He's Here!!!

Bex · Jan 26, 2024

I got a package today! Everyone, meet Reaper!

He's just SO darn tiny, and I adore him! He walked right out of his little travel cup onto my hand, drank some water off my finger, and he spent some time hunting down his first fruit fly! Right now, I can see him just standing at the top of the piece of wood I gave him, very still, just chilling. He seemed so happy to be eating- did a cute little wobble while he was chowing down.

I absolutely adore him already! It was the coolest thing ever to watch him hunt! I'll probably feed him again kind of soon, unless he nabs the other fruit fly that managed to wiggle into his enclosure. I'm sure he can handle it!

If anyone is wondering, I ordered him from Bugg Plug. They were absolutely fantastic; there were some shipping delays with FedEx, and they kept me up to date with everything and were super helpful when I needed to fix an issue with my tracking.

Firenkyo · Jan 26, 2024

Super cute little guy! I love the 'dance' that ghosts do. It looks like he'll blend in perfectly with the wood you put in the enclosure!

Bex · Jan 26, 2024

Firenkyo said:
Super cute little guy! I love the 'dance' that ghosts do. It looks like he'll blend in perfectly with the wood you put in the enclosure!

Oh, I adore his little dance. he actually JUST nabbed another fly- I love watching. I've been calling it the Dinner Dance!

I do think his enclosure is too large for him right now. Luckily! I had ordered a small spiderling enclosure in anticipation of maybe getting a jumping spider, and I think it will be perfect for him, at least until he molts another time or two. I'm pretty sure he's L3, based on size and appearance and everything I can find about Ghost Mantis life cycles online.

Firenkyo · Jan 26, 2024

Aww so talented! My ghost (her name is Cilantro) was SO wiggly when I first got her as a L4. She's still very wiggly. And the smaller enclosure until he gets bigger is a good idea!

Bex · Jan 27, 2024

Firenkyo said:
Aww so talented! My ghost (her name is Cilantro) was SO wiggly when I first got her as a L4. She's still very wiggly. And the smaller enclosure until he gets bigger is a good idea!

When I first got him into his enclosure I was worried he wasn't sure footed- but no, I think he's just. Wobbly. He's currently in the corner, upside down, and I think he might be asleep? It's late and I turned his light off at 9 pm.

And yeah- his current enclosure is 4 x 4 x 6. The new one is 2 x 2 x 3... And seeing as he's like. Less than an inch long? Yeah. I am impressed that he managed to catch those flies with all that space, though! He sorted out the spot they were congregating at really fast and beelined for it.

ANTdrew · Jan 27, 2024

Awesome Ghost and cool name! The main benefit of a small enclosure will be that it will find food quicker. Good luck!

Bex · Jan 27, 2024

ANTdrew said:
Awesome Ghost and cool name! The main benefit of a small enclosure will be that it will find food quicker. Good luck!

Thanks! Yeah, it'll be easier for him to hunt for sure. I'm impressed, though- he picked up on the spot where the flies were congregating and centered himself around there real quick. Ate three yesterday and looks pretty happy. I'll probably give him more tomorrow, as the care guide I'm using says every other day for a mantis his size.

Sadly, it looks like my small enclosure is delayed in the mail- I hope he's okay in the bigger one until Monday.

ANTdrew · Jan 27, 2024

I raised my ghost in an enclosure even bigger than yours, so he’ll be totally fine either way. Also, are you sure its a male already?

Bex · Jan 27, 2024

ANTdrew said:
I raised my ghost in an enclosure even bigger than yours, so he’ll be totally fine either way. Also, are you sure its a male already?

The site I bought him from sold him as a male. While it's a bit hard to count his abdominal segments, the shape of his head crest matches up with a male Ghost.

And yeah- while I do want to move him somewhere smaller, I think he's digging his new home. He's been hanging upside down since last night and seems pretty happy like that.

Bex · Feb 2, 2024

I wanted to share a little update on Reaper Man- he surprised me this morning!

I noticed yesterday that he wasn't eating. Normally he goes IN on those fruit flies, but he was just letting them wander right on by- a couple even walked over his feet! I wondered if maybe he had injured himself (he took a little tumble from the roof of his enclosure yesterday morning, but I have soft substrate in there for him and was right back up and wobbling as usual after), but he looked fine. I didn't think he could be in pre-molt. Today is his one week anniversary of coming home, I thought it was too soon.

Well-!

I was wrong! Woke up this morning to this! Pretty sure he's now in his fourth instar, and I swear every time I look at him he's gotten a bit bigger! I am SUPER glad I didn't decide to move him from this enclosure now, as the other one would have for sure been pushing the too-small range.

I'm giving him 24 hours before I try to feed him again, but I am SO damn proud of my little guy! And really glad I decided to give his enclosure an extra spritz last night, just in case.

Jojomama · Feb 3, 2024

Very very cool hun!

Firenkyo · Feb 3, 2024

Yay! I love seeing how their color changes through molts. My ghost started out brown and ended up pretty green!

Bex · Oct 23, 2024

It's been a while since I updated this- I guess I'll use this old thread for all my mantis arrivals.

He got here a couple of weeks ago, but now that he's bigger (molted twice for me already!), here's Bagheera the Panther Mantis!

He's such an active little guy- loves chasing down his food. I give it one more molt before I have to move him to something a little bit bigger- I have a nice vented deli cup that I can set up for him until he's big enough for his adult enclosure.

jmantis · Oct 24, 2024

The jungle book has always been one of my favourite movies, I love his name!!! Can’t wait to see more of him and your others.

saillesong · Oct 24, 2024

Such a cutie!

He's Here!!!

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