# cups?



## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

Right now I have each of my praying mantis's in there own cup with plastic on the top with holes for ventalation. I have one fruitfly in each their cups. Then I have all the cups together in a pet carrier so my cat wont get into them. Am I doing anything wrong? Also why haven't some of them snached their fruitfly yet?


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## yen_saw (Jan 6, 2010)

Use net screen top if posible for better ventilation and footing for molting. mantis do not feed when they are sick, about to molt, or simply not hungry. But mantis also do not feed on first few days after hatching which is likely your case.


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

Is there a way you can tell when one is about to molt?


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## yen_saw (Jan 6, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> Is there a way you can tell when one is about to molt?


 ignoring food is the best hint. They also do not move for extensive period of time or sluggish, and hang upside dow way up there. usually it takes about 10 days from hatching to the first molt.


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

And how many days before they molt will they ignore food?


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## yen_saw (Jan 6, 2010)

They will ignore food a day or two before molting, and also after molting.


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## ismart (Jan 6, 2010)

One fruit fly per chinese nymph is not going to cut it. Some of them may be having a hard time catching a single fruit fly. try throwing a bunch in, and see if the nymphs that were not eating prior will try to grab them. When did they hatch? Does your pet carrier let through sufficient light?


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

I only have so many flies to work with until more flies hatch. Also were do you get those clear plastic containers at with the clear plastic lis like rick has? He posted it in the housing section. Also they hatched like about 4-5 days ago I think.


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## Rick (Jan 6, 2010)

ismart said:


> One fruit fly per chinese nymph is not going to cut it. Some of them may be having a hard time catching a single fruit fly. try throwing a bunch in, and see if the nymphs that were not eating prior will try to grab them. When did they hatch? Does your pet carrier let through sufficient light?


Yep. I would give each nymph at least several ff's. Look at their abdomen as a gauge. It should not be thin.


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

Look at all of these!

http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss154/x...nt=DSCF2018.jpg

http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss154/x...nt=DSCF2019.jpg


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## ismart (Jan 6, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> I only have so many flies to work with until more flies hatch. Also were do you get those clear plastic containers at with the clear plastic lis like rick has? He posted it in the housing section. Also they hatched like about 4-5 days ago I think.


Mantisplace sells the clear 32oz cups for cheap!  If they hatched 4-5 days ago then they are not going to moult yet. I would suggest you look into buying some D. hydei fruitflies. These are the larger of the two species that are commonly sold. L1 chinese nymphs will have no problem eating them. They can be fed on these till about L3.


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## ismart (Jan 6, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> Look at all of these!http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss154/x...nt=DSCF2018.jpg
> 
> http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss154/x...nt=DSCF2019.jpg


The plastic wrap you are using to cover the top is not to good for gripping/ventilation. Try and buy some netting, or mesh. Maybe even some panyhose would be an okay top for now. Use moist moss, or paper towel to use as a substrate. A couple twigs or sticks for them to climb on would not hurt either.


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## Katnapper (Jan 6, 2010)

ismart said:


> The plastic wrap you are using to cover the top is not to good for gripping/ventilation. Try and buy some netting, or mesh. Maybe even some panyhose would be an okay top for now. Use moist moss, or paper towel to use as a substrate. A couple twigs or sticks for them to climb on would not hurt either.


+1

Go to a fabric store and buy some organza or tulle fabric. You'll only need like 1/4 of a yard. It will be cheap and work much better than the plastic. The plastic wrap is no good.


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## ZoeRipper (Jan 6, 2010)

Coolchicka, I PM'd you last night with alot of information, did you not read it yet?

I told you all about deli cups at mantisplace.


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

No I must have overlooked it. I see it now.


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## Rick (Jan 6, 2010)

I PM'd you back about the insect cups. With newly hatched nymphs I leave them all together until I have about ten left. Too much space and time needed to seperate so many nymphs.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 6, 2010)

how far are you from me? I am near medina ohio, pm me with your local.


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

Rick said:


> I PM'd you back about the insect cups. With newly hatched nymphs I leave them all together until I have about ten left. Too much space and time needed to seperate so many nymphs.


I would feel bad about not saving them though when I could have tried : ( I wanna save them all : ( So just put them all together until I narrow it down then seperate them and care for them?


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## coolchicka (Jan 6, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> how far are you from me? I am near medina ohio, pm me with your local.


Im from around the Grand lake area. Northwest ohio.


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## Rick (Jan 7, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> I would feel bad about not saving them though when I could have tried : ( I wanna save them all : ( So just put them all together until I narrow it down then seperate them and care for them?


You can't save them all. I am assuming these are chinese mantids? Often, many of them will die. Even if you could raise 100+ to adult hood you would have your hands full trying to feed and house large mantids like that. Only time I will seperate an entire ooths worth of nymphs is if it is something in high demand. Otherwise I will keep only what I can manage.


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## ismart (Jan 7, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> I would feel bad about not saving them though when I could have tried : ( I wanna save them all : ( So just put them all together until I narrow it down then seperate them and care for them?


How many nymphs do you have left? If you have like 20 or so, you should just keep them seperate. All Rick is saying is if you have like 100+ nymphs, you should keep them together untill you have a more managable amount to take care of. Trying to care for each nymph in there own seperate cup, would be a lot of work. Some are going to die reguardless of what you do, so don't take it so personally. I know you probally feel responsible for them hatching early. But keep in mind if that ooth would have hatched in the wild, out of 200 nymphs maybe 10 or less will reach it adulthood anyway. Just do your best, and enjoy!


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## coolchicka (Jan 7, 2010)

I dont know what species they are is there a website that will help me figure that out? The ooth came from northwest ohio.


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## Katnapper (Jan 7, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> I dont know what species they are is there a website that will help me figure that out? The ooth came from northwest ohio.


Does it look similar to these? If so, and if not specified, it's usually _Tenodera sinensis_ (Chinese mantis).


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## ismart (Jan 7, 2010)

coolchicka said:


> I dont know what species they are is there a website that will help me figure that out? The ooth came from northwest ohio.


From your pic's, i would say chinese mantis, _Tenodera sinensis_. They are the most common species in the states.

I did not see Katnapper's post. Like she stated, if they look like those ooths than they are deffinetly chinese.


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## Katnapper (Jan 7, 2010)

ismart said:


> From your pic's, i would say chinese mantis, _Tenodera sinensis_. They are the most common species in the states.I did not see Katnapper's post. Like she stated, if they look like those ooths than they are deffinetly chinese.


Beat you to it, Paul!


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh Boy a race!


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