Good layout examples for a gravid female

[MantisGirl13]

That should be ok. Do you have a houseplant you could free-range her on?

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

@MantisGirl13 absolutely. But with heat, it gets dry in this house.

Maybe I'll just set up our small fish tank. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

A fish tank is a great idea! I have five ghosts in a ten gallon tank and they are doing great.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

Fish tank sounds great! 

Lots and lots of sticks (well in moderation ?) and other good "ooth" spots is great.

 

[hysteresis]

One more question please (I'm getting too needy, I apologize..) 

I could throw her in that tank. It's 16 x 9,maybe a foot tall. 

She'd be VERY fortunate to ambush her cricket in there, being so spacious. 

Is it safe to handle a gravid female to feed her in a separate enclosure? Would that disturb her should she set up shop and produce ooths? 

I assume she'll still need to feed intermittently? 

Thanks in advance!

 

[MantisGirl13]

One more question please (I'm getting too needy, I apologize..) 

I could throw her in that tank. It's 16 x 9,maybe a foot tall. 

She'd be VERY fortunate to ambush her cricket in there, being so spacious. 

Is it safe to handle a gravid female to feed her in a separate enclosure? Would that disturb her should she set up shop and produce ooths? 

I assume she'll still need to feed intermittently? 

Thanks in advance!

You can certainly feed her in a separate container! That sounds like the perfect size container for lots of places to lay her ooths.

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

Biiiiiiiiig. 

Any suggestions? Just a paper towel substrate for now. 

 

[hysteresis]

Still no oooooths! ?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Strange! I hope she lays soon!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

Me too, @MantisGirl13... She's very fussy about eating these days. 

Only semi reliable way to get her to eat is to dissect and offer. At that, she often chomps for a bit, then PUNCHES the morsel away. Other times she'll eats the entirely morsel. Other times she'll straight up refuse. She's still eating far more than what y'all recommend for an adult. Just a lot of work. It's like feeding an infant. ?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Me too, @MantisGirl13... She's very fussy about eating these days. 

Only semi reliable way to get her to eat is to dissect and offer. At that, she often chomps for a bit, then PUNCHES the morsel away. Other times she'll eats the entirely morsel. Other times she'll straight up refuse. She's still eating far more than what y'all recommend for an adult. Just a lot of work. It's like feeding an infant. ?

Yes, they sure are a lot of work! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

@MantisGirl13

My wife sent me this just now, as I'm at work. ?

View attachment received_2155492894724686.mp4

 

[hysteresis]

O.M.G.  ?

Teh siiize! 

Should I feed her after this, or allow her a little rest? 

 

[hysteresis]

Wow. Ravenous! 

Took two small crickets within 5 minutes. I'm relieved, as I was weary from dissecting crickets and hand feeding for several days. 

Here she is taking a break. 

 

[hysteresis]

The prize! 

Hope she mated before we found her. 

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

@hysteresis

That is so great! That is a nice sized ooth! I surely hope it is fertile for you. It will be fun to keep babies. Are you planning to hatch it right away or give it a diapause?

 

[hysteresis]

@Prayingmantisqueen

Ive read (in a couple places) that species like M. religiosa need 6-8 weeks of diapause or we'd have weak nymphs. 

If I can ascertain that to be true, then I'll have to prepare a container for diapause. I believe keeping the container in a refrigerator would do? 

If this isn't so, then id like to move straight on (kids' patience has limits ?). 

Any thoughts on this? 

 

[MantisGirl13]

@hysteresisYAY!! Congratulations on the ooth!!! It really is a big one, no wonder it took her so long to lay!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

@Prayingmantisqueen

Ive read (in a couple places) that species like M. religiosa need 6-8 weeks of diapause or we'd have weak nymphs. 

If I can ascertain that to be true, then I'll have to prepare a container for diapause. I believe keeping the container in a refrigerator would do? 

If this isn't so, then id like to move straight on (kids' patience has limits ?). 

Any thoughts on this? 

Well I have heard that chinese can do with or without. I have never had a european mantis so I am not sure..? Maybe a diapause would be good.. No need to rush the system to make something go wrong! I know what you mean about children... I myself am a bit impatient !