# Zoe's Official Photo Thread



## ZoeRipper (Jan 27, 2010)

Instead of making multiple threads, I've decided to do just this one. I wish I could condense and delete my other threads, but I don't think I can..

Anyhoo.

On to the pics.

This is my freshly molted L4 H membranacea nymph.

Quite the cutie.



























Here's one of the little nymphs on the day they arrived, I just love his/her eyes.






And here's one I like just because of the pink eyes.






More to come, eventually!


----------



## Opivy (Jan 27, 2010)

awesome pics!!! They're so cute...

BTW, I like your ring-


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 27, 2010)

Opivy said:


> awesome pics!!! They're so cute... BTW, I like your ring-


Thank you!

The ring is my engagement/wedding ring.


----------



## Katnapper (Jan 27, 2010)

Good looking little nymphs, Zoe!  I'm looking forward to additional posts in your photo thread.


----------



## revmdn (Jan 27, 2010)

Sweet.


----------



## Ashj (Jan 27, 2010)

Wow, pink eyes...created &amp; meant for lady ..lol  nice pics


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 29, 2010)

New pics time!

Here's Skwisgaar, my biggest M paykullii. Anyone know what the deal is with the black dots on her back? They showed up after this last molt. Hubby and I's guess is perhaps the wings developing for adulthood? Maybe?






And now here's fat little Flapjack just after guzzling a cricket.

I just HAD to get a pic or two of that giant abdomen.











Here's some pics of shed skins from my H membranaceas (Thanks again, Becky! They're doing great!)


























Continued...


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 29, 2010)

Last but not least (of mantis pics), poor little Brock. He started vomiting as well, and I tried everything that you guys told me from the "controversial" thread, to no avail. Poor little guy. He was really weak, and so I put him out of his misery tonight.











Two non-mantis pics, but still technically a "Bug"! She was being quite photogenic yesterday, and I had to share:

I love her curly whiskers! She's such a sweetie!






Look at her wrinkles!






Alright, that's it for tonight!


----------



## sbugir (Jan 29, 2010)

Ha! Bug looks a bit like a Shar Pei  .


----------



## revmdn (Jan 29, 2010)

That is a cool looking rat.


----------



## Katnapper (Jan 29, 2010)

Zoe, looks like overall, your animals are all doing great!  Glad to hear it.  Sorry about Brock... but things like this do happen unfortunately. The shed skins are always interesting to me. Aren't they neat? And love the hairless little boogie pics, she does look pretty cute! :wub:


----------



## sufistic (Jan 29, 2010)

Nice photos. It's good that you're keeping records of your mantids! As Becky said, things that are beyond our control do happen. Out of the many mantids that you keep, there's bound to be a few that will vomit and eventually die. Some make it though.


----------



## yen_saw (Jan 29, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> New pics time!Here's Skwisgaar, my biggest M paykullii. Anyone know what the deal is with the black dots on her back? They showed up after this last molt. Hubby and I's guess is perhaps the wings developing for adulthood? Maybe?


No worry about the black dot it is common and not injury. not 100% sure with the dorsal view but looks like a subadult!


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 29, 2010)

Thanks everyone!

And yeah, I keep rather meticulous records on my mantids.

I have a journal specifically for it.

It goes

Date (m/dd/yy form)

Mantis name: watered/fed @ 12pm/am (insert correct time)

Mantis name: watered/fed @ 12pm/am

And on.


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 29, 2010)

Giant Asian time!

Still no names for them..

I'm holding a contest on Rat Shack forums for people to name them.

Also, Kat, I've no idea what you're up to, but today there's 11 Giant Asians.

Did you put some sorta voodoo on me?!































Continued...


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 29, 2010)

P.S. It's snowing!!


























The end for now!


----------



## Katnapper (Jan 29, 2010)

Hey, that stuff looks familiar! :lol:


----------



## Rick (Jan 30, 2010)

We actually got some snow last night. Will be my dogs first time. This will likely be our only snow of the year.

