# Greeting from a Mantis Newbie



## mantisboy (Aug 19, 2010)

Hi Folks,

I live in Meridian, Idaho and have become the new owner of 3 Mantids David, Goliath, and Big Bertha-Green. Yesterday for some strange reason we had 6 mantids in our backyard. I told my kids how I had a pet mantid "Geronimo" when I was a kid and how much fun he was. Of course, later I found out Geronimo was a female but never the less she was a great warrior. After answering a ton of question, do they sting? do they bite? are they poisonous, how do you tell the boys from the girls? I conceded that we could keep 3 as pets.

I chose one pregnant beautiful green female, and 2 tan males quite different in size. We then went down to Petsmart and got 3 beta aquariums (10"x8"x7") along with some crickets. After making a nice home with 1" layer of dirt, a couple of rocks, and a small branch clipping with a few leaves we transferred them into their respected new homes. I read up on Mantids and the only thing that I noticed that was different from when I had Geronimo was misting them with water, something I never did. I was able to get her to drink water from a spoon or the tip of my finger which was pretty cool.

Although Mantids are not uncommon to the our area, I have never seen so many which I attribute to a rather mild winter. I also think we had so many in the backyard at one time because of the 2 females that probably attracted the other 4 males.

The 2 males quickly adapted to their new homes, but Big Berta-Green is really having a problem. I may release her today, she is constantly clawing at the sides of aquarium and keeps falling on her back. Her belly is so plump, I think the added stress of constantly struggling might just kill her. I wish she would just settle down and climb on the sticks we provided for her.


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## Rick (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome. Wild caught mantids often do have some trouble. Some more than others. I of course recomend some of the captive bred species sold here on the board.


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## mantidsaresweet (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome from Ohio.


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## Seattle79 (Aug 19, 2010)

Nice to have you and welcome to the Forum.

-Kevin


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## novaz (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome to the Forum


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## ismart (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome to the forum!


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## LauraMG (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome welcome!


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome and put big bertha on a plant in your home, she will probably stay on it , if not put her back there a few times and feed her a cricket when u do, that should help her, petsmart don't need your money, pay the kids quarters for catching crickets and grasshoppers! :lol: gotta love me, I'm the mama~ :tt2:


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## mantisboy (Aug 19, 2010)

Hey Folks,

Thank you so much for the greeting, I hope to learn a lot more about mantids from the forum experts. Big Bertha has finally settled down and perched herself on the tree-cutting. She is a slow and very gentle creature, I also think she is worn-out. I only placed 1 cricket with her so I can monitor her appetite, so far the cricket is still there.

I finally got a chance to check Goliath, Goliath is a girl, a female killing machine who is hyper-active and down right ornery. Goliath must have quite hungary, within 10 minutes of being in her new home it was time for a cricket snack.

Of all 3, I like little David who is the most inquisitive and pet-like. This little male is fascinated with me and seems more than content checking out everything I do while I am in my office. While the girls share quarters separated by a plastic partition, David has the whole crib to himself. He spent most of the morning on the side of the wall checking me out, came down and had his breakfast then went high on the wall for a little much needed preening. I will attach some pics later of my little trio.

I'm going to give Bertha a little more time and if she lacks an appetite she'll go back into the garden. Perhaps you can let me know if these quarters are suitable as well if I should get some spring water and mist them, something I didn't do with my past mantid.

I only bought some crickets to ensure they were fed quickly, we have a ton of Hopers this year and the kids love catching them...along with the cat. Unfortunately my neighbors have a very busy bird feeder so there is a lot of Hoper competition, but we have a big field down the street. If Bertha makes it, I have a feeling she will be like my past mantid and will be able to hang out on my desk, shoulder, or the garden from time to time.

Thanks again for taking the time to greet me, I post on other forums and appreciate the friendly reception.


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## Jesskb (Aug 19, 2010)

Nice to meet you Idahomantid, and welcome to the forum! I like how you brought up giving your mantis water off a spoon when you were younger. I used to do this when I was a kid too. I remember I read about doing it in this old book in the library, it was called something like "Praying Mantids, Backyard Dinosaurs" or something like that. Thanks for bringing back the memory, I had forgotten about it. :lol: Might have to go give my mantises a drink off a spoon now. I remember it was so cute when they would grab the spoon with one "hand" and take a big drink.


