Heat vs. Sunlight

[minomantis]

Just curious on your opinions about this. I read that mantids are cold blooded so they need the sunlight in order to warm them up and get their metabolism going, but the same can be accomplished with just a heater don't ya think?

I have a radiator that will crank out heat and I keep my mantids near them for about 5-8 minutes until their enclosure warms up.  (Mostly when it's rainy or cloudy out, which has been quite often as of late). That should be enough to get them going. The sunlight is just a heat source that's why they say they need the sun because in the wild they wouldn't have an option to go to a heater right?

Thoughts?

 

[Ranitomeya]

Yes, sunlight is just a source of heat and they'll perch somewhere they can warm themselves up using sunlight. If they're too hot, they'll often hide beneath their perch or deeper into shrubbery to escape the sun's rays. Keep in mind that a radiator can dry out the room and your enclosures.

 

[CosbyArt]

Indeed heat is heat, my mantids have never gotten much natural sunlight in their room. I do provide mine with UV fluorescent lights though, but that is for plants, I'm not sure if mantids get anything from that as well or not.

Just aim for the correct temperatures and humidity of the species and your be fine. No need to over think it really as kids capture mantids in mason jars and can usually provide for them their entire life, just leaving them on a shelf and feeding them when they remember. I say that as I know several that did.

 

[MantisRCool]

My friend says she has better succes with breeding some species (orchids, gongylus, mendicas) and nicer colours if they get UV. I haven't tried it yet, but I probably will, always worth a try to make things better for my mantids.

 

[CosbyArt]

My friend says she has better succes with breeding some species (orchids, gongylus, mendicas) and nicer colours if they get UV. I haven't tried it yet, but I probably will, always worth a try to make things better for my mantids.

Providing them with UV light can't hurt (as long as they can avoid over exposure). If nothing else it will provide you with the option of using real plants in your habitats too.

 

[minomantis]

My friend says she has better succes with breeding some species (orchids, gongylus, mendicas) and nicer colours if they get UV. I haven't tried it yet, but I probably will, always worth a try to make things better for my mantids.

Oh that's cool, never thought about that. Now question, I have a finnex planted 24/7 so I can manipulate blues, reds, greens, and whites so do you think there is a specific color that would help more?

 

[CosbyArt]

Oh that's cool, never thought about that. Now question, I have a finnex planted 24/7 so I can manipulate blues, reds, greens, and whites so do you think there is a specific color that would help more?

About the only I can say is when looking at my UV bulbs they appear blue, but of course if one color or another helps more I'm not sure. It looks like you have gotten a great light though, and should meet any needs.

Mantis wise you might ask your friend their opinion about the color; however, plant wise there are some good links about it. Here is one from ScienceLine, one about different colors for different seasons for plants, and a huge thread about aquarium plants (but interesting nonetheless).