Graceface's Mantis family

[MantisGirl13]

It's a cookie sheet I use them to partially cover the tops of the aquariums that house my enclosures, and as a work surface when I clean/feed. 

Ingenious!  

Congrats on the molt! He is beautiful. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Graceface]

Ingenious!  

Thanks! I'm a baker as well in my spare time, so I have loads of bakeware handy and the cookie sheets are doing the trick They were like, 1.99 at Goodwill

Congrats on the molt! He is beautiful. 

- MantisGirl13

Thank you! I'm so stoked to finally have adult males. They are super cool, even cooler than the females! I love their long antennae Arthur and Gustav should be molting soon, too, so there are more to come! 

 

[Graceface]

Here is Utah! 



Gustav:   

I will get photos of Arthur later as well

 

[MantisGirl13]

Utah is so pretty! Gustav is a handsome guy.

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

Very nice!

 

[Graceface]

Here is Giselle, who molted to adult last night. 



I came home from work to find her on the side of her enclosure near the lid with uninflated wings. I worried something was wrong, but then saw she had molted and was climbing up to hang and inflate her wings. She is totally fine and curious She climbed on my hand a bit before I gave her water and let her rest. 

Her 2 sisters should both be molting any day now, so stay tuned for more Orchid photos! 

 

[MantisGirl13]

Beautiful girl! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Gratz on the molt. She is beautiful

 

[hysteresis]

Wow. So majestic.

Congrats!

Do they have any trouble molting off the plastic canvas?

 

[Graceface]

Wow. So majestic.

Congrats!

Thank you!

Cant seem to get the quote function to insert here, lol but.... In re: the plastic canvas... 

No, not that I've seen. They prefer tulle, I think, but it is hard to use the tulle with my current adult female enclosures. 

 

[Graceface]

Here is Lilly:

She retained pink in her legs and leg petals, which is pretty cool because I have yet to have an adult female keep any of her pink coloration through the final molt. To see a video of her drinking water, click here

One of my males molted to adult yesterday as well. That makes 4 adult males, with 3 subs behind them. 

Barbie should molt to adult any day now, and I have another sub right behind that, and 2 females who just molted to L6.

Fingers crossed there will be some breeding going on in a few weeks!  

 

[Mantis Lady]

Lilly is beautiful

 

[Graceface]

Lilly is beautiful

Thank you!

 

[MantisGirl13]

Lilly is the perfect name for her! She is beautiful!

- MantisGirl13

 

[hysteresis]

I love the pink!

She's lovely!

 

[Charoozz520]

She's gorgeous! Seeing all your beautiful Orchids makes me super excited to get one in the near future!

 

[Graceface]

Lilly is the perfect name for her! She is beautiful!

- MantisGirl13

Thanks! I'm liking flower related names, and thinking of using more in the future. Seems fitting

I love the pink!

She's lovely!

Right? I'm so excited that she kept it! 

She's gorgeous! Seeing all your beautiful Orchids makes me super excited to get one in the near future!

Thank you! I love Orchids, they are beautiful and super fun to care for. 

 

[hysteresis]

I love Orchids, they are beautiful and super fun to care for. 

You know what? I find orchid care to be fairly straightforward.  So far anyway!

I fret much more over blephs and gongys. Even the panthers wig me out.

I lost a female panther last night. It just never settled in like the other female or the male. Wouldn't even take hydei!

Orchids always eat. Are always bright, and prey aggressive. Love 'em!

I look forward to you having succesful pairings!

 

[Graceface]

Sorry to hear about your Panther, @hysteresis That's too bad

Caring for Orchids is pretty straightforward, in general. Breeding has been more of a challenge so far.

Xena won't lay her infertile oothecca or accept a male, I'm beginning to worry about her a bit. She is fine, but looking fat and doesn't seem to like any of the sticks I've offered her. She doesn't even walk on them I don't have the ability to let her go 'free range' anywhere to lay, or have any live plants to give her to lay on, either. Some of the options I used (like popsicle sticks, natural sticks and some fake plants) grew mold within a day so I discontinued using them.

Xena seems like such a picky lady, I'm hoping some of my newly molted females will be easier to deal with, but we shall see. Xena is my 1st attempt at pairing Orchids, so I'm unclear as to whether Xena is truly picky or this is just what it is like to pair Orchids. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I hope that your other females are more receptive! Xena does sound moody!

-MantisGirl13