# Mating G. gongyloides



## admin (Dec 6, 2004)

waynejoss

Joined: 06 Feb 2004

Posts: 32

Location: UK

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 7:06 pm Post subject: Mating G. gongyloides

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There's a lot to be said for a species when a male is normally in mortal fear for his life. This is not quite the case with Gongylus. There is certainly no urgency and I have present no idea if a male has managed to mate or not. The other night he started to climb on the females back and stayed there without mating. I had to go to bed so couldn't observe, but they were still together in the morning although not actually mating. Today he had another go, but the female was having none of it and tried to kick him off where he lost his back claws in the process. This is getting very frustrating. This particular female is 4weeks old as an adult and is very fat so I don't understand her reluctance. This is the second female I tried; the first were together over a week but I saw no attempted mating. My frustation is, he is know my only male and he's getting a bit tatty. Therefore am I doing something wrong or is patience a virtue. Any advice would be welcome.

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silver_arctic1

Site Admin

Joined: 29 Oct 2003

Posts: 180

Location: Austin, TX

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 9:08 pm Post subject:

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It could very well be that your pair has already mated. Copulation can take as little as a couple hours so you might've missed it. And males will sometimes mount a female more than once even after successful copulation. Don't exhaust your male. Give him a few days to rest and if you want to be sure, try again...but constant pressure might just kill him.

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Guest

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 10:30 pm Post subject:

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read this

http://forums.insecthobbyist.com/view.php?id=6489,6523

Although not specific, but deals with the general mating behaviour in mantids. And i agree with everything he said.

Chun


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