# Do you name your mantids and would you call them your 'pets'?



## kmsgameboy (Aug 16, 2009)

Ok so I may be putting myself at risk but I do love my 4 mantids. I do call them all my pets and have names them all. I am pretty attached to my first mantis and even if she is just a common Chinese she is one special insect to me. I take the best care possible of my mantises and give them everything they need to feel at home in thier tanks. Does anyone else feel this way and name thier mantids? (If you want to know I named mine Scarlet Sprite Silhouette and Static!)


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## [email protected] (Aug 16, 2009)

I named only a few on my mantis (Big yellow mom, Brown ghostie, Golden) I consider them pets as I care for them but not on the same level as my dog or hedgehog.....


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## charleyandbecky (Aug 16, 2009)

I love my mantids, and yes they all have names. Right now I only have six but I hope to continue the hobby and work up to many more. We have Big Greenie Brown, Little Greenie Brown, Mantisa, Biggie, Wazi 100 and Hopalong.

And to answer your other question, I believe all mine have distinct personalities. For example, Mantisa is a diva. Biggie is a hypochondriac.  

Rebecca


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## PhilinYuma (Aug 16, 2009)

Don't love 'em.

Don't count them as pets.

Don't give 'em names.

So what kind of a rotten person does that make me?


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## revmdn (Aug 16, 2009)

I stopped naming them a while back, pets yes.


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## cloud jaguar (Aug 16, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Don't love 'em.Don't count them as pets.
> 
> Don't give 'em names.
> 
> So what kind of a rotten person does that make me?


Phil, i thought you worshipped the Mantis Goddess


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## PhilinYuma (Aug 17, 2009)

Arkanis said:


> Phil, i thought you worshipped the Mantis Goddess


I do (Blessed be Her Name)! But unlike the mantids that I raise, she is a *LOT* bigger than I.  

Addendum (with apologies to G.K. Chesterton).

Gently replied the Mantis of the Pen,

"Labor in peace and love your mantids then

"And love not Her since only they are dear,

"Only fear Her, for you have cause to fear."


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## Katnapper (Aug 17, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Don't love 'em.Don't count them as pets.
> 
> Don't give 'em names.
> 
> So what kind of a rotten person does that make me?


Hmmm.... a practical person very interested and captivated by them, but not to the extent of feeling extreme affection or attachment to them. I believe you "love" them in a more scientific than emotional way. Though I'd wager you have felt twinges of sadness at finding horrible mismolts or deaths at times (that you may not admit to!).  



revmdn said:


> I stopped naming them a while back, pets yes.


Yes, I view them as pets also; and have stopped naming most of them when my collection got too big for it to be practical. But I still name the adult female _P. chlorophaeas_ and _P. paradoxas_. I guess because they are my favorites.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 17, 2009)

names for a few, and always pets!!! I have, Anna, connie, may icis, lois, diane, deb, ivory, tess, eye, arby, jo, jill, june, krista, maddy, mo, .........


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## Rick (Aug 17, 2009)

No names and they are not considered true pets. My herps, dog, cats, etc are pets.


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## superfreak (Aug 17, 2009)

no names but theyre pets. my cat is a family member


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## revmdn (Aug 17, 2009)

My daughter gives them names for me now.


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## ABbuggin (Aug 17, 2009)

I dont name mine. I have too many. :lol:


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## Emile.Wilson (Aug 17, 2009)

I name the ones that really stick out to me, and i do consider them as pets.


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## a1_collection (Aug 17, 2009)

I seriously do consider my mantids pets. They are nothing less than pets to me.

I don't name my mantids. Too many and I am not very good with names. :lol:


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## batsofchaos (Aug 19, 2009)

I do consider them pets and have named them. While I find them fascinating and will be sad when they die or if they mismolt between now and adulthood, I do not have near the emotional investment in them than what I've afforded my cats and snake. After all, these little guys only live around a year, and it's hard to put emotional stock into something that has such a short life. I don't know if I will continue naming them as I get/breed more, but I've enjoyed having names for them so I think I'll at least try to keep them named, but probably not until they hit ~L4 and have some stability.


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## inferno (Aug 24, 2009)

duhh there pets they need to be taken care of


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## cloud jaguar (Aug 25, 2009)

Speaking for myself and wife they are pets. Luckily we have become more clinical in their care than we were at first, but they are nonetheless pets. It sucks if a really liked mantid dies but there are always new nymphs. we only name those that clearly earn names


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## -MK- (Aug 25, 2009)

I don't name mine. I decided ahead of time that I'd grab the first nine to molt to L2 and put each into a numbered cup in sequential order, #1 being the first to molt and so on. I definitely love them and am sad when one dies, and I do my best to give them a good home. But I don't know if I can properly call them pets since I set the vast majority of nymphs free in my back yard long ago, and will probably do the same with most of my remaining ten (two of the original nine died, girlfriend gave me three of hers) once they become adults. I'll definitely be keeping a couple as pets, though. And I completely agree that they develop individual personalities.


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## ismart (Aug 25, 2009)

I don't name any of mine. There are just far to many to name. I don't really consider mine as pets. There life span is just to short for me to get attached to them like a cat or a dog. I may not think of them as pets, but i treat them as pets. So wait, does that make them pets? I'm so confused!  :lol:


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 25, 2009)

I just put up the L girls into bigger containers with a resting ledge to fatten up for breeding, todays girls all get the L work! Lets see who we have here..... theres Lois, Lulu, Lyn, Lola, Lila, Lucy, Liddy, Laruen, Laura, Lacy, and Lori! All orchid ladies!


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## ismart (Aug 25, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> I just put up the L girls into bigger containers with a resting ledge to fatten up for breeding, todays girls all get the L work! Lets see who we have here..... theres Lois, Lulu, Lyn, Lola, Lila, Lucy, Liddy, Laruen, Laura, Lacy, and Lori! All orchid ladies!


I'm very impressed! B) Out of the trillions of mantids you probally own you still mange to find the time to name them.


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## charleyandbecky (Aug 25, 2009)

I'm just drooling at all those shelves full of orchids. I can't wait till I can order my orchie.

Rebecca

...and not only do we name our mantids, the kids even write songs about them


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 25, 2009)

oh! post a song. and of course they have to have names if they stay here, they insist! :wub:


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