# World's Record Orchid Ooth!



## Precarious (Nov 21, 2011)

Well, I never had Orchids before so is this a big ooth for them?

It's as long as her whole body!












I don't know why she chose to lay it on the glass when there is a whole tank full of branches. Maybe the thick ones were too twisty to lay such a long ooth. I'll have to find some long straight ones for future ooths. Her sister should be laying an ooth any day now so I better get on it.

How do you remove a long flat ooth from glass? Razor blade?


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## rs4guy (Nov 21, 2011)

I would use a flat razor, like you said, and work carefully at it. That is a HUGE ooth from what Ive seen. In a few months I'll have to compare what mine are like. Congrats!


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## twolfe (Nov 21, 2011)

Precarious, congratulations!

My female orchid ooth is also as long as my female's body, but I think you mentioned yours were close to 3" long. My female and ooth are both about 2.75" long.


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## Psychobunny (Nov 21, 2011)

Does this mean that someone will finally have orchid nymphs for sale soon?  

Please keep me in mind for a few guys  

BTW, Happy Thanksgiving!


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## rs4guy (Nov 21, 2011)

Sure will!


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## Psychobunny (Nov 21, 2011)

Yes, a flat razor blade.

Just work it carefully all the way around the ooth.

Should come off nice and clean that way


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## lunarstorm (Nov 21, 2011)

Congrats, that looks like quite the ooth!

I hope you let us know how many total nymphs it yields. And even better, that you opt to part with a lot of 'em (I want on the list!)


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## psyconiko (Nov 21, 2011)

Impressive!But you can see a much longer one on UK forum.Lets call the Guiness Book to clear this out!


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## Idolofreak (Nov 21, 2011)

Holy WOW!!! :blink: How long is it? :blink: 

BTW Another way to remove it is to gently slide your fingernail underneath the edges and it should pop right off. The razor sounds like it would be easier and safer if you're careful, but the "fingernail method" isn't very hard either.


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## jcal (Nov 21, 2011)

Done use a razor! Ill just buy the whole cage!!


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## Precarious (Nov 21, 2011)

lunarstorm said:


> Congrats, that looks like quite the ooth!
> 
> I hope you let us know how many total nymphs it yields. And even better, that you opt to part with a lot of 'em (I want on the list!)


You got it. If I have any say you'll see video and detailed photos of the hatch. I will definitely have nymphs for sale.



Nikkko said:


> Impressive!But you can see a much longer one on UK forum.Lets call the Guiness Book to clear this out!


Then I concede to the rightful record holder. :surrender: 

*Legal Notice:*

Forum member 'Precarious', hereto referred to as 'defendant', claims no association nor certification by said Guinness World Records Corporation or its subsidiaries. The inflammatory title of forum post "World's Record Orchid Ooth!" was intended as parody to generate interest among the board users and was never directed toward commercial purposes or as a branding in order to generate revenue. Defendant apologizes for any misunderstand in relation to this attempt at humor.


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## brown (Nov 21, 2011)

That is an amazing long ooth. She is one creative girl.

lol @ legal notice, I think Nikko meant to get the Guiness Book people to confirm the size.


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## patrickfraser (Nov 21, 2011)

Very nice. Good luck with the babies. Put me down as a willing foster parent, please?


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## Precarious (Nov 21, 2011)

patrickfraser said:


> Very nice. Good luck with the babies. Put me down as a willing foster parent, please?


Done.


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## Colorcham427 (Nov 21, 2011)

Henry, what is it laid on? Looks to me like it's paper, not a valuable mesh net, am I right? If it is just paper glued to a container, simply remove the paper man. Whenever I have an ooth laid on a branch or piece of paper towel, that ooth is getting glued on a lid with the branch/paper glued down, not the ooth!  

It IS a nice size man, to answer your PM question.

Unfortunately your Orchids are NOT proven to be from wild caught specimens, or are they?

Most Orchids are from UE/UK as its super easy for them to import wild caught specimens and wild caught ooths from Malaysia.

The ooth I had Henry, was produced by a wild caught pair. This is why the hatch rate was so high, 101 nymphs to be exact my friend.  

I hope your Orchids came from either a "CH" (captive hatched) ootheca. This is an ooth which was laid by a wild caught female for those of your who do not know this terminology yet.

Or hopefully your Orchids came from a captive hatched pair which was then hatched and sent to you.

I hope the best for your Orchid ooth's hatch count and your success on keeping and continuing their lineage. I am getting a couple more ooths soon, they should be here within the next 2 weeks. Let's hope I get some hatched out by the next 4-6 weeks. This will mean my males will be perfect age for your females! My nymphs will be CH, so expect a strong stock from me!  