Yen is correct on the black dots on your one mantis. The wing buds are further up and are quite obvious.


----------



## Katnapper (Jan 30, 2010)

ZoeRipper said:


> Giant Asian time!Still no names for them..
> 
> I'm holding a contest on Rat Shack forums for people to name them.
> 
> ...


I must have missed this comment! I have no idea, Zoe! :lol: Are you sure they are all real nymphs and you didn't count a shed skin also?


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 30, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> I must have missed this comment! I have no idea, Zoe! :lol: Are you sure they are all real nymphs and you didn't count a shed skin also?


You mean all those tiny, wispy things that have the head bent back and a rip in the front AREN'T NYMPHS?!

I feel let down!


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 30, 2010)

I've decided I'm going to have little photoshoots for each individual little mantis.

This is Blaziken, I love his colors!


----------



## ZoeRipper (Jan 31, 2010)

Now this is little Pipsqueak. He's my tiny boy.


----------



## kamakiri (Jan 31, 2010)

Glad you got some of the color variety in your_ S. limbata_  Thanks for sharing!


----------



## ZoeRipper (Feb 2, 2010)

Well.. I was in the process of getting all the H membranacea from the net cube to their own cups.

And so happened to witness one of the girls eating the head off a boy.

Guess he pissed her off.

Well, like any obviously concerned person, I did not try to seperate but instead took pictures.

How's that for humane?

(I ended up just letting her eat him.)


----------



## Katnapper (Feb 2, 2010)

The way of nature... experienced first hand, and on hand! Well, I guess it was a good time to separate them.


----------



## kamakiri (Feb 3, 2010)

..or 'she was on hand to eat him' :lol: Stuff happens in this hobby.


----------



## ZoeRipper (Feb 9, 2010)

New pic of Blaziken, he/she molted and still has the wonderful colors.

I'm so glad (s)he kept the colors!

So lovely!






Also, one of the Giant Asians that I have yet to name.

I love how you can see the little mouthparts!


----------



## Katnapper (Feb 9, 2010)

Blaziken really is cute!


----------



## ismart (Feb 9, 2010)

Very pretty mantids!  I have never reared giant asians yet, but i'm starting to become a fan!


----------



## kamakiri (Feb 9, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> Blaziken really is cute!


...and looks like a boy.


----------



## ZoeRipper (Feb 18, 2010)

I had another ooth start to hatch!

Rick's S carolina ooth has hatched out 2 babies so far, they're both superfast and adorable!
















Also, ######? Why are the pics all huuuuuge?


----------



## ZoeRipper (Feb 19, 2010)

Update!

Two more little S carolina babies this morning, happy day!


----------



## vera_renczi (Feb 19, 2010)

This kind of makes me want new babies. All mine are getting old and feeble. And cranky.


----------



## ZoeRipper (Feb 22, 2010)

New pics!

Alright, first off.

I have 5 S carolina babies so far.

It's been hatching since 2-18-10.

Here's two "Baby's First Meal" pics.











And now for a tragedy, a mismolted Giant Asian.

My first mismolt, and honestly, one of the more interesting things I've seen.






Also, for kicks, my mom got a new cat. Her husband found her in the country after some people dumped her, decided to keep her. And here's The Showdown between my mom's old, fat, cranky, 9 year old cat and this one. I think they like eachother!


----------



## Katnapper (Feb 23, 2010)

Sorry about your mismolt, Zoe. Yep, it was a bad one!



But the pics of baby eating are precious!





You'll have to let us know how the two kitties make out living together.


----------



## ZoeRipper (Feb 25, 2010)

Got some good pics of my one Chinese nymph, Cricket.
















And this is Spazz, one of my Giant Asians. She's rather pretty, and huuuuge!






And this is another S carolina nymph, directly after hatching. Their eyes are black for the first day!


----------

