Adult Creobroter keep dyeing

[Zelthan]

My creobroter get to the last instar, and become adults , everything looks fine but one or two weeks they just die what can be?

 

[ismart]

How many have died already? What conditions are you keeping them in? What are you feeding them?

 

[Zelthan]

They are keept at 24-29 C temperature changes day/night, 8'-90% humidity, today a female showed up I havent seen a mature female before, they hatched on february, they eat well

 

[PhilinYuma]

They are keept at 24-29 C temperature changes day/night, 8'-90% humidity, today a female showed up I havent seen a mature female before, they hatched on february, they eat well

I think that Paul was asking what food you give them. Lots of crickets? Do you feed them the same food as adults that you did as nymphs? Temp and humidity sound O.K.

 

[Zelthan]

I think that Paul was asking what food you give them. Lots of crickets? Do you feed them the same food as adults that you did as nymphs? Temp and humidity sound O.K.

Yea lots of crickets only

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yea lots of crickets only

I don't know what's killing your creobroter, but since your temp and humidity seem to be fine, you might want to try revising your feeding regimen. Creobroter sp are flower mantises and ambush predators. What they ambush are flying, pollenated insects, such as small bees, flies, bluebottles and butterflies. Most probably never see a cricket in their lives. A number of breeders on this forum use only flying insects for these mantids, cf http://www.usamantis.com/asianflower_species.html, and I would certainly suggest that you modify their diet to include a preponderance of flying insects. In any event, an unrelieved diet of only one species of prey is never a good thing. Your Creobroter sp may be simply dying of a deficiency of some vital nutrient that is presently not in their diet.

I am not saying that this is the cause of your mantids' deaths, but it is certainly worth checking out.

 

[Katnapper]

If it were me, I'd lessen the humidity a bit.

 

[Zelthan]

If it were me, I'd lessen the humidity a bit.

Thank you very mutch, I try to catch bees, in mexico we dont have bluebottle, (In fact I dont even know them) I lessen humidty too, also they are 7 months old when reaching maturity ,I`ll lowert temp too

 

[ismart]

What are you keeping them in? Could very well be a ventilation issue?

 

[Zelthan]

Hi here is the picture

 

[ismart]

Air flow is deffinetly an issue with those containers. Try and cover the whole top with mesh or netting. That should let more air come through.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Air flow is deffinetly an issue with those containers. Try and cover the whole top with mesh or netting. That should let more air come through.

For sure. Also there is no directional airflow through your container. A lot of people cut a 1" (2.5cm) square hole in the side of the container and fill it with a sponge bung. The idea is to introduce food through it when your mantis is sitting on the lid, but it also gives a while to allow air to circulate through the conatiner. I am increasingly persuaded, partly on the basis of AWOL mantids who do fine with minimal food and no misting, but do have excellent air circulation, that circulation is much more important than we usually realize.

 

[Zelthan]

The black mesh is for air flow do you think an inch diamter hole with mesh is too little?

 

[hibiscusmile]

I think for the size of the cup the hole is fine, but I would give it a bit bigger container, it prob died from boredom.... sorry!

 

[ismart]

The black mesh is for air flow do you think an inch diamter hole with mesh is too little?

I would make the whole top diameter of the cup mesh, or netting. It would not hurt to maybe put in a stick or something for them climb on. For nymphs i would put some kind of moisture holding substrate on the bottom to hold more humidity.

 

[Zelthan]

I would make the whole top diameter of the cup mesh, or netting. It would not hurt to maybe put in a stick or something for them climb on. For nymphs i would put some kind of moisture holding substrate on the bottom to hold more humidity.

They die one week after they become adults

 

[ismart]

They die one week after they become adults

Yes i know this. This is also why i'm saying maybe you should change your husbandry a bit. Clearly you are doing something wrong for them to keep dying when they reach adulthood. You should try different things and see what works the best for you. I'm just trying to help you out!

 

[jameslongo]

Adding some honey to their diet & sticks to their enclosures couldn't hurt. Ventilation looks fine to me.

 

[Zelthan]

Thank you very mutch guys tomorrow I use bees with no sting