Free Range

[Brazilian_Magewick]

Anyone ever keep a mantis "free range" in a room before?

If so, How'd you do it, I would Like to know.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Only elderly mantises that didn't really move around a lot. If you had a room without a lot of places for the mantis to hide, you could put an indoor tree in there. The mantis would probably stay on the tree, but if it didn't, you would be able to find it. I have a table full of houseplants and I sometimes leave one of my mantises on it for a day or two.

 

[jrh3]

never have , never will, lol.

 

[aNisip]

Only adult mantises, mainly females (these are the only ones I let free roam)....just start them off on a plant give them somthing to snack and just live ur day normally....if u have dogs or cats or other free roamin critters, I suggest let ur mantis free roam with the doors closed....make ssure u don't have large geckos in ur house....I found out this by looking fo her and seeing she was eating one....so be csreful....

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[fleurdejoo]

I always have someone free ranging. Always adults and they all seem to pick favorite places to perch. So I know pretty much where they will go.

Just remember to feed and water no problem. Well...there is mantis poo in weird places. book shelves etc.

My D. lobata is coming to the end of her life as well as 1 of my female Idolo's they are both out today.

They are in the same room but you have to be familiar with the mantis before you do that, since some of them are more content to stay put.

I would never let my healthy valida female out at the same time. She will cover the whole room and she would eat one fer sure.

 

[MantidLord]

And check for ooths! I don't let them free roam anymore. But I did for a period of time, adult I. oratoria females just because I had a bunch. One day, found an ooth attached to my bed sheet...good thing I checked before I washed it.

 

[fleurdejoo]

Oh yeah! There's a picture on here somewhere of a pair of my scissors with an ooth on the handles!

 

[sally]

My less active and adult mantids free range every day for a few hours...

 

[Precarious]

Adults are best and females the least mobile. Male may fly around the room at night. I've kept many species on a ficus in front of a window (Heterochaeta, Idolo, Orchid, Ghosts, Deroplatys lobata, Archimantis latistyla, Brunneria borealis, Plistospilota guineensis, Sphodromantis viridis) and others on a branch sticking off my shelves. Many times I will allow gravid females to lay on the ficus.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I usually only have the crippled out free roaming, cause I have to care for them so much it is easier to have them out.

 

[fleurdejoo]

Oh I wouldn't know I only get females!!!!!!

:helpsmilie:

 

[MantidLord]

Do all idolos do that before flying? Is that to warm them up or something? Seems like a nice mini fan.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Do all idolos do that before flying? Is that to warm them up or something? Seems like a nice mini fan.

All males do as well as most females if the female isn't gravid that is then it's a no go mostly. I believe they warm up due to their bulk, like a bumble bee they just don't look like they could fly very well.

And yeah you can really feel the air if on your hand, the males look so determined when they do it, cracks me up every time!

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Okay those idolo mantises are just plan silly. Someone needs to tell them they are too big and clunky to fly. When their wings were going but they were still clinging to the tree I could almost here them shouting, look at me I am soaring through the clouds!

Much like Precarious I have a ton of plants and vines wrapped around making for mantis cling spots. I usually rotate my crew. Adult females tend to be the most mellow and easiest to keep track of although how mellow that is often depends on the species.