Hi forum members!
My name is Michael and I am a recent addict (it is safe to call myself an addict since I am already planning my next order to expand my small starter collection) to this horribly addicting hobby! I am 18 as of April, recently graduated 2 months ago, and only two and a half more weeks until I leave for college to major in biology and Veterinary Medicine, and I am from Washington.
So there is a story about my recent acquisition, and now addiction, of mantids. I have a pair of Ibera Greek tortoises (reptiles are another hobby of mine) that bred this last year and had 5 babies hatch. I sold 4 of them, and one went to Texas, well long story short this buyer is now a friend of mine and we e-mail constantly about animals, life etc. He also breeds exotic mantids like the majority of the people on this forum, and as a graduation gift he sent 4 mantids (1.1 pair of Chinese Tenodera mantids, a green ghost mantis, and a Sphodromantis 'Blue flash' mantis) and paid for the overnight fedex shipping to my house! BTW, thanks Hewett!
He sent these as an easy/beginners group of exotic species just to get my interest picked at. Well, mission accomplished!!!. These guys have been in my care for the last three weeks, and the 'Blue flash' has already molted!!! I was scared at first since she (6 abdominal segments) refused to eat other than the day after I received them. Well, not to worry anymore since she eats about 6 moths everyday! I guess this is a decent introduction for now, thank you everyone and I cannot wait to hear from you!
Michael
My name is Michael and I am a recent addict (it is safe to call myself an addict since I am already planning my next order to expand my small starter collection) to this horribly addicting hobby! I am 18 as of April, recently graduated 2 months ago, and only two and a half more weeks until I leave for college to major in biology and Veterinary Medicine, and I am from Washington.
So there is a story about my recent acquisition, and now addiction, of mantids. I have a pair of Ibera Greek tortoises (reptiles are another hobby of mine) that bred this last year and had 5 babies hatch. I sold 4 of them, and one went to Texas, well long story short this buyer is now a friend of mine and we e-mail constantly about animals, life etc. He also breeds exotic mantids like the majority of the people on this forum, and as a graduation gift he sent 4 mantids (1.1 pair of Chinese Tenodera mantids, a green ghost mantis, and a Sphodromantis 'Blue flash' mantis) and paid for the overnight fedex shipping to my house! BTW, thanks Hewett!
He sent these as an easy/beginners group of exotic species just to get my interest picked at. Well, mission accomplished!!!. These guys have been in my care for the last three weeks, and the 'Blue flash' has already molted!!! I was scared at first since she (6 abdominal segments) refused to eat other than the day after I received them. Well, not to worry anymore since she eats about 6 moths everyday! I guess this is a decent introduction for now, thank you everyone and I cannot wait to hear from you!
Michael
