Display Keeping

[Paperplains]

So I’m still pretty new to the hobby, and I got into it because my salt-water fish tanked crashed and I needed something else to keep in the tank that was nice to look at. So after much research I decided I would give praying mantises a try. I came to this forum in search of the largest type I could find and settled on a female Hierodula Membranacea. I ordered from MikhailsDinos not knowing about his tendency to send extras! So after receiving 6 mantids instead of 1 I was thoroughly tossed into the hobby! After giving some away and having a casualty I am down to 3 little mantids, and this is how I display them! My last Popa Spurca just recently molted into an L4, he is still tiny and lives in a jam jar! My male Hierodula Membranacea is a newly L5 and just moved in to the big jar with his own little tree.

And finally my female Hierodula Membranacea is a new L6 and she gets the centerpiece that was my tank! With her own little tree, some ivy, and a Venus fly trap just for kicks.

Here everyone is on my entertainment centre.

 

[LAME]

Homing them with the Venus is a risky move... Though, I've considered it myself.

But I keep all my crew mates in terrarium styled tanks. Usually 10 gallons up. Depending on the species, they may be put in together (communal species.) or just section off your tanks... Making a 10gallon into 2 homes.

Some keepers frown on such larger homes... Some call it overkill. But to be honest I've had much MUUUUCH luck with my actual builds compared to the mason jars or 32oz deli cups.

 

[Ranitomeya]

Long-term, the flytrap won't last. The mantis' poop will release nitrogenous waste and cause its death as the soil is fertilized.

 

[LAME]

Long-term, the flytrap won't last. The mantis' poop will release nitrogenous waste and cause its death as the soil is fertilized.

I never considered that one... But yeah, true...

 

[mantisman 230]

I usually go with 32 oz cups, but I am currently working on a massive net cage for all of my communal large species. Apparently you can keep gongys, idolos, and Heterochaeta all in one large setup, as they all require the same enclosure type, get pretty much the same size, and are relatively non aggressive.