# My new babies! :)



## MikhailsDinos (Jul 17, 2007)

I got two beautiful orchid mantis from hibiscusmile, Today.  Thank you hibiscusmile, Now look what you have done, I'm addicted :wink: They are amazing little mantis!

I'm going to give them names, I'll have to think of some good names. They move like little chameleons, It's the cutest thing ever! Wow, now the fun starts.....

This is the closest I could get, It's fun taking pic's!


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## sufistic (Jul 17, 2007)

Hahaha nice! Hope you have lots of fun rearing them!


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## Asa (Jul 17, 2007)

Very nice mantis. However the humidity seems a bit too high in those cages.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 17, 2007)

sufistic,

Thank you!  

Asa,

Thank you! I had just misted them, It dries up within a short period of time.:wink:


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## Asa (Jul 17, 2007)

No!!! A double post!!

I'd be careful with the water droplets, as the mantid can drown in them.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 17, 2007)

Haha, I did not mean to do so lol

Hmm, You are right, This could happen? I'll just mist the moss from now on. Thanks for the advice!


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## robo mantis (Jul 17, 2007)

Clever i'll start using my old culture containers


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## Sparky (Jul 17, 2007)

*NNNNNNOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! * you stole my dream mantis!

Oh well theres always....MY OOTH HATCHED!!!!


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 17, 2007)

robo mantis,

Yep those are my old culture containers. They are doing great in them so far.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 17, 2007)

Sparky,

Haha same here! Well, I have my eye's on few other dream mantis....


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 17, 2007)

:shock: What! I thru mine away..... be right back, must go look in dumpster...lol  all gone.


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## robo mantis (Jul 17, 2007)

Yeah i'm going to do tht seems like a good nymph cage


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## OGIGA (Jul 17, 2007)

Oh wow... I didn't know people ship orchids at L1.


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## Rick (Jul 18, 2007)

They're fine in that cage just like it is. Mist it every other day unless your room is very dry. They will outgrow that cup very quickly so make sure you have a plan to move up.


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## Sparky (Jul 18, 2007)

Is that sphagnum moss as substrate? Where do you get it? I can't find any

sphagnum moss at my garden center.


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## Asa (Jul 18, 2007)

> Is that sphagnum moss as substrate? Where do you get it? I can't find anysphagnum moss at my garden center.


Ha ha! You know the one! Its me, www.mantisplace.com ! :twisted:

Maybe I've nabbed Nick a few customers :roll:


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## Sparky (Jul 18, 2007)

, I'm not allowed to buy online, hmmm I was at my garden center yesterday and that orchid moss did kinda look like sphagnum....maybe....


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## Asa (Jul 18, 2007)

You can try a lot of stuff. Sponges are the easiest.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 18, 2007)

Rick,

Thank you for the info!8) I've got something ready for them.  



> They're fine in that cage just like it is. Mist it every other day unless your room is very dry. They will outgrow that cup very quickly so make sure you have a plan to move up.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 18, 2007)

I buy big bags of sphagnum moss for the orchids I grow, I'll have to post pic's of my orchids soon.  

I was checking out Yen's, website &amp; I read that he had seen his orchid mantis eat banana? I just had to try this for myself, Well they love it! lol They get all the water they want in they're cages. Maybe they need the potassium in the banana?


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## Sparky (Jul 18, 2007)

What in the!?!? I never seen that before, totally amazing. Maybe I should try to gutload bugs with bananas.


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 18, 2007)

Isn't that something, first tuna and now bananas, I'll just set them a plate at the table :lol:


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## Rick (Jul 18, 2007)

> , I'm not allowed to buy online, hmmm I was at my garden center yesterday and that orchid moss did kinda look like sphagnum....maybe....


The stuff I buy is called orchid moss and it is spaghnum. It's used for orchid flowers is why they call it that.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 19, 2007)

Rick,

Is right!  I'm one of those weird orchid grows lol This is one of many things why I wanted the Orchid mantis, They look like some species of orchid.

These are some of the orchids I bloomed last year!  Plus a pic of the moss.


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## OGIGA (Jul 19, 2007)

What in the world? Bananas don't move or walk around!


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 19, 2007)

I know... Weird? If I get banana on my hands, It looks like they are licking my hand. Weird!


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## Jenn (Jul 19, 2007)

Awww i miss when they were little and pink like that. Great pictures of them... The Orchid flowers are beautiful!



> You can try a lot of stuff. Sponges are the easiest.


You shouldn't use a sponge they collect bacteria.


