Do any of you guys take your mantids outside?

[MantidBro]

Let's just say this, I ordered a box of crickets that were suppose to be delivered in person. They weren't, the person left them outside on my walkway. I was checking the door hourly just in case. Even so by the time I found them there was probably a couple thousand ants swarming the cricket box.

Woah that's messed up, that sucks that you've got so many ants around. x_x

 

[aNisip]

I learned a scary way abt the males....I had an adult male t sinensis on a flowering brazilian pepper tree and catching flys and such...well lets just say a giant knight anole came in to get him, but he saw the reptile coming in and toom flight across my yard...I was quickly in persuit of his air travel (at abt 5' off the ground) and quickly scooped him up when he landed in a ficus...no male has gone out since

And my majuscula girl loves climbing up the tall ficus trees and seends me 20' + after her...she loves it though and freezes when I get close...and the orchid girl love the sun...

 

[MantidBro]

I learned a scary way abt the males....I had an adult male t sinensis on a flowering brazilian pepper tree and catching flys and such...well lets just say a giant knight anole came in to get him, but he saw the reptile coming in and toom flight across my yard...I was quickly in persuit of his air travel (at abt 5' off the ground) and quickly scooped him up when he landed in a ficus...no male has gone out since

And my majuscula girl loves climbing up the tall ficus trees and seends me 20' + after her...she loves it though and freezes when I get close...and the orchid girl love the sun...

That IS scary. I don't think I'm ever going to risk taking adult males outside, even though I love taking my mantids out. Losing him wouldn't be good especially where I live. The next door neighbor's kid would most likely squish him as soon as he was within reach. x_x That's cool that you've got anoles over there. If the anole hadn't scared him, I wonder if he would have eaten it? T. sinensis ARE pretty big (my female was a little more than 3 1/2 inches). That's lucky that you got him after he flew away!

Lol awesome. I'd love to climb a tree with my mantids.

 

[aNisip]

Yeah the knight anoles are like chamelon sized....the t sinensis easily take down adult male brown anoles....

And yeah, I'm glad I'm a pretty active guy and can do things like this...

 

[Ntsees]

For as long as I've kept mantids, there was never a year where I did not take them outside. It's good for them.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Woah that's messed up, that sucks that you've got so many ants around. x_x

All things considered they aren't that bad. The ants don't mess with people and they don't make big noticeable nests like some species so really it is only a problem if you are an injured bug low to the ground. I'm certainly glad to have them over fire ants. Down here in South FL ants and any other insect will pretty much take every inch of space they can.

 

[Digger]

Yes, Nikki Mantis would spend hours on the deck on various plants sunning herself. My new batch are just now being taken out with the more seasonable weather. But all 3 are kept in their respective cages. Lots of sun and air. The two adolescent T. sinensis males particularly like sunbathing. Trying to show off their 6 packs to would be lady hookups.

 

[sally]

It is still cold here in Northern Illinois... With 40 mph winds. Nice. In the summer I put my mantis Sally on the screened porch every day. I will do that with the others if it ever gets warm here :S

 

[Sticky]

Bioquip has many mesh cages in sizes from 12x12x12 to a monster size you can make a real forest of potted plants in. They are all collapsible cages.

 

[MantidBro]

Yeah the knight anoles are like chamelon sized....the t sinensis easily take down adult male brown anoles....

And yeah, I'm glad I'm a pretty active guy and can do things like this...

Cool. I'd love to see that some time.

Nice, lol.

 

[MantidBro]

For as long as I've kept mantids, there was never a year where I did not take them outside. It's good for them.

I know, they love it, it's awesome to see them get wild and energetic when taken outside.

 

[MantidBro]

All things considered they aren't that bad. The ants don't mess with people and they don't make big noticeable nests like some species so really it is only a problem if you are an injured bug low to the ground. I'm certainly glad to have them over fire ants. Down here in South FL ants and any other insect will pretty much take every inch of space they can.

Well that's good at least. Oh yeah fire ants suck!

 

[thalassarche]

I've got one of those pop-up mesh net cages, now that y'all gave me the idea I think I'll use it to give my mantises some outside time once they're bigger. I have a small travel cage for my parrot so that he gets to go outside too, why not my mantises?

 

[MantidBro]

Yes, Nikki Mantis would spend hours on the deck on various plants sunning herself. My new batch are just now being taken out with the more seasonable weather. But all 3 are kept in their respective cages. Lots of sun and air. The two adolescent T. sinensis males particularly like sunbathing. Trying to show off their 6 packs to would be lady hookups.

Sounds nice! And my new ones are taken out, too, as well as my adult Phyllocrania paradoxa. I keep mine on my hand mostly, though. They love the sun and air for sure. Lol showing off their 6 packs... more like "8 packs" seeing how they have 8 segments... LOL

 

[MantidBro]

It is still cold here in Northern Illinois... With 40 mph winds. Nice. In the summer I put my mantis Sally on the screened porch every day. I will do that with the others if it ever gets warm here :S

Damn still cold I see. Well I hope you'll be able to take them out side in warm weather, too. It's fun.

 

[MantidBro]

Bioquip has many mesh cages in sizes from 12x12x12 to a monster size you can make a real forest of potted plants in. They are all collapsible cages.

Sweet! I need some of those. I'll buy some eventually.

 

[MantidBro]

I've got one of those pop-up mesh net cages, now that y'all gave me the idea I think I'll use it to give my mantises some outside time once they're bigger. I have a small travel cage for my parrot so that he gets to go outside too, why not my mantises?

Nice! I bet they'll feel nice outside. It's fun to watch them get all excited, too.

 

[Sticky]

When I raised native wild silkmoths I kept the caterpillars in them inside and outside. I loved them!

 

[MantidBro]

When I raised native wild silkmoths I kept the caterpillars in them inside and outside. I loved them!

Neat-o! I've never had caterpillars long enough for them to turn into moths or butterflies, before, but that would be really cool, so I think I'll do it eventually.

 

[Sticky]

I will be offering wild silkmoth eggs for sale in afew months. Late May/June. Here in Maine there are cecropia, polyphemus, luna, maybe promethia. There is a smaller hyalophera ,related to a. I can't remember the name at this moment.