# what can I expect from my mantis



## kevinr (Oct 24, 2006)

Hi,

I've just got my first mantis today, and so far he has had a bit of a wander around his new home (I say 'his' but in fact i'm not sure on it's sex) and now he is perched upside down on the roof of the tank.

What can I expect from a mantis, in terms of when they moult, become more active etc?

I have looked around the forums and searched the net, but havn't been able to find much in the way of that particular info (but i have found loads of info on a rock band call Praying Mantis :? )

the mantis is a giant african mantis if that helps

Cheers

kev


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## Ian (Oct 24, 2006)

Hi Kev,

To be honest, don't expect a lot more! They are generally a very slow, solitary species, and don't move around the enclosure a lot. Before they moult, they wuill stay in the same position for days, as oppsoed to normally when they move after a few hours. They will be most active when feeding, you have probably noticed when you throw in some food he/she will try and hunt around for it, following it as it moves.

But other than this they are not the most active of all insects.

Hope this helps.


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## kevinr (Oct 24, 2006)

thanks Ian, yes it has helped as it explains his current behaviour. When i got him home, there was a small live cricket in his pot with him. that's now inthe enclosure aswell, but so far it's been ignored, but i was told that he wont need feeding for a few days and that they only eat every 3-4 days. Is this correct?


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## Ian (Oct 24, 2006)

Yea, that's right. I usualyl feed my mantids judging by the size of their abdomens. If they abdomen is really large, then they don't need a feeding, when it slims down a little, they will usually take some food.

But 2-3 days is usually a good period betweens meals.


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## kevinr (Oct 24, 2006)

cool  he looks fairly large at the moment (compared to the rest of him, it's 2 to 3 times more girth then his upper body) so I'll see, but I can deffinatly see this becoming a bit more of an obsession then a curiosity..but the other half has said i have to reduce my fish collection to 1 if i get into mantids ina big way...hmmmm tough choice :?


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## Ian (Oct 24, 2006)

Haha, I like the way "the wife" is always bought into these predicaments I read about. Me dad has a pretty large collection of reptiles as well...always got "mother" getting on his back about things. I just tend to ignore it. heck if she tells what to keep and what not to keep, she never goes in my bug room (thank goodness  )


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## kevinr (Oct 24, 2006)

*sighs* oh for a fish house!..that or a single life :twisted:


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## Ian (Oct 24, 2006)

Yes, i think the only solution to expansion of the collection is, well, divorce.


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## Rick (Oct 24, 2006)

Make sure you do searches here too. The basics have been gone over a million times.


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## Butterfly (Oct 24, 2006)

See I'd love it if the guy I dated was into bug's too! Then we could trade or mate our mantids to make sure we had 2nd and 3rd generations, or he could help me build the big bug enclosure I want to make.

I have always gotten odd looks when people come to my house the first time and see the Butterflies and the bug containers, or when they hear me talk about my bug's (the cricket hunting talks always make people squirm too lol). Ive been told "I dont understand how a cute girl like you could handle such an ugly bug"

Ive learned to tell people that it's better than picking up dog poo anyday, and that these guys dont bite, chew, or pee on the carpet. haha!


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## Jay (Oct 24, 2006)

Hey Kevin,

It is a pretty funny thing to be into bugs and to be married. My wife describes her acceptance of my hobby as "tolerance". She thinks some of the varieties of mantis are pretty cool but doesn't seem to care as much about hearing about them as the fact that it gives me something to do when I want a break.

-Jay


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## kevinr (Oct 24, 2006)

@Rick

I tried a search before I asked, but it wouldn't bring anything up that I could use (or at all in some cases) whether thats me not using the search feature correctly or what, I don't know, but it's the first thing I usually check  

@ Jay

she pretty used to my weird obsessions now, the species of fish I keep are not 'normal' by any stretch, so this is just an obsession..she just doesn't want a house overrun by them..I don't know why..I keep pointing out the vast array of spiders and woodlouse she has runninf around the house freely :lol:


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