# Greetings from a new mantid parent



## BobbyClouser (Feb 27, 2019)

Hi everyone. I'm brand new to keeping mantids. I "adopted" my first pair about 3 weeks ago. A friend from work, well, his wife came across a female Chinese mantis in her yard late last fall. She brought it inside and it promptly created an ootheca. I thought they were going to let it over-winter, but instead they kept it warm. It hatched about Jan 20. Only 2 survived. They weren't really into raising them, so I adopted them. I got them when they were L2s. I think one's a female (larger) and the other is a male. So far, they're doing just fine. The female molted a few days ago, so she's L3, and the male is molting now. I never thought I would get into keeping mantids as pets. In my whole life, I've only seen a wild mantis once or twice! Now I'm learning there are all kinds of beautiful mantids to have as pets.

I'm 55, work in software development and QA. Living in Massachusetts, in winter, I'm still learning how to keep them warm and not too dry. I love all animals -- we have 3 dogs and 2 cats now, and we had more in the past. I'm also into astronomy, model railroading, metal detecting, fossil hunting, and lots of other stuff. Not enough time in the day.

I look forward to learning more from this forum. 

Bob


----------



## Synapze (Feb 27, 2019)

Welcome!


----------



## MantisGirl13 (Feb 27, 2019)

Welcome to the forum! You have a beautiful mantis, I hope they both make it to adulthood! Btw, L2/L3 is too early to tell sex. What are you feeding them? What do their containers look like? Just trying to make sure that your mantids have a good setup!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## BobbyClouser (Feb 27, 2019)

I'll post some pictures soon. Right now I'm feeding them fruit flies (D. melanogaster). I ordered some of the bigger ones too (D. hydei).

bob


----------



## hysteresis (Feb 27, 2019)

Welcome @BobbyClouser!

They are amazing, arent they?

Welcome to the forum!


----------



## Graceface (Feb 28, 2019)

Uh oh, someone's got Mantis fever!  Don't worry, while there is no cure you are always welcome to stay quarantined here with us! 

Mantids are awesome pets; super fun and rewarding. Good luck with your little cuties and keep us posted on their progress


----------



## Mantis Lady (Feb 28, 2019)

Welcome  

You can see what gender they are when they are L4. They are too small at the moment. I hope your mantids will make it to adulthood.



> Don't worry, while there is no cure you are always welcome to stay quarantined here with us!


I don't want to be cured


----------



## MantisGirl13 (Feb 28, 2019)

Little Mantis said:


> I don't want to be cured


Me either!!

- MantisGirl13


----------



## hysteresis (Feb 28, 2019)

Graceface said:


> Uh oh, someone's got Mantis fever!  Don't worry, while there is no cure you are always welcome to stay quarantined here with us!


Hi. My name is Chris, and I'm a mantisolic.


----------



## BobbyClouser (Feb 28, 2019)

Well, unfortunately, the smaller L2 mantis I had did not molt correctly and died. How often does this happen?

Bob


----------



## hysteresis (Feb 28, 2019)

Sorry for the loss. 

How did it mismolt? Sometimes they just fall mid molt, if they dont have a suitable molting surface. They need lots to drink.

When molts are coming up, be _especially_ certain to mist water onto the mesh/tulle and sides of the enclosure. They need to be hydrated inside. Let em drink. Water ON them won't help. As they get older, I feed a serving of a wet feeder, like waxworm, days before I anticipate a molt.

Also, ensure perches are high enough that they dont bottom out when hanging. Tons of YouTube vids to see. 

Others may have suggestions as well. Im fully engaged in this, but I have months. Others have years.


----------



## MantisGirl13 (Mar 1, 2019)

I'm sorry that you lost the little guy! Hysteresis is right on when he says that you should mist, especially before a molt. Also, make sure they have a good surface to grip or they will fall much easier. 

- MantisGirl13


----------



## Mantis Lady (Mar 1, 2019)

Sorry for your loss. it is always sad to loose a mantis how young it is...


