Bunch of lazy layabouts!

[Kruszakus]

I have 5 adult Gongylus females, and 20 adult Gongylus males - I keep them warm, I keep them well fed, and so on - yet none of them even attempted mating... this is really starting to annoy me. I keep them in a net-cage, with three 40W lamps per enclosure.

Anyone has had a situation like that? I get many things, but 20 males... and none of them wanted to mate in like 2 months? Seriously...

Oh, and some females are about 3 months old, and only 2 of them laid just one ooth per each.

I'm baffled by this whole thing, and I seriously don't know what to do.

 

[agent A]

I have 5 adult Gongylus females, and 20 adult Gongylus males - I keep them warm, I keep them well fed, and so on - yet none of them even attempted mating... this is really starting to annoy me. I keep them in a net-cage, with three 40W lamps per enclosure.Anyone has had a situation like that? I get many things, but 20 males... and none of them wanted to mate in like 2 months? Seriously...

Oh, and some females are about 3 months old, and only 2 of them laid just one ooth per each.

I'm baffled by this whole thing, and I seriously don't know what to do.

I this problem with my egyptian mantids. They were adults for over a month and they wouldn't mate. The female already layed an infertile ooth. They were in the same room, so I took the male's cage and put it on a whole different level of the house for 2 days and then I brought the female's cage to that room with the male's cage. I intoduced them in the female's cage and a few hours later, they mated. The female's first 2 ooths after that mating have hatched and after 2 ooths, they remated and my male did weeks later but my female just layed her 7th ooth. So my suggestion is have the males and females in separate parts of the house for a few days and then re introduce them. Works like a charm!

 

[revmdn]

As you know I'm no expert, but have you tried seperating a pair? Also I'd ask Yen or Abuggin as I know they have both done a lot with this species. Mine are not adult, so I have no personal knowledge about mating them. I'm very interested in hearing how this turns out. I want to mate mine as well.

 

[Rick]

Andrew has had great success with them. He may know something you can do.

 

[Kruszakus]

All I know, is that I had success with them this summer. Everything was going fine back then, but now? I dunno, maybe it's because the temperatures outside are like -20C? This year's winter in Europe is really severe, maybe that's what's affecting those mantids. I mean, I'm trying to keep them warm, but there's just so much you can do.

 

[agent A]

I recommend 4 daylight basking blubs 100 watt and 4 infared 100 watt, keep infared on all the time

 

[sbugir]

I recommend 4 daylight basking blubs 100 watt and 4 infared 100 watt, keep infared on all the time

8 Bulbs??? 100 watts each? Are you trying to cook your mantids...? or 100 watts total...?

 

[Kruszakus]

I recommend 4 daylight basking blubs 100 watt and 4 infared 100 watt, keep infared on all the time

Eight 100 watt bulbs for one enclosure? I might as well throw them Gongylus in a furnace.

Dude, why are you trying to give advice on a species you have no idea about? Seriously, why are you doing that? If you are looking for acknowledgement, then get it by doing something relevant. Stop wasting everyone's time by posting senseless threads.

 

[Rick]

I recommend 4 daylight basking blubs 100 watt and 4 infared 100 watt, keep infared on all the time

Huh? Mine are under one 25 w halogen and the temps are 105 degrees. Also you would want a day/night cycle. As was mentioned, if you haven't kept the species you should not be giving any care advice.

 

[massaman]

maybe he should get a few of these and actually learn how to raise them before he makes advice or opinions on a species he never owned!

 

[ZoeRipper]

I recommend 4 daylight basking blubs 100 watt and 4 infared 100 watt, keep infared on all the time

Well I've never kept this species but my recommendation is to build a fire next to the mantis enclosures to ensure that they're warm and then dump water on them to made sure they're getting enough humidity--

Dude! Alex, I used to think you were a cool kid but seriously, man! Do you read what you type?!

 

[keri]

I agree with Zoe... just be sure not to burn cedar as it's not good for the mantids (j/k)

 

[Peter Clausen]

Have you attempted physical placement of a male on a female's back? Maybe hanging out looking at a bunch of pretty ladies is just frustrating them.

 

[Rick]

Have you attempted physical placement of a male on a female's back? Maybe hanging out looking at a bunch of pretty ladies is just frustrating them.

That's what I do for almost every speices lately.

 

[Kruszakus]

Nah, they come off of females instantly.

 

[ismart]

Just seperate a few pairs for a week and then put them back together, and see what happens? I have yet to breed this species, but i do know when some species are kept in large groups they lose interest. Not mention you kinda have a sausage party going on over there. The males are probally trying to jump each others bones in confusion.

 

[sufistic]

Just seperate a few pairs for a week and then put them back together, and see what happens? I have yet to breed this species, but i do know when some species are kept in large groups they lose interest. Not mention you kinda have a sausage party going on over there. The males are probally trying to jump each others bones in confusion.

Actually Paul, some breeders I know will also place more males than females in a single enclosure. They do this so that the males will sort of compete with one another and arouse the interest of other males to mount the females. I think this is what Krus is trying to do. Right Krus?

 

[Kruszakus]

Yeah, that what's I've been trying to achieve. I wanted to surround those females with ample partners, to ensure that at least one or two males would be persistent enough to actually mate. But so far... nothing, just nothing. And those females don't seem fine eighter - out of those five, only 2 laid ooths so far - and it was like 2 months ago! The previous generation did not give me such problems - males were willing to mate, and females would lay at least 2 ooths each month... this really has my flustered.

 

[ismart]

Actually Paul, some breeders I know will also place more males than females in a single enclosure. They do this so that the males will sort of compete with one another and arouse the interest of other males to mount the females. I think this is what Krus is trying to do. Right Krus?

I think your giving them to much credit. On a visual cue they will try and mount whom ever is in there until they get it right. I once put 5 adult chinese males in a net cage and whatched to see what they would do. Needless to say it was extremely gay! :lol: