# What Mantids to get? (new user)



## Johnald Chaffinch

hi everyone!






i'm just about ready to buy my first mantis, but as yet i'm undecided as to what species it should be. what's your opinion on what a beginner should get?

i've read that Sphodromantis ( African ) is best for a beginner but there's a few different types - belachowski, centralis, gastrica and lineola, and i dont know which of these is easiest. what's the difference?

i've also read that Tenodera ( Chinese ) and Hierodula ( though again a few different species - parviceps and membranacea ? ) are easy ones to keep but i dont think any of these recommended easy ones have the aethetics of the more exotic ones...

i think i'll be able to keep temperature and humidity monitored and regulated so that's not really a big factor in deciding, neither is housing. i think the main care problem i might have is their food, i'd like to breed whatever they eat and dont want to have to spend a lot of money.

i cant help it but the way they look is a main factor for me in trying to choose one, i'd prefer one without a really large abdomen or large wings, one that doesnt freak me out! a pretty one. my favourite mantids to look at are what i've heard to be hard to look after types - Phyllocrania paradoxa ( Ghost ), Hymenopus coronatus ( Orchid ) and Gongylus gongylodes ( Violin ). are any of these, or any similar, at all possible for a beginner to care for?

what would you recommend?


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## ibanez_freak

ghosts are a beginner dead leaf mantis but I wouldn't recomend them as your first one. I'm not too sure about orchid or violin. You definately need to buy a heat mat for these. I started with hierodula membrenacea. They get to be quite big. The females of them have big abdomen. I recommend you at least buy one of the beginner ones you mentioned and if your doing alright over a few weeks buy a fancier one.

just my advice. But I'm an amateur at this a little. but I recommend that you wait till you got advice from a better mantis owner than me.

Cheers, Cameron.


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## Peloquin

A real good starter mantis is Polyspilota aeruginosa (I think it's called a Madagascan marbled mantis).

Real easy to keep, decent size and look nice.

Good luck with whichever you choose.


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## Samzo

No mantis should freak you out. All of them are pretty similar in their temperment and their overal look. Honestly i suggest you get tenodera or Hierodula as these most class as "beginer mantis" and are also fairly easy/cheap to get hold of. Although you can get lots of sp. of mantis from this forum  Anyway don't go into any orchid/violin mantis yet, thats just what I think. Anyway what ever one you choose, good luck!


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## Rick

I suggest S. Lineola or Viridis (african mantis) as they are easy to keep. Chinese have a short life span and the nymphs can be difficult to raise.


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## Reeves

H. membrenacea was my first and I highly recommend them. Sphrodomantis I have had no experience with, but from what I understand they are extremely hardy.


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## Johnald Chaffinch

i havent read many things about chinese mantids, though i've seen they're widely available, they'd probably be my first choice out of the ones that are said to be easy to care for. they're really cheap too. though i've read that they're very aggresive, would this be a good thing? i dunno.

i read in another thread on this forum that orchids are quite easy it's just the mating that's tricky -

http://mantidforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=354...hlight=tenodera

what d'ya reckon?

whats with when chinese mantids have got transparent light green eyes like in this pic, is that a rare type or just a certain stage of development? -


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## Ian

For a beginner speices, something like a sphod, hierodula, tenodera, or a creobroter. But, it really depends what conditions you have got for them.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Samzo

I saw that site about chinese being "agressive and shouldn't be kept as a pet" I think budwings are more agressive. But chinese are more "agressive" towards its pray rather than people. Also as Ian said creobroter sp. are also a good choise as they are pretty and calmer (well not as a nymph =P)


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## Johnald Chaffinch

thankyou for your advice. creobroter hadnt been mentioned yet, is that Creobroter pictipennis, gemmatus or Meleagris? what's the difference?

would that include Pseudocreobroter Whalbergi too, or is that harder to look after?