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## angelofdeathzz (Aug 20, 2010)

Welcome,yes get some pics and someone here will tell you what they are.


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## mantisboy (Aug 20, 2010)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Welcome,yes get some pics and someone here will tell you what they are.


They have a black and white spot on the upper inside of the front legs sooooooooo I think they are European. Clinton Township, hmmm I have friend who lives there, any chance you know Lou Tisch?


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## angelofdeathzz (Aug 21, 2010)

Nope I cant say that name rings a bell. my chinese have a black spot inside on there front claws, if you check the photo section you may find one that looks like yours.


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## jday (Aug 22, 2010)

Jesskb said:


> Nice to meet you Idahomantid, and welcome to the forum! I like how you brought up giving your mantis water off a spoon when you were younger. I used to do this when I was a kid too. I remember I read about doing it in this old book in the library, it was called something like "Praying Mantids, Backyard Dinosaurs" or something like that. Thanks for bringing back the memory, I had forgotten about it. :lol: Might have to go give my mantises a drink off a spoon now. I remember it was so cute when they would grab the spoon with one "hand" and take a big drink.


Welcome Idahomantid. We haven't used a spoon, but Z and I learned in Seymor Symon's "Pets in Jars" that mantids will drink water from a drop on your finger. It's a wonderful experience.


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## mantisboy (Aug 22, 2010)

zenola said:


> Welcome Idahomantid. We haven't used a spoon, but Z and I learned in Seymor Symon's "Pets in Jars" that mantids will drink water from a drop on your finger. It's a wonderful experience.


My kids were fascinated everytime I take a Q-tip, dip it in water to give one of our females. She has no fear of the Q-tip and drinks until she is full, generally about 3-4 drops plus what she gets out of the cotton. All of my mantids are wild, one of the females was not doing well at all. No appetite, no movement, just hanging from the lids by 2 legs with the other curled over her body for the last 3 days. Her dropping were stuck on her wings, her antennas hung low and by all accounts I thought we were going to lose her.

I was able to get her to take water twice a day, sprayed her down, and left 1 cricket in her housing. After asking about her, several of the good folks here said she maybe ready to lay an ooth. After 3 days she finally snapped out of whatever she was going through and finally fed on the cricket. She appears active again and now hangs from the lid in what I would consider to be a normal posture. All I can think of is perhaps she ate a bug that had some traces of insecticide, pest control is very active in our neighborhood. Even I have the house sprayed 4 times a year, spiders can be issue in southwest Idaho. As I type this she is preening herself and I have added a single hopper with 2 broken back legs for her. I don't want her to be pestered as hoppers zing around the housing and will bump into her which will only add unwanted stress.

If she makes it, I think I will be able to hand feed her like my old mantid. Pic is of Bertha not doing well


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## mantisboy (Aug 22, 2010)

zenola said:


> Welcome Idahomantid. We haven't used a spoon, but Z and I learned in Seymor Symon's "Pets in Jars" that mantids will drink water from a drop on your finger. It's a wonderful experience.


My kids were fascinated everytime I take a Q-tip, dip it in water to give one of our females. She has no fear of the Q-tip and drinks until she is full, generally about 3-4 drops plus what she gets out of the cotton. All of my mantids are wild, one of the females was not doing well at all. No appetite, no movement, just hanging from the lids by 2 legs with the other curled over her body for the last 3 days. Her dropping were stuck on her wings, her antennas hung low and by all accounts I thought we were going to lose her.

I was able to get her to take water twice a day, sprayed her down, and left 1 cricket in her housing. After asking about her, several of the good folks here said she maybe ready to lay an ooth. After 3 days she finally snapped out of whatever she was going through and finally fed on the cricket. She appears active again and now hangs from the lid in what I would consider to be a normal posture. All I can think of is perhaps she ate a bug that had some traces of insecticide, pest control is very active in our neighborhood. Even I have the house sprayed 4 times a year, spiders can be issue in southwest Idaho. As I type this she is preening herself and I have added a single hopper with 2 broken back legs for her. I don't want her to be pestered as hoppers zing around the housing and will bump into her which will only add unwanted stress.

If she makes it, I think I will be able to hand feed her like my old mantid. Pic is of Bertha not doing well


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## LauraMG (Aug 22, 2010)

I think she is potentially still getting ready to lay. I didn't realize mine was laying until she hadn't moved in hours and the oothecae was half laid. Give her time


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