Hello from Colorado

[gallen1119]

Hello all from Colorado!

I've been lurking awhile and surfing several mantid sites. I have never kept a mantid, but we (wife, 4 kids, and I) have always had a bunch of pets around (currently two dogs, two cats, and Rosie, a 6 year old corn snake). This summer we saw several mantids of various ages and sizes in the gardens around the house. I got to wondering if they could be kept/bred as "pets". Then I discovered this lively hobby online. We frequently visit the "Butterfly Pavillion" here in Denver and I have always be fascinated by the mantids. Unlike other inverts, they seem to have so much personality.

Ok, so I think I'm ready. I've ordered Orin's book. Where do I start? I think it's a bit late in the season here in Colorado to find live natives. I've looked a bit and have not seen anything, although my searching skills leave much to be desired. I'd like to start with an easier native species to see how it goes over the winter. I was thinking of getting 2-3 initially? Also, would like to release "extras" into the wild around the house if I successfully breed.

I think I have the basic understanding of enclosure, habitat, and feeding issues pretty well started (or this should be acceptable once I read Orin's book). Now I need suggestions or where to buy and what to buy. What are you guy's thoughts?

Greg

Golden, CO

 

[AikoAiko]

Hi! Welcome to the forum. If you want to keep a native species with the intention to release them, it is too late in the season for that around here. You'd want to release them after it stops snowing in the spring. Mantisplace has chinese and european mantises. You could also order an ooth from a gardening site.

Personally, I don't think most of the exotic species are that hard to keep, if you are open to keeping something non-native. I live in Denver and would be willing to give you a couple of Texas Unicorn Mantis nymphs for free if you would like them. I have too many! You can't release them around here, but they are neat mantids and not hard to keep.

Aiko

 

[Rick]

Native does not always mean easy to keep. I suggest searching and reading here on this board to answer your basic questions. Orins book is a decent guide for someone new to the hobby. Many non native mantids are easy to keep such as the giant asians, shield mantids, wide arm mantis, african mantis, etc. Welcome to the site.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Welcome to the forum! from OHIO!

 

[OGIGA]

Welcome, Greg!