# Idolomantis requirements



## Morpheus uk (May 26, 2007)

I currently have 2 healthy nymphs (touch wood), and I only got them at the BTS on the 20th. So far they havent been sprayed, i dont plan to either, and a nice air flow and plenty of places to hang on. I thought this would be alright but don`t you need heat matts or heat lamps or anything?

If so then what should i be looking for?


----------



## robo mantis (May 26, 2007)

Try giving them a decent heat sourse like a lamp that gets hot. Or if you realy want to you can but a heat lamp.


----------



## Rick (May 26, 2007)

Mantids don't need a heat source. Room temp is fine for almost all of them that are commonly kept. I wouldn't use one as it will really dry out the air. MAYBE in the winter if your house is really cold.


----------



## mrblue (May 26, 2007)

no disrespect meant rick but i think it is a slightly different situation depending on your location. for example, in usa the temperature is (very wild generalisation, but you get my drift) generally warmer than us in the uk. you might say mantids "dont need" a heat source, but i believe what you are simply saying is that alot of them will not die if you dont give them a heat source. i agree that if you dont use a heat source, most mantids will still survive just fine.

however, i do think there is a difference between what you need to do to keep them alive, and what you can do to emulate natural conditions (even just slightly and to a reasonable extent, for example a slight temperature rise). i'm not saying things like heat sources are completely and utterly necessary, but i do think you will see a faster growing, more active mantis if you supply it with supplementary heat (assuming other factors like food are kept the same of course).

i'm mainly thinking of mantids like gongylus and idolomantis. you talk about drying out the air but idolomantis is usually kept pretty warm and dry (from what i gather). anyway, to answer the original question, i would say you would do well to get a heat lamp. i use these:

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/part...%2Blighting.htm

they are very cheap (only £2.99) and do a great job of warming up an area. if you're after a heat source, this is great (i reckon).


----------



## Morpheus uk (May 26, 2007)

Thanks all, im going to try and get one of those lamps  

Hope i do well with these, i`ve given them plenty of space to moult and places to hang and im feeding them house flies and blue bottles


----------



## mrblue (May 26, 2007)

> Thanks all, im going to try and get one of those lamps  Hope i do well with these, i`ve given them plenty of space to moult and places to hang and im feeding them house flies and blue bottles


if you stick to this, they should grow no problem. however as i'm sure youve read, with alot of people things go swimmingly (some might say even very easy) right up until that last moult. so good luck!


----------



## captainmerkin (May 30, 2007)

my idolomantis seems to be doing fine at room temperature, but my bedroom stays around 18 c - 25 c most of the time.

I spray this guy only every few days and it seems to lap it up, eats like a hound as well  7th instar now, hoping to get another to breed with it soon !

I would suggest getting a heat mat just to be sure of a decent temperature because it has been between 8c - 28 c recently in the uk.. if your room drops a lot at night then heat mat is a must.

good luck


----------

