Does it stress mantids to see each other?

[5eyesUK]

Hi, so I am very much a newbie, only recently introduced myself here with my new gastrica. Shes doing very well, had 1 molt since with me. 

I mustve caught the bug because Im quite obscessed with her and I just purchased my 2nd mantis, this time a spiny flower. 4th instar. Oh what a little cutie pie!!!

I wanted to ask you guys whether its stressful for mantids (being cannibalistic) if they see each other through the clear walls of their enclosures??? Esp. the smaller ones, ie my gastrica is about 5 times the size of my new spiny flower. They do need to be nearby though as its a heated "cupboard" in my otherwise colder house (UK)

If yes, would a simple solution be to provide some coverage for them, ie Im about to put a plastic flower in the spiny flowers enclosure. Or do you put screens between vivs? Or its not really an issue?

Thanks

 

[hysteresis]

I think they get used to it. Orin's book hints at feeders outsude their cups triggering them a bit, but they lose interest. So the good book says. LoL.

Sometimes my adult venosa peers down from her exoterra at smaller nymphs in 32oz deli cups. But shed eat me if she could, so...

 

[Synapze]

My enclosures are only 1-2 inches from each other and it doesn't seem to stress them out. However, if I see two who are staring at each other for long periods of time, I stick a few cheap silk leaves between the enclosures until they lose interest. It probably bugs me more than it does them.

 

[Mantis Lady]

At my place they are standing in a row. I have seen 1x that 2 mandtids did threat pose to each other in their cup, but they mostly ignore each other.

Orin's book hints at feeders outsude their cups triggering them a bit, but they lose interest.

That is true. I have seen that happen.

 

[MantisGirl13]

It doesn't seem to bother my mantids too much, although it does result in eye run at times.

- MantisGirl13

 

[5eyesUK]

Ok guys, thanks for that. I can sleep peacefully now

 

[MantisGirl13]

Good!

- MantisGirl13

 

[ohaple]

Ours are kept within inches of each other. Only one has been a problem. The h. majuscula would constantly hunt his neighbor ghost mantis. The ghost mantis didn't seem to notice, but I felt bad for the h. majuscula since he always spent energy hunting but never being able to succeed. We put a piece of paper between them. He didn't seem to tire of hunting her for two or three days, so we figured he may never get used to it. I doubt it is seriously stressful for them.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Yesterday Alana and Aurene  (h. membranacea)  were both watching Tybalt  (h. majuscula ) molting, but it didnt stress him. He was too busy. He was in the middle of the 2 females

 

[Rick]

I've always felt that yes it does. 

 

[5eyesUK]

Hi everyone, thank you again for your replies, I appreciate your advice. Im currently putting a piece of cardboard between my L5 Spiny flower and a much bigger gastrica as Im still not sure how I feel about them. It didnt help that I was out of suitable size food and the gastrica was hungry for a couple of days. I will keep an eye on this and experiment .... 

 

[Mantis Lady]

the gastrica was hungry for a couple of days.

Gasticas are good eaters, I have had them in the past

 

[The Mantis Menagerie]

This is an old video from when I had exotic mantids, but it shows that mantids notice other mantids in their vicinity. My Pseudocreobotra ocellata nymphs are hungrily watching my newly hatched Chinese mantis nymphs. In case anyone is wondering, I took the hint and fed the P. ocellata nymphs after taking this video. 

View attachment C1AD7919-2D53-4087-B474-88A34D382889.MOV

 

[5eyesUK]

This is an old video from when I had exotic mantids, but it shows that mantids notice other mantids in their vicinity. My Pseudocreobotra ocellata nymphs are hungrily watching my newly hatched Chinese mantis nymphs. In case anyone is wondering, I took the hint and fed the P. ocellata nymphs after taking this video. 

View attachment 12113

Ah what a pity, im on  Android and it wont open the movie.... but I totally believe its the case. My gastrica watches my little spiny and I wonder if my spiny's stillness is partly to do with that....

 

[hysteresis]

Ah what a pity, im on  Android and it wont open the movie.... 

Use GOOGLE PHOTOS to open .mov file format. Or install VLC Player.

 

[Ben10101]

Occasionally hear raptorial limbs striking plastic, and just see one of mine staring at their cousins in a different enclosure. Doesn't seem to be a big issue, most of the time I just turn the enclosure the other way.

 

[hysteresis]

One of my thistles was just going BALLISTIC over a BSF in it's neighbour's cup. BA-LLISTIC!

 

[Mantis Lady]

One of my thistles was just going BALLISTIC over a BSF in it's neighbour's cup. BA-LLISTIC!

That thistle was very hungry, give him 1 extra

 

[hysteresis]

That thistle was very hungry, give him 1 extra

Yep. I swear, he was gonna fall down the way he was freaking out. 

He's eating a juicy fly larva now.