# Hi new to mantids



## Junito (Feb 17, 2009)

Hey everyone I'm not planning on getting any mantids until June, so I want to start reading up on mantids first before I jump right into it. I have 10 ten gallon tanks and 1 twenty gallon long tank would you suggest using them for mantids enclosures or just selling them all and buy those 32oz plastic containers. I'm not sure as to what types of mantids I want since some require bigger enclosures then others. I know I'm really liking Orchids, Dead leaf, and a few others but just would like suggestions and maybe some pics of ten gallon setups. Thanks for all who reply.

Junito


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## Emile.Wilson (Feb 17, 2009)

well a lot of mantids are carnivorous so i would watch out on housing them together, unless you provide them with a lot of space and food. You could try ghost mantids they can live together. Not sure about the other ones.


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## Emile.Wilson (Feb 17, 2009)

Emile said:


> well a lot of mantids are carnivorous so i would watch out on housing them together, unless you provide them with a lot of space and food. You could try ghost mantids they can live together. Not sure about the other ones.


ooops ment to say canabalistic


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## bassist (Feb 17, 2009)

Use dividers to divide the ten gallon tanks in half would be suitable for larger species. For communal housing you can try ghosts together in one ten gallon tank with enough leaves and perches but you may have some losses somethings with communal housing you have to take into consideration is if you let them molt in their then there's a chance a feeder or another mantid could knock it down and cause it to become entangled in it's skin.


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## Emile.Wilson (Feb 17, 2009)

also you might want to check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8lD7rTTugQ


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## Junito (Feb 18, 2009)

I think dividing the tanks would be best probably use some sort of fish divider. I like the ghost mantids too but I rather give them there own environment so I don't have any deaths. I see that some require more humidity then others what should I use as a top, I was thinking screen metal tops. I want my setups to be completely safe and also suitable for them to live in.


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## PhilinYuma (Feb 18, 2009)

Junito said:


> I think dividing the tanks would be best probably use some sort of fish divider. I like the ghost mantids too but I rather give them there own environment so I don't have any deaths. I see that some require more humidity then others what should I use as a top, I was thinking screen metal tops. I want my setups to be completely safe and also suitable for them to live in.


Welcome to the forum, Junito!

If you use the kind of tank divider used in fish tanks, you'll find that they are not mantis proof. You may want to cement in a piece of plastic sheet instead. If you use a herp mesh lid, you'll need to cover that with metal screening for the same reason. I think that to start off, though, the 32oz pot is the simplest way to go. I would suggest that you get a copy of Orin's _Praying Mantids: Keeping Aliens_. It'll tell you more than you need to get started. Check out the first thread in the General Mantids Discussion section of this forum for a description of it.


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## revmdn (Feb 18, 2009)

Welcome to the forum. I like using the deli cups. Some species can spend their whole lives in them. Others can outgrow them. For my giant asians I have 2 1/2 gallon tank. But Mantis Place sells some creative, well suited homes also. So look around.


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## Katnapper (Feb 18, 2009)

Hi Junito,

Congrats on your decision to get into mantis keeping! It's an enjoyable hobby. And I commend you on doing the research and planning before jumping in.  

Tanks of that size generally would be too large to keep most species in, unless communally, or if you divided them up into individual sections. And as you probably know, not that many species of mantis can be kept well together without cannibalism. There are a few though. I've never kept a communal tank, so I can't help you there. Dividing the tanks into individual sections would be more work and pose additional problems (like opening one section, versus all of the sections when you want to feed, etc.) than using individual containers. If it were me, I'd start with individual containers. You could keep the tanks to modify into communal housing at some point on down the road if you'd like to try doing the communal thing. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!


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## Rick (Feb 18, 2009)

Smaller containers are better. If you divide a ten gallon up into sections it will work fine for large adult mantids.


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## Junito (Feb 18, 2009)

thanks for all the replies, I'm just getting out of the fish hobby that is why I have so many tanks but I guess I'll have to use the tank for something else  . I will keep reading about mantids for awhile before I purchase any. I really like the Orchids do you guys think since me being a beginner I should stay away from Orchids and start with something easier. The Orchid mantids is what really got my attention. Thanks again for all the advice.


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## Rick (Feb 18, 2009)

Junito said:


> thanks for all the replies, I'm just getting out of the fish hobby that is why I have so many tanks but I guess I'll have to use the tank for something else  . I will keep reading about mantids for awhile before I purchase any. I really like the Orchids do you guys think since me being a beginner I should stay away from Orchids and start with something easier. The Orchid mantids is what really got my attention. Thanks again for all the advice.


Orchids are pretty easy. I never did anything special when I had them. They thrived under room temperature.


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## nasty bugger (Feb 18, 2009)

From what I've gathered in the short period of mantis ranchin' here in the great southwest, when you have a large tank, 10 gallons is small for a texans big haid, but large for a small mantis, then even the large mantis' may have difficulty finding it's food, since they usually lay in wait and ambush prey. Some varieties will chase down food, but a large tank may get a hungry mantis in an awful way  

The suggestion of ghost mantis' is because they are one of the varieties of mantis that are communal, and don't lean as much toward canabalism as other mantis' do. So if'n you use ya a 10 gallon tank, you may want to fill it with a communal variety of mantis, and keep in mind that some may go hungy, and start canabalizing the other 'fatter' ones, that may appear as donuts do to homer simpson.