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## Jwonni

i am currently waiting on my first mantis think it is being sent to me on monday

i choose to go with the african mantis as caresheets said it was easy and good for a beginner but also said it was most suited for a larger tank than most because unlike certain species it has no problem activly hunted for food and chasing prey down


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## Rick

Chinese are easy. Chinese nymphs can be a bit difficult. Chinese are not really anymore aggressive than the next kind. My lineola are much more aggressive than any chinese I have kept. The chinese in the pic above with the green eyes is normal. Find a lot like that around here. Only see it on the males though.


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## infinity

cool name btw  

I agree that perhaps the chinese (mantids) are a little hard to handle - expecially when young... mine tend to be a bit picky and since they're slender, often a bit wimpy.

The sphods are very easy in my opinion, grow to a decent size but are kinda bland...

PWs - pretty, will go for almost anything, on the downside, a little small...

My advice- go for something *butch* - (my rule) - the bigger the front legs are, the tougher the mantis and the more adventurous it'll be towards prey


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## Johnald Chaffinch

i read that certain breeds of Pseudocreobroter whalbergi can get to 3" , guess they're hard enough to come by as it is though never mind choosing one that'll get to a good size...


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## Ian

All of the creobroter are pretty much the same to keep. Mine are at about 25c, and I spray only once a week. Have kept the gemmatus, meleagris, pictipennis, and the elongata (I think that the spelling). Very easy in my opinion.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Johnald Chaffinch

i'd like to occasionally feed it on random insects i find,

which mantids have the least strict diets?


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## Johnald Chaffinch

is Pseudocreobroter whalbergi more difficulty than creobroter?


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## Samzo

in my expericance as nymphs PWs are hardier than creobroter. i had 6 out of 7 die from my creobroter lot and none of my PWs died...


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## Johnald Chaffinch

what happened to the 6 creobroter, did they eat each other ?


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## Samzo

no, died molting


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## Johnald Chaffinch

that's a shame dude  

i think i'm only gonna get one at first ( is that even a good idea? ), i hope that doesnt happen to it.

on a lighter note - i've just created from scratch a successful fruit fly culture. just with a banana in a jar ( not even bought fruit flies! ) , though mould'll probably wipe em out. is there any household substance that i could use as a mould inhibitor for it?


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## nickyp0

i use oats with honey with alittle bit of water for my fruit flys and with in a week i have about a thousand of them i hope this helps.


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## Johnald Chaffinch

yeh that sounds good, what amounts of them do you put in?


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## nickyp0

I use a cup of oats, two tea spoons of honey, and add water to make moist or like a paist make sure to ont let it dry out


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## Johnald Chaffinch

wow cool that sounds easy, i'll try that out, thankyou


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## Samzo

i'm all for getting free (except the banana lol) flys but iI find working with the lab flightless fruit flys so much easier... i literally pick them up and put em in. but as Ian knows i've had bad expericances with fruit flys that can fly... lol


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## Mantis Keeper

I very much prefer flightless fruit flies as well. I just have to keep completely restocking because after four or five generations they mutate and start flying. I think I'm gonna try cultivating those wingless ones, that way they don't accidently learn to use their wings.


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## Ian

with my flies, I either use ready made culture mix, or, simply banana on its own. About 10 days ago, I put a cup outside with just some banana in, and that was it. I didnt put a lid or anything on, as as I said, they were outside. Took it in yesterday, and it is absolutley teaming with maggots, of which half of them have pupated. And when feeding, I never keep small nymphs serparately, unti. they are old enough to feed on crix or roaches. So, I bung em all in a net cage, and put the whole culture in, until all the flies have been eaten. By that time, the maggots or pupae that were in the cup would have pretty much hatched out, so its almost a contsant cycle.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Johnald Chaffinch

doesnt the banana go mouldy though?


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## Ian

not in my experience, no. It just gets broken down, and pretty watery. Sometimes, a prick a hole in the bottom of the tub, to drain out the excess water.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Johnald Chaffinch

how come the oats and honey culture doesnt get mouldy?


