# Male just stares at female!



## Mitch65009 (Sep 20, 2019)

I got a pair of Mantis religiosa at my local reptile expo, and this is my third try at breeding them. All the make does is stare at the female! Am I doing something wrong?


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## Budwing (Sep 20, 2019)

Im not familiar with the religiosa species of mantis, but I had a african lineola mantis stare at a female for 3 days before he mounted her then he was another 2 days before he connected.  Even today I had a tenedora male just watch the female for 7 hours before he hopped on but hes still not connected. Always the bigger species of mantis males that dont know what to do for the first time or are more cautious in my experience. My ghosts and flowers couldnt wait to get at each other. Just keep her fed up if hes going to be in the enclosure for a bit without you watching so she doesnt have his head as a snack.


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## Mitch65009 (Sep 20, 2019)

@Budwing oh really? Didn't know it took so long for some mantids. So I really have to leave him in there unattended? It really worries me to leave him there. Should they be in a bigger tank? I have the female in a 5gallon right now, and I usually try for about an hour, while watching, and then just remove the male. I feed the female a super worm In one hand, and a cricket in the other. But when she finishes those, she just doesn't eat anymore. Does it mean she's full and won't go for the male?


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## Budwing (Sep 21, 2019)

This is how iv been doing it. I feed the female up over a week till she wont accept anymore food. This chinese mantis in the picture was offered a large cricket everyday. She ate 3 crickets over 4 days then point blank refuses to eat. When shes at that point that she ignores the prey. Thats when I put the male into the females breeding cage below. I monitor the situation to see the reaction from them. As long as their not grabbing or flicking at each other I leave them too it. You want her to totallly ignore him even if he walks over her. Give them time to settle down also. So after 20 mins if she hasn't had a go at him its time to relax and get a cuppa and do the other daily chores. Yes it can take hours or days depending on species or individual mantis. I dont have the time to watch 2 mantis get it on over on the course of a day or 4. Im way too busy. Theres always the potential for losses. I keep an eye on them from time to time to see if it was a successful breeding. This time it wasnt, the male has been in the cage for over 16 hours ( 6 which I was asleep ). Il take him out for a day or 2, offer her and him food. Wait till shes refusing food again then repeat the process till breeding is successful. So far I have not lost any males doing it this way. But never say never.


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## hysteresis (Sep 21, 2019)

Lucky!

How long have they been adult?

What temps are you keeping them at, especially the male.


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## Mitch65009 (Sep 21, 2019)

hysteresis said:


> Lucky!
> 
> How long have they been adult?
> 
> What temps are you keeping them at, especially the male.


I'm not sure how long they've been adult, the guy just told me their ready to breed. I keep them both at room temperature, about 26°C


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## Mitch65009 (Sep 21, 2019)

Budwing said:


> This is how iv been doing it. I feed the female up over a week till she wont accept anymore food. This chinese mantis in the picture was offered a large cricket everyday. She ate 3 crickets over 4 days then point blank refuses to eat. When shes at that point that she ignores the prey. Thats when I put the male into the females breeding cage below. I monitor the situation to see the reaction from them. As long as their not grabbing or flicking at each other I leave them too it. You want her to totallly ignore him even if he walks over her. Give them time to settle down also. So after 20 mins if she hasn't had a go at him its time to relax and get a cuppa and do the other daily chores. Yes it can take hours or days depending on species or individual mantis. I dont have the time to watch 2 mantis get it on over on the course of a day or 4. Im way too busy. Theres always the potential for losses. I keep an eye on them from time to time to see if it was a successful breeding. This time it wasnt, the male has been in the cage for over 16 hours ( 6 which I was asleep ). Il take him out for a day or 2, offer her and him food. Wait till shes refusing food again then repeat the process till breeding is successful. So far I have not lost any males doing it this way. But never say never.


Okay, I'll give that a try! Thanks man.


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## hysteresis (Sep 21, 2019)

Mitch, I always sequester the male for a couple days, well away from the female, to try and prevent pheromone saturation.

Some hours before introducing, I spike the males heat to ensure his metabolism is in full swing. I give him a good drink.

How to introduce them is the subject of much discussion. What is key is to understand is  that the males seeks the female. That's how he's built. Males have the antennae to find them, the wings to get to them. 

As long as he finds her, has an angle of approach, and she isnt too threatening, and he has a line of escape, it should go well.

Too bad you dont have dates. My finding with larger species is that females often are easier to mount after a month. And too old a male isnt as desperate to do his thing.

Whered you get the pair? Do you have the breeder's contact info? Im crazy for europeans.


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## Mitch65009 (Sep 21, 2019)

Oh, okay. Do you use a regular heat lamp to warm him up? 

I got them at the reptile expo that just happened last week. I do have his business card, would you like his information? Ill also contact him about the dates of them as well.

Also, does the tank I have the female in need any decorations? Is cover needed for the male if he needs to get away? Or he'll be okay if the tank is empty?

Whats the best size tank? I have the female in a 5 gallon, and that's where ive planned on breeding them. It is glass.


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## hysteresis (Sep 22, 2019)

I usually mate species like this in the open,  on a plant, or on top of a mesh cube. But, last time, I put my membranacea in a mesh cube and he survived. No foliage cover just empty space.


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## Mitch65009 (Sep 22, 2019)

@hysteresis yeah, I've seen people do that, and i thought it was a good idea. The problem is, my male likes to fly, a lot. I can't handle him for any more than a minute without him flying away. Also, you said they can take days to actually mate, I would have to cover them so they aren't loose in my house, right? Lol.


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## hysteresis (Sep 22, 2019)

Ive thought to throw large species in our master bedroom bathroom w door closed. The male will seek her out. Alas, I havent had to. Again, my Hierodula membranaceas spent the night in a 1x1x1 mesh cube all night. I awoke to them connected. He dismounted that afternoon. Still alive and well, at a friend's house.

Good luck!


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## Mitch65009 (Sep 22, 2019)

This is what always happens. He just ignores her. He always seems completely uninterested.


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