AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHH!

[sk8erkho]

when first I wrote about my mating woes JamesLOngo or something like that, made a statement something to the nature of "what kind of dim witted males....? Well at first I took offense to his remarks as I know males and the whole mating thing varies from case to case. However., today I am frustrated beyond words as my cool little calm tempered female seems to be surrounded by idiots. They take the longest time creeping up behind her only to reach her grab at her and then lose focus and walk away. She is now ready to lay her second ooth and still not fertile. I try one or twice in the morning and then again just before I turn in for the night in for the night. Today, I tried moving them to a different venue,, the bathroom. I really am not cool with putting them in the same enclosure as just because she doesn't attack upon approach or even when he tried to mount she may just lash out in a tight space and shred him!! Any suggestions on times or other techniques and so on????? And i also have a very fatty fat female S. Parva soooo beautiful,man. Unfortunately, she has no mate so if anyone needs a female to mate a male with she will be on hold!!!! Who knows, maybe someone will offer vice verse!!! I know I know, wrong section!!!!But, seriously, any suggestions???????

t

 

[hibiscusmile]

What species is this again? I think the bathroom is a good place to let them out, at this point u could only loose him and if she isnt ready by now she never will be.

 

[Rick]

Had this before. Keep trying. You could try placing him on her back in the proper position.

 

[kamakiri]

Agreed that you should keep trying...

Sometimes the risk is just necessary.

 

[jameslongo]

You took offence to my comment? Only joking with you, man. No need to get cranky. I only suggested a couple of answers as to why your mantids weren't mating in the first place. I've had stupid males that approach from behind the female and fling themselves into the air only to land before her, presenting their heads as food. This goes to show that males can be idiots regardless of the species (don't have any of your species).

Do you know anything of the males' history? For instance, are they inbred or were their fathers particularly bad at mating? At this stage, you might be thinking: "how on earth would these things pass their seed on in the wild?" And the answer to that is, they wouldn't. Maybe you're doing the female a favour.

 

[Rick]

Do you know anything of the males' history? For instance, are they inbred or were their fathers particularly bad at mating? At this stage, you might be thinking: "how on earth would these things pass their seed on in the wild?" And the answer to that is, they wouldn't. Maybe you're doing the female a favour.

That's not gonna be the reason and isn't worth mentioning. The problems he is having are fairly common.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Some folks believe that a male can "OD" on a female's pheromones if they are kept close together and stop responding to them. Since nothing else is working, you might want to keep them in different rooms for a while and see if that works.

 

[jameslongo]

That's not gonna be the reason and isn't worth mentioning. The problems he is having are fairly common.

Are you a geneticist, Rick? Genetics plays a large part in mantid behaviour, as it does in every known organism. You cannot simply write off my comment without backing up your statement. The fact of the matter is that there is bound to be a higher incidence of inbreeding in culture than in the wild, which would lead to deviation in the behavioral characteristics of mantids; in this case, for the worse. This probably also explains why "the problems he is having are fairly common."

 

[PhilinYuma]

Are you a geneticist, Rick? Genetics plays a large part in mantid behaviour, as it does in every known organism. You cannot simply write off my comment without backing up your statement. The fact of the matter is that there is bound to be a higher incidence of inbreeding in culture than in the wild, which would lead to deviation in the behavioral characteristics of mantids; in this case, for the worse. This probably also explains why "the problems he is having are fairly common."

The problem with inbreeding, James, as its name implies, is not the inability to mate but mating with the wrong partner, a sibling or member of a small isolated population with a diminished gene pool. We talk about "hybrid vigor," and I agree with Mija's observation that wild mels are more "fecund" than heavily inbred wingless or flightless strains. Also, of course, there is a greater chance of expressing harmful recessive genes. I have seen no evidence to suggest, though, that one of these traits is an inability to copulate. In nature, two mantids will mate when they are ready, not because someone wants them to, and that is why, I suspect, the problem is "fairly common."

In this case, it may be that the female is not giving out the right signals. Some breeders wait until the female has laid an infertile ooth before breeding, to be sure that she is ready.

Hope that helps. Superfreak may be able to explain it better.

 

[superfreak]

I wouldnt rule out genetics as a factor altogether. The ability of a male to achieve all that is necessary for successful copulation with a female is influenced by so many different factors that i can say with absolute certainty that male mating behavior has been genetically altered to some degree within cultured species. Im not sure it could have quite this much influence, though. In my opinion it would be a mixture of possible persistent mutations in sensory organs (would have to minor enough not to be noticed on a day to day basis but enough to affect the males', say orientation ability in flight or depth perception at distance.) and less-than-ideal mating environments - im sure seeing our huge lumbering bodies coming past every couple of hours does these bugs no good while theyre trying to set the mood

Another thing - males in captivity do not get the same chance to try out their wings/legs and calibrate their responses to the environment. Its like being born without hearing and then getting an implant in your twenties - you have to learn to recognize sounds. Sorting out new information into usable forms is essential before you can understand sound, or in the case of these males, use your wings to help you maneuver onto a female. This comparison is of course a simplified lie-to-children type thing but you get the idea

Anyhow, just some ideas. In this situation i would give them the most privacy i could and if that doesnt work then i think james' idea of getting another male might be the way to go. If that doesnt work then you have to look at the situation and ask yourself - whats the common problem im all these failed relationships? Could it be that the problem doesnt lie with the males at all? A disturbing idea, i know! lol :lol: :lol:

 

[sk8erkho]

I let him out to fly around the apartment then out in the hallways as he is always "flibitergibbit"!! Never seems to want to settle down long enough to get the job done. He will creep up abit then stop as sleeping. i blow on him lightly then he awakes so to speak only to walk away. Sometimes he will make it right up to her flick at her once or twice then lose interest. She on the other hand is inviting she lays there and won't strike out even when she spots him. Sooooo, what,now?? And I agree that mantids and other species are not meant to mate just because as we assume care ocer them,we want them to. So, yes, I will allow "them" to try when they are ready and won't push for results anymore. if they are going to mate they will with or without my input. thanks guys for putting me in check!! And I will try moving them into separate rooms for a while as i did wait for her to lay her first infertile ooth to be certain she was ready. So heres to a different approach!!

 

[jameslongo]

Superfreak may be able to explain it better.

And sure enough she did

Sk8erkho: hope their little holiday apart sparks that flame in your male's heart :lol: