# Helping females lay ooths



## The Wolven (Jul 24, 2022)

So I don’t have any mantises I have currently bred, but I do have adult females. None have have laid any infertile ooths in the times they have been adults and it’s concerning to me. How can I help them?


----------



## Introvertebrate (Jul 26, 2022)

Maybe they're waiting for Mr. Right.


----------



## The Wolven (Jul 26, 2022)

Introvertebrate said:


> Maybe they're waiting for Mr. Right.


Mr. Right can keep his butt outside and intact. I don’t need anymore hungry mouths than I can deal with.


----------



## Introvertebrate (Jul 27, 2022)

The Wolven said:


> Mr. Right can keep his butt outside and intact. I don’t need anymore hungry mouths than I can deal with.


My ex-wife used to say that.


----------



## cometmoth (Sep 12, 2022)

keeping them hydrated and with a variety of surfaces to lay on is just about as much as you can do.. an infertile ooth can take a while before its finally laid, females seem to try to hold onto the eggs for as long as they can.


----------



## agent A (Sep 12, 2022)

The Wolven said:


> So I don’t have any mantises I have currently bred, but I do have adult females. None have have laid any infertile ooths in the times they have been adults and it’s concerning to me. How can I help them?


every species is different
I've seen some things like _Creobroter _lay infertile ooths really early on, while things like _Deroplatys _aren't as liable, although I've had mated _Deroplatys _females lay ooths that never wound up hatching. I think something was off with the male though: he took his sweet time to mature to adulthood, like suspiciously long
hydration, a varied diet, and variety in perches will induce oviposition. light will as well. I used to sleeve large females outdoors on willows and it worked every time (don't do this in winter please)


----------

