# Hi All from Westchester, NY



## Schloaty (Aug 7, 2007)

Hi everyone, just ran across this forum today while searching for info about mantids. Pretty cool place!

I used to raise the local wild mantids when I was a kid and stayed on Fire Island for the summers - think they were chinese mantids. Used to love it!

My interest in them was renewed when I found them for sale at a recent reptile expo and bought one. It almost died the first day I had it (!) from a molt gone wrong - then after it barely survived that, it was deformed (bent limbs) and could barely walk or catch anything. I had to baby it until it's next molt, when it miraculously snapped back into fighting shape.

It survived until almost it's last molt....then I left it outside (under a roof, even!) when I went to work. Normally that wouldn't be a problem....but it was a HOT day, and I hadn't checked the weather.... I guess I don't need to say what happened.  

So now my interest has been fired up! I want to try again (now with an eye for the weather report), and also expand to maybe two or three different kinds....for the moment. We'll see if my wife will let me expand any further.

Other than this new re-found interest, I am also heavily involved in the martial arts (not of the mantis forms), carnivorous plants, hot peppers, general gardening (my cucumbers are insane this year), gaming (yes, I'm a grown up geek - heck, I still play with bugs), I started dabbling in butterfly rearing this year (don't know if I'm going to stick with it, we'll see if it keeps my interest) and pretty much anything nature oriented.

I have two daughters (one is four weeks old, the other three years), the older one loves nature as much as I do. She drives her mother NUTS with picking up bugs - the wife is, shall we say, not fond of creepy crawlies. I love to torture my wife (some husband, eh?) so I naturally encourage my daughter to bring her every one she finds.... :twisted:

Anyway, glad I found this site, and thanks Rick for pointing out the intro forum - I completely overlooked it earlier today!


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## Deutschherper (Aug 7, 2007)

Yay, I'm the first to reply and view!

Welcome!


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## OGIGA (Aug 7, 2007)

Welcome! We'll help you get more creatures to scare your wife. :twisted:


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 8, 2007)

Welcome, and leave wify alone, I always say " don't piss off the cook" :lol:


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## Rick (Aug 8, 2007)

Welcome


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