I have 5 female chinese mantids and 3 males. All are at least 1 month past final molt. I am having a difficult time breeding them, the males show absolutely zero interest in the females. I have tried many techniques mentioned here with no luck. I have placed the males on the females back and they just crawl off. Any suggestions? All of their enclosers are kept next to each other, could the males have been desensitized to the females feramones?
Breeding Suggestions
- Thread starter Mraw
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_anthonyj0hn
Well-known member
Most likely the female is not producing pheromones yet. I’ve dealt with Chinese mantises for years and they always breed. Give them more time. A month past becoming adult isn’t very long.
It is possible the males are confused with all the pheromones so close by. I have had the same problem with Chinese before too. Or as suggested the females are not ready yet and not calling yet.
But if they are calling, you could remove the males to a different room and or floor to desensitize them. Have you seen the females calling?
But if they are calling, you could remove the males to a different room and or floor to desensitize them. Have you seen the females calling?
What does “calling” look like…? Is this common to all species?
Yep, all females are calling. My oldest female is around 8 weeks now. I got one male who was 1 week from last molt to mate but he was eaten. I'll try your suggestion and separate them. Did you ever get your chinese to mate when you had this issue?
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Yep, I'll get you a pic later
Thanks
Yes, I did get them to mate. Just takes time and patience and some effort. After you separate them then wait at least two days or so then feed everyone well and then try to mate them again. Hopefully it will work. Also try different males as one male may just not want to mate yet or something. And I would try to mate them in a room that is not filled with the rest of the females calling which may cause him to get distracted and try for a different female.
How old were your males and females?
I don't remember sorry! That was a year or two ago. But I suspect around the same age as yours.
Thanks, hopefully they will mate soon, still no luck. My oldest male is around 6 weeks now.
Your welcome. Hopefully they will get to business soon for you lol. Six weeks isn't too old yet.
Tenodera
Member
Big species like Chinese often don't "understand" that they're supposed to mate when placed directly on the females' backs. They usually need to go though the process of noticing and approaching her.
Have you:
1. Put one or more males in a large net cage and fed them.
2. Left them in there for about a day to get used to it.
3. Added a female in front of and facing away from one male.
4. Fed the female while the males are watching.
That's one the most successful processes for breeding typical-bodied mantises.
I got one of the males to mate. He connected and disconnected two times. Probably around 20 min each time. He is still mounted but disconnected now. Is this typical behavior? It was my understanding that he would remoan connected for 4 hrs plus
Tenodera
Member
They CAN transfer a spermatophore in that short a time, but yeah most matings are longer and uninterrupted. I think the short connections are a response to her behavior, possibly her not fully cooperating. When this has happened with mine, I don't consider them likely mated unless I see a spermatophore, so I'd try again later.
The male later reconnected for around 2 to 3 hours before hopping off. What does the spermatophore look like so I can be sure ?
That's about the same time mine keep staying on for. So they are probably mated. But it can't hurt to mate them again. The spermataphore looks like a pearly whitish glob inside the females abdomen end. It is not always visible. And sometimes the female will eat it before you can see it.