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## Ian

I am not sure, I suppose, there is no fruit that is able to rot.

Cheers,

Ian


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## Johnald Chaffinch

every day i'm finding myself warming to the idea of a different species, right now i'm thinking maybe Hierodula , but am unsure between Hierodula grandis (Giant Indian Mantis) and Hierodula membranacea (Giant Asian Mantis) , which one would you suggest?

also, is Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi as hard as creoboter to look after?


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## Johnald Chaffinch

i'm pretty sure i'm gonna get some ghost mantids soon. anyone got any tips on caring for them , i've never had anything like them before


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## Ian

yes...WATER. They need spraying everyday, and if you do this, they will live to the full  

Cheers,

Ian


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## ibanez_freak

Yeah, ghosts are ok to look after. A lot of water and food every so often (but found they can last without food for longer than my other mantis) but now I think I should tell you (even if you aren't planning on getting one) don't bother with chinese mantis. These have annoyed me so much. I have real troubles with thm.

Any one else found this (noty americans I guess because they got ok conditions over there i think).

Cheers, Cameron.


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## Johnald Chaffinch

is Pseudocreobroter whalbergi more difficulty than creobroter?

do Pseudocreobroter whalbergi need a heat mat even if they're being kept at room temperature?


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## KennethJ78

@ Johnald:

It has allready been said that Hierodula membranacea en Hierodula grandis are very likely the same species.

I've kept H. membranacea at room temperature and sprayed it once a week. They haven't had any problems with moulting whatsoever and they practically eat anything you feed them.

Perhaps you should try to make up your mind first ? Do you want a large mantis ? a pretty small one ? An easy one ? A species that requires somewhat more attention ?

Easy, large species : Hierodula membranacea ( H. grandis ), Sphodromantis lineola, Sphodromantis viridis, Sphodromantis sp. Room temp.is fine.

Easy, pretty, large species: Polyspilota aeruginosa ( like Sphodromantis, but more colourful ) Room temp.is fine.

Easy small species: Miomantis paykullii ( like Sphodromantis sp... just one third of their size ) Room temp. is fine

Easy, small, attractive species: Any of the Creobroter species ( Asian ) or Pseudocreobotra species ( Africa ). Just spray some more often then the other species mentionned above.... Heatmat needed, because they need temps a little over room temp.

Then offcourse : Gongylus gongyloides ??? Well... try do get some experience with easier species first. Gongylus needs very high temperatures and are specialized in flying preys only. Crickets / roaches just won't do for them...

Phyllocrania paradoxa ??? Well... not particularly difficult, however.. because of it's shape it's more vulnerable during moulting, you'll understand that.

As I said: Make up your mind first and don't try aiming at a "somewhat rare or difficult species because it looks so beautiful". Get some experience in keeping mantids with a "more common, less difficult" species" like Sphodromantis, Hierodula, Miomantis, Polyspilota, Creobroter or even Pseudocreobotra.....

Good luck


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## Johnald Chaffinch

thankyou ken, that's just what i needed


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## Leah

> how come the oats and honey culture doesnt get mouldy?


Honey has anti-fungal properties.


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## Executor of Fruit Flies

I don't think any of the species you've mentioned are hard to keep; you just have to keep the desired conditions and feed and mist regularly. I'd say in my short experience as a mantis keeper, laziness was the main factor for my mantis' deaths, though a few deaths were a bit of a mystery.

I'm keeping p wahlbergii, p paradoxa, d dessicata, and p agrionina. Despite what the caresheets say, I've found that they get hardier as they get older. I don't use a heat souce...yet. I will when it starts to get really cold, but my mantids have withstood at least 60 degree F.

In conclusion, I'd say just get whatever you think looks best, and have a mister, containers, heat source(I use a lightless ceramic "lamp"), and food ready, and you'll do fine. Just don't be surprised if you have a couple die of unknown reasons.


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## Ian

thx leah


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