over you, like RevWillie said. :lol:


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## patrickfraser (Sep 3, 2011)

Why is there _*ALWAYS *_another mantis that I have to have?


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 3, 2011)

patrickfraser said:


> Why is there _*ALWAYS *_another mantis that I have to have?


Maybe you need professional help. Don't you know the mantid is the gateway bug?


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## RevWillie (Sep 3, 2011)

likebugs said:


> Maybe you need professional help. Don't you know the mantid is *the gateway bug*?


LOL! :lol: 

I'm sticking with the 3 species I've got, though _mas y mas_ is so very tempting... :blink:


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## MantidLord (Sep 3, 2011)

This species and budwings are (from what I've heard) very aggressive. Therefore I must have. :devil2:


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## ismart (Sep 3, 2011)

I'll give you an example! On serveral ocassions after a molt, Cilnia's will go nuts on there own molted exskeleton, if left in the enclosure to long. They will claw at it, till it is ripped to shreds! I have never witnessed any other species doing this. They don't do this all the time, but i have witnessed this at least a half a dozen times.


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 3, 2011)

I have to have a couple!


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## ismart (Sep 3, 2011)

likebugs said:


> I have to have a couple!


I told you, after all my lose ends are tied. You will be the first one i will give to.


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 3, 2011)

ismart said:


> I told you, after all my lose ends are tied. You will be the first one i will give to.


Very cool.


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## MantidLord (Sep 4, 2011)

What about me Ismart?


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## Frey (Sep 4, 2011)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Just 2 hours ago has started to work  

Even if female of Clinia is full feed , she will catch crickets or etc. and she will snap off the head then she will let victim go  

Seriously, hard to mate with male... All the time You need watching on them.


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## ismart (Sep 4, 2011)

MantidLord said:


> What about me Ismart?


I'm sorry MantidLord! You too!


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 4, 2011)

Cool, thanks for the "head's up" on the behavior traits of the Cilnia.

Since I won't be breeding her, I reckon I'm good in that regard. I just want for her to be my friend, and to not try and eat my face off  

Didn't know that the Cilnia was a species so many people would like to have! Yay!

Happy Sunday!!!

LL in SF


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## gripen (Sep 4, 2011)

i think the aggressive species are the most personable because they are less likely to be afraid of you. i used to curl up with my shields and watch tv.


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## angelofdeathzz (Sep 4, 2011)

Shredding its own molted skin, now that puts it in a psycho-nut category all of its own! So please Lauren DO NOT let it jump on your adorable face just in case it tries to go all Freddy Krueger, we can not have that! And no I'm not flirting(well maybe a little) :blush: :lol:


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 4, 2011)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Shredding its own molted skin, now that puts it in a psycho-nut category all of its own! So please Lauren DO NOT let it jump on your adorable face just in case it tries to go all Freddy Krueger, we can not have that! And no I'm not flirting(well maybe a little) :blush: :lol:


LOL. Thanks! I'll try my best.


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## MantidLord (Sep 4, 2011)

ismart said:


> I'm sorry MantidLord! You too!


Haha yes! Thanks


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## Psychobunny (Sep 6, 2011)

I ordered a L6 female Cilnia a few days ago myself (bet we ordered from the same person!!).

Aggresive is what I want, they are much more interesting and easy to feed.

I am not familiar with this species, but other aggressive mantids are only aggesive to their prey, not humans,

though they will latch on to your thumb or finger thinking it's food, they quickly let go.

I think when you handle any mantis you should do it with care and slow movement so not to stress it out.

If they get on my hand willingly, I reward them with a little blob of smashed cricket guts on a toothpic  

I do that in hopes they can make an association and remember that I give them goodies to eat  

Dont know if that will work with a bug !!


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

It would be nice if a hungry, finger eating mantis, always quickly lets go. But, that is not always the case. I have had a couple of good holes eaten into me, before I have been able to safely remove the hungry mantis, on a few occasions. :mellow: If they refuse to let go, I usually block the face with a feeder or anything that will fit between the mantid mouth and the human victim. :lol: Chopsticks work well.


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## Psychobunny (Sep 6, 2011)

likebugs said:


> It would be nice if a hungry, finger eating mantis, always quickly lets go. But, that is not always the case. I have had a couple of good holes eaten into me, before I have been able to safely remove the hungry mantis, on a few occasions. :mellow: If they refuse to let go, I usually block the face with a feeder or anything that will fit between the mantid mouth and the human victim. :lol: Chopsticks work well.


If they dont let go, just squirt them with your mist bottle. They will let go  

I dont know how big this speices gets full grown, but I assume a L6 would be big enough for

small crickets (which is my prefered feeder).

I hate ff's, but still need to raise them for the little ones


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## Psychobunny (Sep 6, 2011)

LOL!!