----------



## BobbyClouser (Mar 2, 2019)

Thanks for everyone's condolences. Right now, I'm having trouble keeping the temperature up. I have a 5-gallon aquarium, and inside that I have the mantis in a plastic jar with some eco earth and branches, about the recommended size or larger. I have a heat lamp that keeps the whole tank warm, 75F, but also produces lots of light. 

I bought one of those reptile heating pads and put it on the side. 8 watts. It just doesn't seem to do the job. Does anybody have any suggestions? I thought about partitioning the tank, but the heat source is my question. Those reptile pads just don't seem to cut it! Unless I need some big 20watt one.

Thanks in advance,

Bob


----------



## hysteresis (Mar 2, 2019)

I use these for heat. No light, only IR heat:

https://www.amazon.com/Zacro-Reptile-Thermometer-Infrared-Non-Light/dp/B07HQLSTQW


----------



## BobbyClouser (Mar 3, 2019)

Thanks for that info. How do you mount it? DO you use one of those domes? What wattage?

Thanks,

Bob


----------



## hysteresis (Mar 3, 2019)

BobbyClouser said:


> Thanks for that info. How do you mount it? DO you use one of those domes? What wattage?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bob


One of these:

https://www.amazon.com/OMAYKEY-Reptile-Fixture-Holder-Clamp/dp/B07M96LZ41/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1_sspa?keywords=OMAYKEY+Reptile+Lamp+Fixture+Holder+Clamp&amp;amp;qid=1551667305&amp;amp;s=gateway&amp;amp;sr=8-1-fkmrnull-spons&amp;amp;psc=1

I have a shelf, sooo. No domes. They wash over well.

Well enough, That i'm splitting one out to another shelf.


----------



## hibiscusmile (Mar 6, 2019)

Welcome!


----------



## BobbyClouser (Mar 15, 2019)

Hi everyone,

        I'm sorry to report that my other Chinese mantis mismolted. I found him/her hanging upside down from the mesh on the lid of the container. That's 2 I've lost. I'm feeling sadder than I expected. I was thinking of ordering some ghosts, and maybe another good starter mantis, like budwing or sphodromantis, but now I worry that I'm doing something wrong. I've learned so much so far though, and I think I know I can do better. I've had this mantis for almost 2 months. I think I could ventilate their containers better.

Any thoughts? I guess I really got attached. And it sucks to feel responsible for their death.

I just need to mourn!

Bob


----------



## hysteresis (Mar 15, 2019)

Not to be insulting / just in case... Are you sure it was done molting?

This kind of hang is normal. Sometimes an hour or so. Maybe more.


----------



## BobbyClouser (Mar 15, 2019)

Oh, not insulting at all. Glad for the information. It was not molting this morning, and when I got home from work at around 8, that is how I found him. There didn't seem to be any skin or molt remnants. It's possible it's not done. But I'm curious how often this "mis-molting" happens.

Thanks,

Bob


----------



## hysteresis (Mar 15, 2019)

Mismolts fall into two general categories: a molt where the mantis did not finish shedding its exuvia, and a molt where the mantis has somehow fallen before (or after) shedding its exuvia.

The first is self explanatory and is sometimes recoverable after its next molt.

The second is only reasonably survivable if the mantis still has its butt (or maybe a leg) in its exuvia and you hang it back up to finish. 

If it doesnt shed its exuvia completely, the trapped limb is often lost at next molt. This just happened to a mismolted thistle I got for free. 

Either way its bad, unless you hang them up immediately. Theyre so soft before the chitin sclerotizes, internal damage is a real threat. Joints dont articulate well. Tarsi lose functionality. Etc. Survivabilty is low, if they hit the hard plastic / glass deck of the floor.


----------



## hysteresis (Mar 15, 2019)

Sometimes they expire mid-molt if they were very weak. I had a Rhombodera megaera that had somehow sustained damage to an eye. Damage aside as he was weak going into the molt, the exuvia got hung up on the damage and he wasnt able to shed. I came home to find him struggling trying to 'pull off his sweater'.


----------



## hysteresis (Mar 15, 2019)

I'm sorry for the loss of your nymphs.

It sucks.


----------



## MantisGirl13 (Mar 15, 2019)

Sorry for your loss.

- MantisGirl13


----------

