vonmehr
Member
Hello everyone!
My name is J.J. I'm a relatively new mantid keeper. I started with a Ghost nymph. Then couldn't have just one, so I adopted a subadult Budwing and an adult Budwing. They are so much fun. (I got my budwings and supplies from Rebecca. Thanks again!) They love to just hang out on me while I'm sitting at the computer. Then, I found some ootheca on ebay for a ridiculously low price. I knew it was a bit of a risk going that route, but it was too good to pass up. Within the last couple of weeks I became a new Papa to Tenodera Sinensis and Mantis Religiosa hatchlings!
I knew I needed melanogasters fast, but they hatched on a friday. I had been shopping at Petsmart which had only carried d. Hydei. I decided to try my luck at Petco. To my great relief they actually had the melanogasters. However, I only purchased one culture that day. And there weren't a lot in there. I knew I needed a lot more. I went back the next evening and got two more cultures. Didn't look close enough. When I got home I discovered that both of them had absolutely nothing alive inside. Just dead bodies and shells. I went back the next day and looked in each of them at the store. All dead. I went to another Petco; all dead. Called another; sold out. Finally I called another that was a bit further away, and they claimed they had them, and were alive. Thankfully, that trip was worth it. I came back with two more cultures with PLENTY of food for my babies. Phew!
A lot of my chinese died out, but the ones that have survived are doing great! