# New to the forum, not to mantids



## spawn

Hello all. I'm a big herpetologist, specializing in frogs. I keep several species of frogs, and a few dart frogs (breeding now). I've always had an attraction to the praying mantids as well since I was young enough to catch one in the wild (I live in western NY state). I have two native mantid ooths right now that kinda' sputtered out -- one hatched about 15 nymphs, and then stopped. But I also have two L4's/one L5 Gongylus Gongyloides (Violin mantids) right now. I also have a BUNCH of baby walking stick babies (for sale in another thread), and I'm trying to hatch out the Phyllium giganteum and the Extatosoma tiaratum as we speak, which is difficult since they have been incubating for a good six months now.


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## Ian

Welcome to the forum Spawn


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## Asa

Hi ya!


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## ddvw123abc

WELCOME TO MANTID FORUM PLACE ( We should make a song lol)

Happy Happy Happy I dunno why so happy(=====


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## Butterfly

Welcome to the forum


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## Asa

> WELCOME TO MANTID FORUM PLACE ( We should make a song lol)Happy Happy Happy I dunno why so happy(=====


That's it! We really do need a song! I'm sick of just saying, "Welcome," or "Hi". I think I'm going to do a post on this. Everyone come up with suggestions. :lol:


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## spawn

Thank you!


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## robo mantis

Welcome


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## spawn

I've always wondered, but now I have the perfect place to ask: what do you say when you go to the Post Office/UPS/what have you and you hand them the package of mantids and they ask what's in it? I'm fairly good at improvization, but I'm curious to see what people say without lying too much what they're shipping, since it is illegal in the states to ship them without permit. I will be shipping some soon. Do you opt for a large package envelope or a cardboard box?


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## Rick

> I've always wondered, but now I have the perfect place to ask: what do you say when you go to the Post Office/UPS/what have you and you hand them the package of mantids and they ask what's in it? I'm fairly good at improvization, but I'm curious to see what people say without lying too much what they're shipping, since it is illegal in the states to ship them without permit. I will be shipping some soon. Do you opt for a large package envelope or a cardboard box?


Welcome. I use a plain box and use Click N Ship. Which means I print the postage label at home. I go by and drop it into the box. Or I use the automated machine at the PO. Either way I never have to deal with a person. Course most of the time for live mantids I don't use USPS.


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## spawn

What do you use then, Rick?


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## hibiscusmile

Hi Spawn, Heres a big hello from Ohio.


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## spawn

Sweet. Back at you from Yankeetown.


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## OGIGA

Welcome!


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## Way.Of.The.Mantis

> I'm sick of just saying' date=' "Welcome," or "Hi".
> 
> 
> 
> Try 'Bonjour' or 'Guten'
> 
> Welcome spawn
Click to expand...


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## Horatio

Hello from Canada. What is that fire thing and what does I.B.B. stand for? H.


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## spawn

I made the avatar a few years ago. It's a flaming Terminator skull, and I.B.B. is the Iron Bird Battalion, an old title for a group of my friends. It's a more arcane acronym; something I'm more recognized for in cyberspace.


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