# Good morning, Baltimore!



## gynnyr (Oct 27, 2009)

I finally got the courage to join a bug forum. I don't know why, but I get really nervous on the internet about joining groups, haha!

My name is Jay and I'm a sanitation engineer at an adult care facility (read: janitor at a nursing home) with a B.S. in video game design and development. I'm freshly 21, live currently in Baltimore, MD and have been a bug fan for most of my life. I only recently started my collection, and a bit earlier than I'd expected to, but am happy and enthusiastic about what I have and expanding my collection further!

I had been reading up a good bit prior to my acquisition about some of the more ornate mantises to tempt my fiancée with. We'd decided on h. coronatus with an ETA of early spring. My soon-to-be roommate called me just after we'd made our decision saying that he'd found a mantis in his kitchen being stalked by his cat and as a collector of strays, I felt it a good learning opportunity to take it under my wing.

As it turned out, it was a fully grown s. carolina female, and she was knocked up! I set to making her a good cage and furnishing it with the best of what I could find, picked up some d. hydei and locally bred crickets and set to keeping her happy during the last leg of her life. Last Friday she rewarded me with her first ooth, which I totally hadn't been expecting from her (I didn't read up much about THAT since I'd only gotten one!) and is once again starting to bulge and gorge. I've moved the ooth to its own little case and am keeping it well heated and humidified.

So, maybe that was a long winded hello, but that's my experience thus far. I'm very excited for my girl, and for my potential 'litter' come Christmastime. And for the record, my finacée loves her, so we're all getting along swimmingly.

I am on the lookout for more species, now that I'm set up for bug keeping, so anyone willing to trade or sell on the economic side, I'm totally open to offers!


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## Rick (Oct 27, 2009)

Welcome. Excellent intro.


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## sbugir (Oct 27, 2009)

Welcome, loved the sanitation engineer intro. I'm looking to get started in video game design.


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## ismart (Oct 27, 2009)

Welcome to the forum!


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## Katnapper (Oct 27, 2009)

Hey there, Jay, and welcome to the forum...



glad to have you here!  You've found the best source of info on the net for keeping and raising mantids. And I wish you much luck and joy in your new hobby!


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## mantidsaresweet (Oct 27, 2009)

Welcome! Oh and nice pic.


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## hibiscusmile (Oct 27, 2009)

WElcome to the fourm ! haha, all bad spelling, but gotta love me! from OHIO!


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## revmdn (Oct 27, 2009)

Welcome.


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