Chopsticks are an essential tool for keeping mantids


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 6, 2011)

Psychobunny said:


> I ordered a L6 female Cilnia a few days ago myself (bet we ordered from the same person!!).
> 
> Aggresive is what I want, they are much more interesting and easy to feed.


Awesome, Psychobunny! That means that our Cilnia are sisters!!! You and I are practically kin!! Don't forget me during the holidays.

Has yours arrived yet? Mine (who I shall name "Ant Jemima") is due in a few days. I have some habitat questions I'll be posting shortly in that section, so possibly you can take a crack at it.

Lauren


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 6, 2011)

likebugs said:


> I have had a couple of good holes eaten into me, before I have been able to safely remove the hungry mantis


Eek!! You have done nothing to quell my worries! LOL. Thanks a lot! (meanie!)

LL


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Eek!! You have done nothing to quell my worries! LOL. Thanks a lot! (meanie!)
> 
> LL


Sometimes the truth hurts. :mellow: 

Just kidding!  

It may never happen to you.  We just didn't take precautions when larger mantids were a new thing to us.

Really, even on the rare occasion that a bite happens, it isn't a real big deal. The holes have been really shallow. My 5 year old daughter has had it happen to her a couple of times and didn't cry(she will just say "ouch" and calmly let me help to remove it). She is the one who tempts them with yummy, sweet scented, and flavored fingers.  :lol: 

Cricket bites are more disturbing to me. &lt;_&lt;


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 6, 2011)

likebugs said:


> Sometimes the truth hurts. :mellow:
> 
> Cricket bites are more disturbing to me. &lt;_&lt;


Oy! Well, thanks for giving it to me straight! That's definitely worth something!!!

 LL


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Oy! Well, thanks for giving it to me straight! That's definitely worth something!!!
> 
> LL


You are very welcome. I like to tell it like it is.  

I think it is better to know what can happen ahead of time, than to end up startled and possibly swatting and stuff.  

I was told by a few people that roaches don't bite. I get nibbled sometimes and even was once bitten in defense.  

I still love all of my buggies. :wub:


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## Precarious (Sep 6, 2011)

Never had this species but my Blue Flash (Sphodromantis sp.) are the most feral species I've ever seen. The female is especially aggressive, as can be seen HERE. I have tried to hand feed her crickets and she literally grabs my finger with her needle-sharp claws instead. I once put a huge mismolted stick insect in with her wondering if she would go for something so big and she grabbed it immediately and chomped the whole thing down! I believe she could easily take a mouse.

My female Budwings can get similarly aggressive, but they usually throw me a threat pose before attacking. Blue Flash are not so courteous. She occasionally sinks her claws into me for no apparent reason too. Sort of like a cat. Maybe I should buy her a ball of yarn to burn off some of that ferocity.

Here she is shooting me the stink eye yesterday for being so rude as to open her cage to offer a cricket. Or maybe she just wanted a hug. Women can be hard to read at times.


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 6, 2011)

LOL LOL.. Yes. Women. They can be SO tempermental. My best relationship advice: Make sure you're the crazy one.

Thanks for the photo. Um. I think. Frankly, I find her very unsettling.

Nevertheless, you rock, Precarious!

Gracias,

LL


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

Goodness, what have you been doing to those poor creatures?  

The Chinese finger eaters that I have had, just simply took the finger, like prey, without warning.  There was no threat display, just GRASP! followed by: NUM NUM NUM.


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## Precarious (Sep 6, 2011)

likebugs said:


> The Chinese finger eaters that I have had, just simply took the finger, like prey, without warning.  There was no threat display, just GRASP! followed by: NUM NUM NUM.


Yum... lady fingers. :tt1: 

Better not dangle them digits too close to my maw neither. :taz:


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

Precarious said:


> Yum... lady fingers. :tt1:
> 
> Better not dangle them digits too close to my maw neither. :taz:


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## Precarious (Sep 6, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> My best relationship advice: Make sure you're the crazy one.


Now that's some useful advice!!!


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## angelofdeathzz (Sep 6, 2011)

Precarious said:


> Yum... lady fingers. :tt1:
> 
> Better not dangle them digits too close to my maw neither. :taz:


Com'on Precarious use your table manners :angry: , you know first we need to dip those fingers in honey! :devil2: :innocent: :lol:


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## Precarious (Sep 6, 2011)

likebugs said:


>


Is that a look of shock or have the pleco lips come back? :huh:  






Sorry, just had to resurrect that old gem. :lol:


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

&lt;_&lt;


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## Precarious (Sep 6, 2011)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Com'on Precarious use your table manners :angry: , you know first we need to dip those fingers in honey! :devil2: :innocent: :lol:


likebugs is plenty sweet just the way she is. :flowers:


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## angelofdeathzz (Sep 6, 2011)

Well if your gonna get all mushie, for Jeez sake. inch:


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 6, 2011)

:blush:


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## Psychobunny (Sep 8, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Awesome, Psychobunny! That means that our Cilnia are sisters!!! You and I are practically kin!! Don't forget me during the holidays.
> 
> Has yours arrived yet? Mine (who I shall name "Ant Jemima") is due in a few days. I have some habitat questions I'll be posting shortly in that section, so possibly you can take a crack at it.
> 
> Lauren


Yep, got her yesterday. Great mantis, I heart her  

Had a hard time getting her into her home, she was much more interested in climbing on me.