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## Asa (Jul 19, 2007)

> Awww i miss when they were little and pink like that. Great pictures of them... The Orchid flowers are beautiful!
> 
> 
> > You can try a lot of stuff. Sponges are the easiest.
> ...


You can get sponges that won't do that.


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## OGIGA (Jul 19, 2007)

Then it might have stuff in there that kills germs... and mantises. I'll recommend paper towels or napkins. They're way cheaper, easier to shape, and easier to change.


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 19, 2007)

I read it takes a lot of skill and care to raise Orchids, very talented you are. Is that a gecko in the one picture? They are starting to grow on me, I'm not liking that, I have enough things to contend with now, no no no to gecko's! :lol: I no listen to myself! :wink: Somebody stop me!


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## OGIGA (Jul 20, 2007)

Not that I have a lot of experience with many species, but I think orchids are one of the easier exotic species to raise. I took care of a pair of orchids for a while and I didn't do anything different for them.

edit: I just figured out that you're talking about flowers and I'm talking about mantises.


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 20, 2007)

> Awww i miss when they were little and pink like that. Great pictures of them... The Orchid flowers are beautiful!


 They are so cute &amp; thank you!  I love growing orchids, plus the other love of taking pictures.



> Then it might have stuff in there that kills germs... and mantises. I'll recommend paper towels or napkins. They're way cheaper, easier to shape, and easier to change.


Yes, the moss I use naturally inhibits bacteria &amp; fungus growth.



> I read it takes a lot of skill and care to raise Orchids, very talented you are. Is that a gecko in the one picture? They are starting to grow on me, I'm not liking that, I have enough things to contend with now, no no no to gecko's! I no listen to myself! Somebody stop me!


_________________

It does take a lot of skill, But once you get the know how, It's pretty easy. Some of the orchids I grow can be hard..  Some I need to keep the humidity very high, But most are easy. Yep thats one of the geckos I breed &amp; collect.  This is the one in the pic, Her babies should be hatching the beginning of August. Lol I think they will do great for you.... :wink: They live for 15 to 20 years if not longer. But man... I'm loving the baby mantis!


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## yen_saw (Jul 29, 2007)

> I was checking out Yen's, website &amp; I read that he had seen his orchid mantis eat banana? I just had to try this for myself, Well they love it! lol They get all the water they want in they're cages. Maybe they need the potassium in the banana?


Yes this little fellow loves banana  , must be the moisture and sugar!


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## HelloKitty (Jul 29, 2007)

Hi!

Thre is a thread in the german mantid forum about the banana:

"It was observed that nymphs and adult Orchid Mantises feed on banana. They come to freshly cut banana flesh in search of moisture on its surface. First they drink the moisture and than gradually start eating the flesh. The proof that banana flesh was consumed is - a small cavity in the banana flesh. They do not eat much of it. Fleshy sweet fruits eaten by birds or squirrels can be a source of water, sugar and vitamins for Orchid Mantises in the wild"


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## Ben.M (Jul 29, 2007)

The reason they eat banana is because of the potassium as they dont get as much ion captivity as they would in the wild


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## MikhailsDinos (Jul 29, 2007)

Yen,

I get all my great ideas from you!  

HelloKitty,

That is very interesting, I should offer banana once a week, So that they get there're needs met.  

Ben.M,

I agree! It's very fascinating to hear about things like this. 8)


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## Black*Fox (Aug 4, 2007)

I wonder if any other typ of mantid would like bannana? Or maybe a different kind of fruit even??

That's awsome though! I would have never guessed that!


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## MikhailsDinos (Aug 4, 2007)

I've tried the banana with all my flower mantis &amp; all of them love it. I think the tropical species are more in favor with the banana? They must do the same thing with fruit in the wild? Later..



> I wonder if any other typ of mantid would like bannana? Or maybe a different kind of fruit even??That's awsome though! I would have never guessed that!


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## spawn (Aug 5, 2007)

I have a feeling both you Black Fox and Mikhail are correct on the issue of banana. But I also feel any species would go for it if you stuck it under its mandibles and it tasted it. Most anything will eat something with the most basic form of carbohydrate stuck under its nose. It's quick and tasty source of energy. A carnivore like a Wolf would eat banana if you let it taste a freshly cut slice too.


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## Asa (Aug 5, 2007)

They eat practically anything.


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## Black*Fox (Aug 5, 2007)

*laughs* now you have me tempted to start searching the fridge and start testing! :lol:


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## Asa (Aug 5, 2007)

> *laughs* now you have me tempted to start searching the fridge and start testing! :lol:


No, really. Feed em' hamburgar, toast, bananas, yogurt, the list goes on.


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