Peace to all! And congrats with you all who are keeping Orchids!


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## rs4guy (Nov 21, 2011)

I'll have adults within the same time frame as we.. Perhaps we can trade a few for mating to mix up the genes....


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## Precarious (Nov 21, 2011)

Brian Aschenbach said:


> Henry, what is it laid on? Looks to me like it's paper, not a valuable mesh net, am I right?
> 
> Unfortunately your Orchids are NOT proven to be from wild caught specimens, or are they?


It's on the glass of an Exo-Terra tank. Should come off pretty easy. I'm just letting it dry first.

I don't know if my nymphs are WC or CB. We'll see how many nymphs I get.



rs4guy said:


> I'll have adults within the same time frame as we.. Perhaps we can trade a few for mating to mix up the genes....


I try not to count my nymphs before they hatch but it would probably be to both our benefit to mix blood. Not sure I'm going another generation with them yet, but chances are I will since it seems others are having trouble syncing the sexes.


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## jcal (Nov 22, 2011)

If you really are keeping a list please pen me IN!


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## hibiscusmile (Nov 22, 2011)

Looks good, she is a happy female!


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## yen_saw (Nov 22, 2011)

I had a similar experience...... all the best to your orchid ooth.


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## lunarstorm (Nov 22, 2011)

Wow, looks like orchids are capable of huge ooths. How many nymphs did that one yield Yen?

Also, I noticed Brian differentiates between captive and wild caught ooths and claims there are different hatch rates. This is the first I've heard of this, do the rest of you agree?


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## yen_saw (Nov 22, 2011)

lunarstorm said:


> Wow, looks like orchids are capable of huge ooths. How many nymphs did that one yield Yen?


Plenty


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## Precarious (Nov 22, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> Plenty


OMG!  

Now I'm REALLY excited.

My cameras are drooling.


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## agent A (Nov 22, 2011)

oooh awesome! that looks like fun, maybe i will get one if precarious sells xtra nymphs


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## Idolofreak (Nov 22, 2011)

Nice ooth Yen! I love L1 orchid colors.


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## yen_saw (Nov 22, 2011)

Precarious said:


> OMG!
> 
> Now I'm REALLY excited.
> 
> My cameras are drooling.


Usually orchid ooth hatch early in the morning, 7AM - 9 AM is the prime time.....


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## Precarious (Nov 22, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> Usually orchid ooth hatch early in the morning, 7AM - 9 AM is the prime time.....


Yes, Sensei. :shuriken: 

If I miss this hatch I'll be kicking myself for months.


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## lunarstorm (Nov 22, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> Usually orchid ooth hatch early in the morning, 7AM - 9 AM is the prime time.....


Interesting and good to know!

Sadly, it also means I might not ever see an orchid ooth hatch. I don't have kids and I'm in the software industry, my kind doesn't often stir before 10am. :sleeping:


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## Precarious (Nov 22, 2011)

lunarstorm said:


> I don't have kids and I'm in the software industry, my kind doesn't often stir before 10am. :sleeping:


I'm on the same sleep schedule. Hopefully my mantis sense tingles and wakes me. That's how it usually goes.


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## patrickfraser (Nov 22, 2011)

I love the protruding "eyeballs" of the ooth. It looks amazing. Great photo.


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## lunarstorm (Nov 22, 2011)

Precarious said:


> I'm on the same sleep schedule. Hopefully my mantis sense tingles and wakes me. That's how it usually goes.


Hahah! Isn't 2-4am a great time to observe molts?! :devil: 

Seriously, somewhere after L3/L4 I think I am able to witness about ~75%+ of my molts due to often being up very late.


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## Precarious (Nov 22, 2011)

lunarstorm said:


> Hahah! Isn't 2-4am a great time to observe molts?! :devil:
> 
> Seriously, somewhere after L3/L4 I think I am able to witness about ~75%+ of my molts due to often being up very late.


Yeah, it's true. I catch many molts because I'm up so late. Oddly enough I also catch early morning molts because I just happen to wake up as it's starting. I've had pretty good luck all around. Helps to live like a hermit too.


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## Termite48 (Nov 22, 2011)

Purposely I am not posting a pic of my Orchid ooth in respect for the deceased female who laid it. It is very ugly and medium to dark brown. She laid it on the lid of her Monarch net cage and it is not flat. I do not expect much from it. It is now two weeks in incubation. I was expecting the sister to lay her ooth any day now, but she is not eating presently and has not for several days but acts fine. She just seems to want to bask in the warmest part of the cage and ignore all the BBs that are in abundance. Henry, your ooth and Yen's and for that matter one not posted here, T.W's are all awesome. Good luck dude. Congrats to Yen on the nice hatch. Let us know when you get a count of the number hatched and if you don't mind, the length of the ooth. Thanks!


