A question on Chinese Mantis housing

[tsukineko9]

I'm looking for a species of hardy, easy to take care of mantis for an exhibit at the insectarium where I work. I have done Chinese mantids before with success when kept individually, and I was wondering if I could keep two or three together in a tank 1'D x 2'W x 3'H if I kept them fed and fat and happy so they don't see each other as food.

 

[LauraMG]

In the Chinese species? Probably not. They're pretty cannibalistic. If you could put some simple dividers they would probably be happy though.

 

[hibiscusmile]

They do ok for a while, and I do keep mine together until mated, so it is hard to say, safety says NO, but I take chances!

 

[kitkat39]

They do ok for a while, and I do keep mine together until mated, so it is hard to say, safety says NO, but I take chances!

How many do you keep in a cage? And how big is the cage you keep them in?

 

[Rick]

Not really. Feeding a mantis well is no guarantee it won't eat another mantis it is housed with.

 

[PeterF]

Mmmm....it's all a bit of a trick.

It MAY work, but there is a very very very real chance of cannibalism. And, over time, i bet on things with chances.

 

[GreenBean]

Chinese? Won't work. Really. I made the mistake of believing if I fed them well, no problem. There was a problem--and more than once. Furthermore, they say it is primarily in captivity that the female eats the male. I witnessed in a natural setting last week a chinese female eating a chinese female. I have, however, never had a problem keeping males together or even late instar mixed genders (but NO mature females and no babies in that mix!) Really, mature females should always be kept solitary. I have a lot of cages and dividers...

 

[sporeworld]

I'm with Green Bean on this one. I love communities, but Chinese won't work. I had a huge screened area with WAY WAY WAY plenty food, and they still picked each other off -especially during molting. I went from about 100 to 3 adults - and very, very nervous adults at that.

I think they would have done better in a wide open cage with no where to ambush, but I still think your odds are dismal.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Just about any species of mantis will eat its brothers and sisters (also cousins) at one time or another.. Chinese are better at it than most.

The good news is that if you only have three together, the cannibalism should stop after the first two have been eaten.

 

[sporeworld]

Ha, ha, ha, ha!

 

[novaz]

I have found the Mio Mantis to be fairly tolerant have kept three in a tote for a few months now and no problems just had a female lay an Ooth.

Royz