# Orchid Love! First Breeding Ever!



## CutieCrawlersArt (Feb 29, 2016)

Whoo! My male, Darcy, is a beast. Funny story. He was so nervous the first few days I introduced him to Shiva, my female, that he would stay on my hand and tap away furiously out of excitement. He finally got the courage to hop on tonight, so now I'm gonna be a proud mom!

First breeding I've ever done with any species, so glad he made it out alive. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to leave him in her tank with her overnight (they've been coupled for two hours already). Also do they need to mate several times to ensure fertility or what? I'm fuzzy on the next steps from here on out, though I've been told to cross my fingers on her actually laying an ooth in the first place.


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## MantisGalore (Feb 29, 2016)

Congrats! Orchids are quite easy to breed. It is expert level to get fertile ooths so mating a few times wouldn't hurt. If you get her a nice big green live plant. You should get some ooths. It really all depends as each case is different.


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## CutieCrawlersArt (Feb 29, 2016)

Scary! XD Well i do have a big live orchid plant... Could be quite ironic and awesome if she laid on it. 83


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## hibiscusmile (Feb 29, 2016)

Good luck with them!


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## Starving Always (Mar 2, 2016)

Same!!! I have many questions that are really similar to yours. Ive been wondering if I could just mate (general) mantids several times, instead of once. The result, I'm thinking, would be a more chance of it being fertile, and a bigger sized ooth! I also want to know when I should re-mate them after the female lays the ooth. I don't want her to keep laying one after another. It'll probably stress her out and pass away. Good luck, keep us updated!!


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## Extrememantid (Mar 2, 2016)

Starving Always said:


> Same!!! I have many questions that are really similar to yours. Ive been wondering if I could just mate (general) mantids several times, instead of once. The result, I'm thinking, would be a more chance of it being fertile, and a bigger sized ooth! I also want to know when I should re-mate them after the female lays the ooth. I don't want her to keep laying one after another. It'll probably stress her out and pass away. Good luck, keep us updated!!


Ooth size won't be affected by multiple mating's fertility will though. Most people mate them multiple times and after ooths are layed. Mating won't cause her to lay more ooths, as she will mated or not.


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## Starving Always (Mar 2, 2016)

Extrememantid said:


> Ooth size won't be affected by multiple mating's fertility will though. Most people mate them multiple times and after ooths are layed. Mating won't cause her to lay more ooths, as she will mated or not.


So after the females done laying, people mate then again? Mating does cause her to lay ooths XD


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## Extrememantid (Mar 2, 2016)

Starving Always said:


> So after the females done laying, people mate then again? Mating does cause her to lay ooths XD


You do realize most species lay more than one ooth, right? They mate again after to try to keep fertility up, not to make her lay again.


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## Starving Always (Mar 2, 2016)

Yep, I think I understand now. Couples can be mated again and again to increase fertility. yes I know that. what I'm asking is, when should I mate them again, AFTER she lays an ootheca. Sorry for the misunderstanding.


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## Extrememantid (Mar 2, 2016)

Starving Always said:


> Yep, I think I understand now. Couples can be mated again and again to increase fertility. yes I know that. what I'm asking is, when should I mate them again, AFTER she lays an ootheca. Sorry for the misunderstanding.


I've heard people say once a week or so before she lays. And then after she lays. One mating should be enough for a couple ooths, but fertility will start to decrease after a few oothecae are laid.


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## Starving Always (Mar 3, 2016)

wait i always thought one mating equals one ooth? i never thought there would be multiple ooths in a single mating O:


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## Extrememantid (Mar 3, 2016)

Starving Always said:


> wait i always thought one mating equals one ooth? i never thought there would be multiple ooths in a single mating O:


Most females will lay multiple ooths whether you mate them or not. If she's not mated they just won't be fertile, with the exception of parthenogenetic species.


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## womantis (Mar 5, 2016)

wish i could get mine to mate.  she either shakes him off or he jumps.  multiple attempts.  both are healthy, well fed and active.


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## CosbyArt (Mar 5, 2016)

Big congrats on getting them to breed, and best of luck with getting babies to hatch!







womantis said:


> wish i could get mine to mate.  she either shakes him off or he jumps.  multiple attempts.  both are healthy, well fed and active.


Persistence is bound to pay off sooner or later, but I hear you and best of luck to you too. I have the worst luck getting both a male and female of any of my species to breeding age, or having their ooths hatch (especially anything non-native) - much like my Acromantis japonica.


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## womantis (Mar 5, 2016)

wondering if time of day affects?  they seem more active at dawn/dusk in lower light conditions...


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## CutieCrawlersArt (Mar 5, 2016)

Thanks for all the well wishes!

So far, the male is still on her but hasn't been connected with her since the first night. He keeps tapping away though, and I have to give him water since he won't hunt while he's on there (I feel like he's afraid to get off actually XDDD). Should I remove him somehow gently and then have him eat and then reintroduce him again for a better chance of another breeding? 

Also all this information is super helpful, thanks~


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## CosbyArt (Mar 5, 2016)

womantis said:


> wondering if time of day affects?  they seem more active at dawn/dusk in lower light conditions...


Hmm, it might, perhaps someone will weigh in on that. I personally do any breeding after sunset at 9PM or so, typically as that time I am off-work and have free time (as to this day we still do family dinners and such).  



DerrDoktor said:


> Thanks for all the well wishes!
> 
> So far, the male is still on her but hasn't been connected with her since the first night. He keeps tapping away though, and I have to give him water since he won't hunt while he's on there (I feel like he's afraid to get off actually XDDD). Should I remove him somehow gently and then have him eat and then reintroduce him again for a better chance of another breeding?
> 
> Also all this information is super helpful, thanks~


So the male is still there almost a week later?! Yeah, he should be helped off and fed. Typically once they have connected and disconnected, the male will jump off within a few hours, or needs helped off at that point (the actual connection itself tends to lasts only a few hours) . As with this species the male is so much smaller I imagine he is even more terrified than others, and with a few of my species I had to help them off the female.

A common way to separate them is to grab both male and female with each hand grasping lighting with your fingers around their midsections (thorax). The pressure/touching is said to be enough to make the male release.

Although, I found most of my males required me to use a small stick/dowel rod/bamboo skewer and putting it under the male and very slightly pulling straight up to make him release. With the other hand I have a piece of index card stock or folded printer paper to help keep them separated (to ensure the female doesn't grab him). I tend to put it below the stick and it seems it may help him to loose interest and let go easier too.


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## CutieCrawlersArt (Mar 5, 2016)

Ah! I didn't want to interrupt something if he was going to try again. XD I was going to try the bamboo skewer technique. Good to know, thanks!


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## CutieCrawlersArt (Mar 8, 2016)

What a little trooper. After giving him a few days rest to eat and drink, he wanted to hop right on again. xD


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## CosbyArt (Mar 8, 2016)

Glad to see he's back to it. Best of luck, and hope you get plenty of fertile ooths.


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## CutieCrawlersArt (Mar 8, 2016)

Thanks thanks! DD


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