Ghost mantis question?

[Dartania]

We've been trying to mate our two ghost. The male had his final molt about 2 weeks ago. The female is fat and seems ready, but he isn't eating. He is ignoring his food, and we are scared that he will starve before he gets a chance to mate. He is so skinny, and has no interest in food, or in her. We put them together, and he just didn't seem to notice she was there. We've been feeding them crickets. Is there a reason anyone can think of that they are not mating, and he isn't eating? She had her final molt about a week before him, so they are about the same age. Also, if they do finaly mate, how long before the ooths are laid?? Thanks so much!

 

[ibanez_freak]

Try hand feeding him if you have to. Make sure that he does eat something or else he may indeed starve. When I bred my ghosts I just left them in a medium/big tank and fed them as often as possible. I saw him attempt to mate once but no luck but have now found out from hatching ghosts that they mated a while back. So if I could try again, I woulkd do the same even though the male was eaten by the female eventually.

Cheers, Cameron.

 

[Dartania]

Thanks..we've been hand feeding him, but he just refuses to eat. He seems to be bored with food, and with her. I guess we expected him to jump right on when we put them together, but it sounds like this isn't the case. So you say we should put them together in a big tank and just leave them?

 

[SoCalMantis]

I know Ghosts prefer flying insects to crickets...the movement of a moth or fly will usually stimulate the mantid to strike...I usually try to catch a few oths at night or little butterflies during the day and my Ghosts seem to relish them. Good luck.