Search results

I've never found the need to actually work at trying to hand tame mantises. Nymphs typically get less jumpy as they grow and get some size to them. I mean if you were barely larger than an ant you would probably be pretty flighty too. I don't do much handling outside of maintenance stuff when...

I was about to suggest high quality dog food or the like for protein but then saw you finally offered them some. One of the big mistakes people make with crickets is not providing a protein source. It is why they will cannibalize and sometimes desperately go after the animals they are being fed to.

I found it was well worth keeping my crickets in a tank because the high walls meant no worries about escapees jumping out while I was doing things inside the enclosure. I enjoy all my feeders and never understood the hate for crickets, especially on a forum like this where we keep other bugs as...

I would never trust species known to happily cannibalize in even a large area together. Sure the females may sit in one spot for days, but when they decide to move they are gone. Girls both getting ready to lay and after laying ootheca are prone to getting wild hairs up their butts and romping...

If she was an adult when she was caught I honestly wouldn't even bother trying to find a mate as there is a high chance she already mated prior to you getting her.

She is attempting to fold her wings up. I would suggest trimming the pieces that are strewn about her legs so they will be less of a hindrance to her.

I use net cages so spraying the cage doesn't work the best for insuring they still get water. For that reason I like to offer water via an eyedropper. You can also just take them out though and place them on a nonporous surface and mist in front of them to offer water more like you would in the...

For a vomiting mantis I like to offer water for drinking 2-4 times daily (basically after anytime I see fresh spit up), and fast from food until they have gone 24 hours without fresh vomit. Typically their systems clear out in a few days.

No, it is not normal for this species to go off food that long prior to a molt. If you aren't dealing with a blockage, which doesn't sound to be the case since there has been no vomiting, I would be concerned she doesn't feel comfortable shedding in your current setup. Chinese mantises are a...

Usually I merely stick my hand in front of them at a higher angle. If they need a little coaxing I will then gently blow or touch one of their back legs/rump with my other hand. For those trying to reach into small spaces of an enclosure or are nervous when it comes to handling, some...

I do live in an area where insects can very much arrive DOA or so compromised they will be dead in a couple days. People really underestimate the humidity/heat where I live and packaging that might work elsewhere doesn't always work here. I've noticed however even though most sellers/sites state...

Yep that is just a classy way for lady mantises to tell the boys to come hither.

My guess is this rumor got started because a lot of people use carrots as a water/food source since they don't rot fast and hold moisture for a long time. A lot of these same people offer very little else for subsistence and take poor care of their crickets. Thus it should be no surprise their...

I would try applying some water to see if you can soften it some around where it is attached to her claw.

Yep this is very common for adult males. From an evolution standpoint it makes sense. They can now fly well enough to escape danger so if they are scared they tend to fly/jump/drop first and ask questions later. Some species are more skittish then some and then some individuals within the...

If she was due for a molt then likely her body began the process for it but sadly she lost her grip and then was unable to get back into position. As they get closer and closer to their molt everything tightens up and movement becomes hard. You might have been able to save her by getting her...

Never seen that in nymphs but I have seen it in old mantis as they are in the process of passing. They will sometimes grab their head rather violently or their antennae. I've always assumed it was them loosing control of different functions as their bodies shut down. I've had more than a couple...

Here is an old Feedback thread on him. There was some drama that led up to his closing. I suggest using the search feature on the forum to search Kevin Young if you want to snoop around and get a better feel on if you want to deal with him.

Yah wax worms are junk food but the bigger problem is they tend to come in terrible condition and because they are generally stored in the fridge this tends to hide the dying ones along with the healthy. If you want to feed wax worms from a store I suggest getting a honey/bran mixture for their...

Missed the photos. The cage is big enough but I would not trust a plastic lid with holes for shedding. The mantis may be able to hold on to them now, but during the shedding process I would be concerned with the mantis slipping. Do you have any sort of netting or highly textured fabric you could...