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## Precarious (Nov 23, 2011)

Rich S said:


> Purposely I am not posting a pic of my Orchid ooth in respect for the deceased female who laid it. It is very ugly and medium to dark brown. She laid it on the lid of her Monarch net cage and it is not flat. I do not expect much from it. It is now two weeks in incubation. I was expecting the sister to lay her ooth any day now, but she is not eating presently and has not for several days but acts fine. She just seems to want to bask in the warmest part of the cage and ignore all the BBs that are in abundance. Henry, your ooth and Yen's and for that matter one not posted here, T.W's are all awesome. Good luck dude. Congrats to Yen on the nice hatch. Let us know when you get a count of the number hatched and if you don't mind, the length of the ooth. Thanks!


Both my girls didn't eat for over a week before laying an ooth. They were restless, climbing around a lot, looking for both a mate and the perfect place to lay. After I re-mated the first female she laid this ooth 3 days later and immediately started to eat again. So don't worry too much that she's not eating. That's normal.


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## Termite48 (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks Henry. You are a jewel to reply to me and set me at ease. I am taking off for the holiday to visit my ailing sister and to share dinner and some visiting. I do not think that it is practical for me to take the Orchid with me, but I might. I have been trying every trick in the book to get her to take in come calories. A few laps of honey here and some meal worm juice is about all she has had for more than four or five days. She was eating bees and crickets when BBs were scarce. Now the BBs are crawling her to lick the honey off her raptorials. When she is hungry they are gonners. I realy wish you well on your ooth. You and Tammy and I are for sure on pins and needles about the Orchids. I have not had anything going on with Idolos yet. Keep the faith, you are one of the best.


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## Precarious (Nov 23, 2011)

Rich S said:


> Thanks Henry. You are a jewel to reply to me and set me at ease.


Don't sweat it. She'll eat when she's ready. If she's nice and fat she stopped for the same reasons mine did. The one that laid is back up to 15-20 BBs a day. :blink:


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## Termite48 (Nov 23, 2011)

Henry: I sure hope you are right. The last time I saw her eat, she was knocking down bees left and right. Then the hugest gut loaded cricket. I know she was getting good nutrition. Now I feel like I would rather fast on Thanksgiving than to see her go without one more day's food.

Rich

Have a good T-Day :cowboy:


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## Precarious (Nov 23, 2011)

Rich S said:


> Henry: I sure hope you are right. The last time I saw her eat, she was knocking down bees left and right. Then the hugest gut loaded cricket. I know she was getting good nutrition. Now I feel like I would rather fast on Thanksgiving than to see her go without one more day's food.


Thanksgiving is the worst time for a hunger strike! What is that girl thinking???


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## Rick (Nov 23, 2011)

Big one for sure. Mine always seemed to lay them on the glass too.


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## twolfe (Nov 23, 2011)

lunarstorm said:


> Hahah! Isn't 2-4am a great time to observe molts?! :devil:
> 
> Seriously, somewhere after L3/L4 I think I am able to witness about ~75%+ of my molts due to often being up very late.


I watched one of my wahlbergii molting between 2 - 3 am the other day. These little mantids seem to molt without any issues. I wonder if one reason is because they can really grip. This one was hanging in a really bad place. It was too late to move her. Anyway, I think most of my b. Mendicas molted the same time. Since I'm not working at the moment, I've been able to watch many molt.s


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## yen_saw (Nov 25, 2011)

Rich S said:


> ......Congrats to Yen on the nice hatch. Let us know when you get a count of the number hatched .....


About 130 nymphs came out from the oothecae, it was back in 2007 if i remember correctly.


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## Precarious (Nov 25, 2011)

yen_saw said:


> About 130 nymphs came out from the oothecae, it was back in 2007 if i remember correctly.


  *HOLY*  *!!!!!*

If this thing hatches there are going to be a lot of happy people out there.


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## lunarstorm (Nov 25, 2011)

Precarious said:


> If this thing hatches there are going to be a lot of happy people out there.


No kidding. I don't think I've seen any orchids offered from a US member in months.


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## hibiscusmile (Nov 25, 2011)

No matter how many ooths you see hatch it is alwasys fun to see more! hope they all make it and red babies are flying all over the us!


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## ShieldMantid1997 (Nov 25, 2011)

wow, put me on the list! :tt2:


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## agent A (Nov 25, 2011)

ShieldMantid1997 said:


> wow, put me on the list! :tt2:


Ditto!!! I might try one early next year, I'll keep an eye on the classifieds after this thing hatches lol


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