# Noob questions and help please



## JohnC (Jul 8, 2007)

I have my sights set on either a Chinese Ooth or a Religiosa Ooth. My question is which is better for a first timmer to try and hatch. Plus would appericiate any comments or help on this. I live in Texas so heat isn't an issues I think. But any help would help me.lol

Thanks,

John C


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## robo mantis (Jul 8, 2007)

Chinese seem easier people are having Religiosa problems


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## JohnC (Jul 8, 2007)

Would an aqaurim be good after they are hatched. Say a 2 gallon one?


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## Hypoponera (Jul 8, 2007)

A chinese ootheca will produce upwards of 300 nymphs overnite! And each one of them will become quite a cannibal! You will need to decide how many nymphs you want to raise. The rest will need to find new homes. You can keep them together in a tank, but they will start to eat each other very quickly! Also, this species gets very big. The adult females will push close to 5 inches in length at times. So each will eventually need a 2 gallon tank if you want them to have some room.

I have to agree with robo mantis. I can not recommend the European mantids at this time. My first European ootheca started to hatch out a week ago. Half of the nymphs died while emerging from the ooth. The other half refused to eat. Out of about 100 nymphs, I lost all but 3!! Those 3 still have not eaten and so I doubt they will be around much longer!


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## JohnC (Jul 9, 2007)

Been doing a bit of research and they say the longer the Ootheca is stored the more likely it won't hatch. I am gonna go for the Chinese one but prolly in a week or in the middle of this week so they hatch before winter hits. I will prolly use a tne gallon tank and only keep 10 at the most. Also read that oncea female is mated she can make up to 10 or 16 ootheca so maybe I'll just try to get a pair down the line if my nymphs don't make it. Thanks again for the advice guys and I look forward to more advice and I am pretty excited about getting the ootheca but need to wait a bit.lol Gonna buy the cup deal from a site that has them in a cup already. So, maybe that'll help me for now?


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## Asa (Jul 9, 2007)

You mean the mantisplace one?


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## JohnC (Jul 10, 2007)

Yes that one Asa. Thanks to you I may just get what I've been searching for over a 1yr for.


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## Rick (Jul 10, 2007)

I would say Chinese but both can be difficult to raise. Hatch the ooth in a larger container or net cage. Keep all the nymphs together until they have shed their skin a few times. By this time many will have died off or been eaten and you will have a more manageable number.


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## Asa (Jul 10, 2007)

> Yes that one Asa. Thanks to you I may just get what I've been searching for over a 1yr for.


Very welcome!


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