# Keeping Records



## Otter (Jun 28, 2007)

Hi,

I was wondering what kinds of records people keep for there manid's?

Things like what information you think is the most important for managing your breeding groups?

How old they are or how long they live?

who you bought them from?

temps you keep them at?

Size?

Also please add things that you keep track of that I have not thought of and also mybe how you have set up a form or sheet that works well for you.

Thanks


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## Rick (Jun 28, 2007)

Don't keep any. I used to but don't anymore. Only thing I record now is the dates that ooths are laid.


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## OGIGA (Jun 28, 2007)

I used to keep all kinds of records. Now, I don't keep as many. Back then, I used to keep track of when I fed them, when I watered them, when I moved them, when they molt, when they die, blah blah blah. Now, I toned down to just when and what I fed them, when they molt, mate, lay an ootheca, and when they die. I don't have too many mantises so it's still doable. This would probably be impossible with hundreds of mantises.


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## Asa (Jun 28, 2007)

Since I have a lot of mantids, I just put a sticky note on top of each cage, saying when they were laid, when they were last fed, when their last molt was, any problems, what molt they are on, if they have been mated, male or female, species, and a pin number.


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## Kriss (Jun 29, 2007)

I have a calender that I record when females and males are ready to be mated and date of ooths laid / expected hatches.


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## Otter (Jun 29, 2007)

Thanks this is good information.

Sometimes I think I can over due the record keeping and it makes so much extra work,

John


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## Asa (Jun 29, 2007)

My sticky note looks sorta like this:



*African M. A.*

BN. 07-7-06

MT. 03-2-07

MAT. 09-3-07

FD. 21-3-07

70069

A lot of gibberish to someone other than myself. If you look at my previous post you might be able to decipher this.


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## Hypoponera (Jun 30, 2007)

> Sometimes I think I can over due the record keeping and it makes so much extra work,


You can never over do record keeping. You should jot down anything and everything that could be useful at a later date. I have a note book with 1 page, front and back, devoted to each species. I try to keep 8-10 individuals of each species. So that single page is enough space for all 10 mantids.

I keep track of developmental data only. Hatch date, molt date, mating date and partner, ooth deposit and hatch date, rough number of nymphs from each ooth. I do not track feeding and misting. I want to be able to figure out how much time is needed for each instar and average life span for each species. So my notes are for that purpose only.


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## Asa (Jun 30, 2007)

> > Sometimes I think I can over due the record keeping and it makes so much extra work,
> 
> 
> You can never over do record keeping. You should jot down anything and everything that could be useful at a later date. I have a note book with 1 page, front and back, devoted to each species. I try to keep 8-10 individuals of each species. So that single page is enough space for all 10 mantids.
> ...


When you have very many mantids, you can definitely overdo record keeping.


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## colddigger (Jun 30, 2007)

my records consist only of them being alive or dead


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## Asa (Jul 1, 2007)

Honestly, colddigger.


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## yen_saw (Jul 1, 2007)

I keep the following info

1) Date maturing into adult;

2) Mating dates (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc)

3) Mating partners

4) Ootheca dates

5) Hatching dates

6) Hatching rate

From the maturing date i can estimate how long I should wait till the first pairing up. For example, female Gambian spotted eye only needs 2-3 days and they are ready to mate and produce ootheca the next day. Whreas Orchid female needs a longer time before producing an ootheca even if she was mated within 2 weeks. Hatching rate is important as well as they are selected for my next generation breeding stock. Lot of effort if you do this all by yourself and keep many species.


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## Ben.M (Jul 1, 2007)

I date when a mantis had turned adult and when it will be ready to mate and i note when ooth's hav been layed and when they are due to hatch


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