After several attempts, I got her on a stick and put her in her jar and very quickly closed the lid

because she was climbing to the top fast!!

Now, she just hangs upside down on the screen lid (in the normal mantis fashion!!)

Impossible to feed her w/o having her climb on me, so I will likely do a lot of hand feeding.

Do you have your's yet?


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 8, 2011)

> After several attempts, I got her on a stick and put her in her jar and very quickly closed the lidbecause she was climbing to the top fast!!


If it is possible and safe, you might be able to turn the container upside down just to get her in easier, without as much risk to her feet.

Many of my mantids have become wise to the inverted container trick, but sometimes it still works if I am lucky. LOL

My _Heirodula multispinas_ are really clingy and just won't move off of me at all. I literally have to try to remove one leg at a time from my skin. Now, they will even avoid getting on the fake plants that go into their containers.  Many mantids don't like getting put in. I feel sorry for them, but they are not safe roaming around the house.

Also, you may be able to cut a small hole in the container so the feeders can be put in. The hole can be plugged with a sponge piece, cotton ball, or even a wadded up piece of paper towel.

I still enjoy hand feeding. But be careful, that is when most of my accidental bites have happened. lol


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 8, 2011)

Psychobunny said:


> Yep, got her yesterday. Great mantis, I heart her
> 
> Had a hard time getting her into her home, she was much more interested in climbing on me.
> 
> ...


Yup! Jemima just arrived today! We are sitting at my desk, staring at each other (and she is keeping an eye on her lunch). I haven't picked her up yet, as I don't want to be too forward. But after hearing how friendly her sister has been with you, perhaps I'll give it a whirl after she settles in a bit. Jemima is pretty. I just snapped this with my phone:

PS. As you can see here, I have made good use of a large emery board as a "stick" for her to be transfered to and from her enclosure. Since the surface is gritty, it gives her something to latch on to. Works well!!


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## lancaster1313 (Sep 9, 2011)

Jemima is beautiful! :wub: 

I am so jealous right now.


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## RevWillie (Sep 9, 2011)

Cilnias are so cool... DO WANT!


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## Psychobunny (Sep 9, 2011)

likebugs said:


> If it is possible and safe, you might be able to turn the container upside down just to get her in easier, without as much risk to her feet.
> 
> Many of my mantids have become wise to the inverted container trick, but sometimes it still works if I am lucky. LOL
> 
> ...


I ended up doing something like that. I turned the jar, which is tall, over on its side.

After a while, she started roaming around checking stuff out.

I then, ever so slowly, unscrewed the lid, dumped some crickets in there, the stood the jar back up.

She immediatly climbed back up to the lid!! but did nab a cricket on the way


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## Psychobunny (Sep 9, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Yup! Jemima just arrived today! We are sitting at my desk, staring at each other (and she is keeping an eye on her lunch). I haven't picked her up yet, as I don't want to be too forward. But after hearing how friendly her sister has been with you, perhaps I'll give it a whirl after she settles in a bit. Jemima is pretty. I just snapped this with my phone:


They do have a nice color, and such a cute little face  

I whent ahead and ordered another one before they all disapear from stock.


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 9, 2011)

Psychobunny said:


> They do have a nice color, and such a cute little face
> 
> I whent ahead and ordered another one before they all disapear from stock.


Good idea! They're awesome! Jemima's behavior is just like that which you described of yours. Super friendly. Loves crawling on my arm and doesn't want to let go. I'm rather fond of her already. Post a pic of her sister when you get one snapped  

Happy Friday everyone!!!

XO,

LL


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## patrickfraser (Sep 9, 2011)

Hopefully someone will successfully breed these and be able to offer them in the future. I WANT!


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 9, 2011)

Despite her location on my ESC key, I think that Jemima is very happy here.


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## angelofdeathzz (Sep 9, 2011)

What a cute little pancake she is! ^_^


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## Psychobunny (Sep 11, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> Yup! Jemima just arrived today! We are sitting at my desk, staring at each other (and she is keeping an eye on her lunch). I haven't picked her up yet, as I don't want to be too forward. But after hearing how friendly her sister has been with you, perhaps I'll give it a whirl after she settles in a bit. Jemima is pretty. I just snapped this with my phone:
> 
> PS. As you can see here, I have made good use of a large emery board as a "stick" for her to be transfered to and from her enclosure. Since the surface is gritty, it gives her something to latch on to. Works well!!


