# I. diabolicum



## obregon562 (Nov 23, 2007)

Hi all!

Im thinking of getting some I. diabolica's (if they ever become available), and was wondering about a few things...sorry if i sound completely confused, because, well, i am!  

Ok:

1. I was thinking of keeping them in my lowland vivarium...temps 75-90. Humidity ~80-100%...bright light...standing water...Will this be ok?

2. i've heard they are specific in their diet. Specific how?

3. Can they be kept communaly?

4. How big do they get?

Thanks so much guys (and gals)!

Frankie


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## macro junkie (Nov 23, 2007)

u should read yens thread..that will asnwer alot of your Q..they only eat flys.. yen keeps them toghther.


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## tier (Nov 23, 2007)

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8925


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## Mantida (Nov 23, 2007)

obregon562 said:


> Hi all!Im thinking of getting some I. diabolica's (if they ever become available), and was wondering about a few things...sorry if i sound completely confused, because, well, i am!
> 
> Ok:
> 
> ...


Need Yen or Christian to clarify this up but I think I got the basics.

1. Lowland vivarium? Dimensions? I am guessing the cage is acrylic/glass, correct? The cage needs to have many sprawling branches, going in every possible directions, as I. diabolica are used to this in the wild. The cage ideally should be meshed, as they need good grippings for molts because they have many excess lobes on their bodies to molt out. I have heard that humidity kills them long-term, though I am not 100% shure on this. You don't need standing water either, just mist the cage; prey and the mantids can possibly drown in standing water.

2. They are specific because they require flying prey, crickets and crawling insects apparently "destroy" the structure of their forearms because they weren't built to catch crawling insects.

3. Yes.

4. I think around 4-5 inches, Yen needs to confirm this!

Here is a good topic discussion about the needs and requirements for I. diabolica...

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8925


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## Mantida (Nov 23, 2007)

tier said:


> http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8925


You beat me to it.


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## tier (Nov 23, 2007)

Yeah, but the Macro Junkie bet me up, either 

This is the other one:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8118


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## obregon562 (Nov 23, 2007)

ok, thanks guys!

yeah, it's glass on four sides and mesh on the top, with vines and stuff everywhere...if humidity's a problem, i can always put a smaller (closed) container with them in it...

Ok, anyone have some spare Diabolica's?


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## Mantida (Nov 23, 2007)

obregon562 said:


> ok, thanks guys!yeah, it's glass on four sides and mesh on the top, with vines and stuff everywhere...if humidity's a problem, i can always put a smaller (closed) container with them in it...
> 
> Ok, anyone have some spare Diabolica's?


HAHA! Good luck with that, and be prepared to pay big bucks! @[email protected]


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## yen_saw (Nov 25, 2007)

obregon562 said:


> ok, thanks guys!yeah, it's glass on four sides and mesh on the top, with vines and stuff everywhere...if humidity's a problem, i can always put a smaller (closed) container with them in it...
> 
> Ok, anyone have some spare Diabolica's?


Frankie, they will need high temperature, i am keeping my group around 60%, mist once every other evening, and they been moulting out alright with good ventilation. I don't keep them in high humidity.


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## obregon562 (Nov 25, 2007)

ok, sounds good Yen!


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## macro junkie (Nov 25, 2007)

yen_saw said:


> Frankie, they will need high temperature, i am keeping my group around 60%, mist once every other evening, and they been moulting out alright with good ventilation. I don't keep them in high humidity.


hahaha look at all them flys


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## Christian (Nov 25, 2007)

> crickets and crawling insects apparently "destroy" the structure of their forearms because they weren't built to catch crawling insects.


 :huh: :huh:

Who invented this? They may well feed roaches, and crickets, even some beetles. You should avoid crickets because of some strange deaths in some Empusids after feeding on crickets, not because they destroy the forearms. I occasionally feed roaches. They wouldn't eat them usually because they prefer airborne prey, so I use only males and make them flutter. They seem to "fly" then and are captured. Just forget the "destroyed jaws and forearms"-thing very quickly...

Regards,

Christian


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## asdsdf (Nov 25, 2007)

Well, if may be true if it starts to wear down from continuous use. If you notice in pictures, the spikes on the forearms are extremely long, and this may become brittle with age. (Also, the longer it is, the easier it is to break.) Since flies are so soft, people may not notice any breaking down while on harder foods, some spikes may break. (Again, if the mantis is old.) It may even happen to other species, but for I. diabolica, it's more noticeable. The mouthparts breaking is very far-fetched though. I guess some breeders found that their mantises couldn't chew anymore cause they were old, and blamed it on the food.  Just my op.


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## Rob Byatt (Nov 26, 2007)

Christian said:


> :huh: :huh: Who invented this? They may well feed roaches, and crickets, even some beetles. You should avoid crickets because of some strange deaths in some Empusids after feeding on crickets, not because they destroy the forearms. I occasionally feed roaches. They wouldn't eat them usually because they prefer airborne prey, so I use only males and make them flutter. They seem to "fly" then and are captured. Just forget the "destroyed jaws and forearms"-thing very quickly...
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Christian


I too wonder where people get these strange ideas......


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## Morpheus uk (Nov 26, 2007)

I dont feed my empusidae flies, but can i feed my idolo just 1 cricket to get him by?


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## macro junkie (Nov 26, 2007)

Morpheus uk said:


> I dont feed my empusidae flies, but can i feed my idolo just 1 cricket to get him by?


hatch some maggots..feed them flys all day long..


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## yen_saw (Nov 26, 2007)

macro junkie said:


> hahaha look at all them flys


Yeah i ordered about 5000 pupa every week, most of them were eaten up by shield mantis and idolomantis. Idolomantis consumed large amount of flies when kept warm. So have the flies ready in large amount if you decided to get this species in the future.


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## Mantida (Nov 26, 2007)

yen_saw said:


> Yeah i ordered about 5000 pupa every week, most of them were eaten up by shield mantis and idolomantis. Idolomantis consumed large amount of flies when kept warm. So have the flies ready in large amount if you decided to get this species in the future.


 :blink: 5000?! Wow, and I thought 500 was unmanagable...

How long do you refridgerate the pupae and the adults when trying to feed your mantids?


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## yen_saw (Nov 27, 2007)

mantida said:


> :blink: 5000?! Wow, and I thought 500 was unmanagable...How long do you refridgerate the pupae and the adults when trying to feed your mantids?


I have lot of adult mantis and they gobbled up flies in such a rate that none of my hatched blue bottle survive more than a week in the fridge :blink: I keep blue bottle pupa for about 2 weeks in the fridge, maybe 3 weeks max but the hatching rate decline after that.


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