Studies have been done with other types of predators, and those that are fed a decent protein diet are less likely to canabalize their brethren, unless they're politically inclined mantis', of course.

If you're going to house them communally, all together, then feed them well, and give them space to hide and perch for food, and plenty of food.

You can house communally a variety that is canabalistic and watch the show. The survival of the fitest and natural selection will take it's course, and you will see how the earth has evolved to what it is today, a mass of greedy, self-centered, inconsiderate idiots. Oh, did I say that out loud...  Hmmm, I'm gonna have to get that looked at and get back to you..... ........ .........

:wacko: :blink:


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## revmdn (Feb 18, 2009)

I had no problems with my orchids, and I'm a newb also.


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## Junito (Feb 18, 2009)

ok thanks for the replies I'm reading up alot about mantids and will be purchasing some 32 oz deli cups and some other things to. Where can I get fake vines/plants for the enclosures been searching but no luck yet. thanks again.


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## Katnapper (Feb 19, 2009)

Junito said:


> ok thanks for the replies I'm reading up alot about mantids and will be purchasing some 32 oz deli cups and some other things to. Where can I get fake vines/plants for the enclosures been searching but no luck yet. thanks again.


Try your local Dollar Store first!


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## nasty bugger (Feb 19, 2009)

I agree with the dollar store thing, I do alot of yard saling, and find some outrageously good deals sometimes.

Hobby stores may give you some items and ideas for sprucing up the enclosure.

Some prey are elusive, so keep this in mind when you design your habitat. Some roaches may burrow under substrate and hide from the mantis', and stuff like that, so plan for the type of prey you will be feeding and design the habitat accordingly.


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## Dinora (Feb 20, 2009)

I don't see any reason why you can't start with an orchid. I'm a newbie, too, and I did the same thing and my "Lilith" is doing very well (she was my first female mantis, hence the name - lol)

I think the only deterrent for starting with an orchid is, unless you have a good friend who can give you one, they are a bit more expensive than others, depending on the breeder, sometimes twice as much. But if it's what you like, then go for it! I did and I love her!

I'm glad you decided to go with the smaller containers, I was going to do the same thing with larger aquariums then a friend warned me that each time I lift a lid I risk having fruit flies escaping from one (or more) of the other sections, unless you are really good at making a lid for each individual section.

Welcome to the hobby! You're gonna love it!

*hugs*

Dinora


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## Junito (Feb 20, 2009)

I have decide that Orchids will be the first mantids that I purchase. I was thinking of getting those 80oz containers for adult females what do you guys/gals think, is this enough space for an adult. thanks again for all the info./advice.


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## nasty bugger (Feb 21, 2009)

Not sure about the 80 oz'ers, but I do know there is a difference with 32 oz containers. I bought a bunch at sam's club, and when I got home I found they were much flimsier than the one's you get from people on here.

They'll do, but the one's on here don't collapse as easily and are just easier to handle. Plus they have the breathable top on them, where as mine I had to cut the center of the lid out and just put a coffee filter over it, for air. Hassle for saving a few bucks.

One thing though is I have a bunch of flimsies for putting crickets in and transfering to mantis area, and thawing pinkies out for my snakes, and a place to put my little snakes while they eat, so there's no conflict between them while feeding.

I also use them for fruit fly cultures, but there again I'd rather use the heavier ones.

If you peruse some posts on here, lots of people use the deli cups and cut a hole low, a bit above the bottom of the cup and put a foam plug in it. This because the mantis' like to hang from the top, and would be disturbed if you open the lid, so they make the hole to put feeders in through, and mist through, so the plastic deli cups work well for that.

Rick has posted some good pics of his deli cup enclosures if you do a search for them.

Have fun with it


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## Junito (Feb 21, 2009)

can someone please show me or tell me what you house your adult female Orchids and smaller species mantids in when adults. I know the 32 oz cups are good for nymphs and adult males. thanks


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## Junito (Feb 23, 2009)

my room that I will be housing my mantids stays at a temp. of 70-74 degrees 24/7 in the winter. Do I need to raise the temps up for mantids or is that suitable for them to live in NJ winter. thanks


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## bassist (Feb 23, 2009)

Junito said:


> my room that I will be housing my mantids stays at a temp. of 70-74 degrees 24/7 in the winter. Do I need to raise the temps up for mantids or is that suitable for them to live in NJ winter. thanks


IF you have something like a lamp or other things that produce heat you can just put the container near it or on it if you think it is too cold.


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## Katnapper (Feb 23, 2009)

Junito said:


> my room that I will be housing my mantids stays at a temp. of 70-74 degrees 24/7 in the winter. Do I need to raise the temps up for mantids or is that suitable for them to live in NJ winter. thanks


I think they should do fine at those temps, even though optimum suggested daytime temps are higher (77-85 F.). They won't grow as quickly, but on the flip side... will live longer. If you are planning to breed them eventually, higher temps may be required to have a sucessful outcome. I've never kept them personally yet, so I cannot give you any better advice.


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## Junito (Feb 23, 2009)

that's just the temps in the winter when spring/summer comes it's get hotter in the room. it's a small room 6x6 something around that. but if I have to get another heat source I eventually will. thanks again.


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