I took a few pics of her and only one came out half way decent!! :

(she is munching on a cricket and saved the yummy leg for desert!!)


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## Psychobunny (Sep 11, 2011)

She is SMART too!!

It didnt take long to teach her all about crickets.

She was used to flies, not ground dwellers, so now she knows where to look for them.

She also watches and studies my every move, and is difficult to get her back in her jar.

She has gotten wise to my methods of getting her in there, she prefers climbing on me!! LOL!!


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 11, 2011)

Aww! I love her! Thanks for sharing her photo!!!!

Yeah, Jemima is just learning the art of cricketing, also. And she loves to watch my every move and flip her heard around at ever possible angle to watch me.

Any thoughts on when yours is going to molt next??

Happy Sunday!

LL


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## Psychobunny (Sep 11, 2011)

No, she is eating like a pig still, so she has not shown any signs yet of molting.

But when she does, I will have to transfer her to a larger home because she will be larger.

She still prefers being hand fed, LOL!! even though she knows where the food is!!

I think she likes the special attention  

P.S. one thing about flies. I know she is used to them, but I HATE them!!!!!

You can not gut load a fly, and the flies you catch outside have stuff in their gut that you would not want

to say in public!

The raised ones are not a lot better!!!

Crickets, on the other hand, are very easy to gut load full of nice goodies, and they do not enjoy hanging

out at the nearest pile of poop.


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 11, 2011)

I don't have any flies handy. So I am feeding her small crickets and mealworms. She isn't super hungry, so I'm keeping an eye on her, just in case.

I have her on a plant inside a net cube. I prefer not to use the net cube, as she does not stray, and seems happy on plant 24/7. But the net cube lets me create a bit more humidity (with a wet paper towel and tiny bowl of water), as well as gives some additional molting opportunities if she wants to hang upside down from the top.

She's still a little clumsy, and the net cube is so big, she doesn't navigate it well. You think she would be able to molt OK if I took her out of there, and just let her sit on the plant?

Lauren


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## Precarious (Sep 11, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> You think she would be able to moly OK if I took her out of there, and just let her sit on the plant?


I had an L5 Idolo molt on a plant on my desk and everything went fine. So long as ambient humidity isn't really low and she gets a chance to drink everyday it should be cool. I always make sure mine get to drink every day as they approach a molt. They need the fluids to lubricate the process. That's why low humidity can lead to a bad molt.


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## LLCoolJew (Sep 11, 2011)

Precarious said:


> I had an L5 Idolo molt on a plant on my desk and everything went fine. So long as ambient humidity isn't really low and she gets a chance to drink everyday it should be cool. I always make sure mine get to drink every day as they approach a molt. They need the fluids to lubricate the process. That's why low humidity can lead to a bad molt.


Thank you, Precarious! I regard your opinion highly, so I feel more at ease ditching the cube. If an Idolo can do it, surely a cilnia can pull it off, too! I'm misting her and the plant with distilled water several times a day. You mentioned that you try to get yours to drink everyday when approaching a molt. If you have any tips on how to coax her into drinking (so that I can confirm that she's done so!), I'd be interested to know.

PS. Have just decided to get an Idolo, also, which is a rather ambitious undertaking for me. I'll be following your posts more closely than ever!!


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## Precarious (Sep 11, 2011)

LLCoolJew said:


> If you have any tips on how to coax her into drinking (so that I can confirm that she's done so!), I'd be interested to know.


I'd lightly mist her, which means misting just above her so it comes down on her. If she is thirsty she will collect the dew to drink. Same method they use for grooming. She'll rub the bristles on her raptors over her body then bring the water to her mouth. If not it evaporates. If I notice them eagerly collecting water I'll give them more.

One thing to be aware of is that most plants are treated with insecticide so if it's a new plant you don't want her to drink from the leaves. I almost lost an adult male Ghost due to poisoning from a plant. He drank a lot off the leaves after arriving through the mail and went into a coma for almost 2 days. Luckily he fully recovered. I'd just bought the plant earlier that day. Now I always rinse any new plants and give them a month or two to detox.

She will get just as much humidity outside of the net cage since they don't hold humidity at all unless you cover sides with plastic. Being on the plant she will benefit from the moisture coming from the plant's soil. Adding enough plants to a room can bring up the relative humidity substantially. If you want to boost humidity even more put the pot in a wide shallow dish filled with damp sphagnum moss.



LLCoolJew said:


> Have just decided to get an Idolo, also, which is a rather ambitious undertaking for me. I'll be following your posts more closely than ever!!


I think you'll do fine with an Idolo. I got mine after only 3 months experience (I've been into mantids about a year and 3 months now). Just follow the rules. Housing is important. You've got a good resource in the users here. And you'll need to pupate a lot of maggots.


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