Brand new to mantids!

[dgerndt]

She probably is fertile because you caught her in the wild. But I have an unmated Egyptian who laid her third ooth just a few days ago. So it's anyone's guess, really.

As for the ooth, it's supposed to be lighter when it's first laid. They get darker and harden as they dry up.

 

[Zeede]

As for the ooth, it's supposed to be lighter when it's first laid. They get darker and harden as they dry up.

Ah, thanks very much! I'm glad to hear that the color shift is normal.

Cameron

 

[dgerndt]

Ah, thanks very much! I'm glad to hear that the color shift is normal.

Cameron

You're welcome. I'm glad your mantis is doing so well.

 

[Zeede]

Yay, one of the ooths hatched!

I hadn't fed her in a couple of days so I got two crickets and added them to her enclosure. I noticed she wasn't going after them, and THEN noticed she was starting to lay her sixth ooth (oops, sorry mom!).

She finished laying the ooth and I lured the crickets to where she was hanging from a low branch with a piece of cheese, and she immediately snagged one of them.

As it was getting late, I wanted to feed her the other cricket (I've gotten handy at catching them with chopsticks and presenting them to her) and THEN I noticed some nymphs!

I quickly put them into paper cups w/ a mesh secured (hopefully) over the tops. I noticed mom AND the remaining cricket looked interested in eating them, so I don't know if there were any others besides the three I found.

First thing tomorrow I'm getting some wingless fruit flies!

Cameron

 

[dgerndt]

Congratulations! You're a mom now! You should put the remaining ooths in seperate containers so mommy mantis/crickets don't eat any more nymphs.

 

[hibiscusmile]

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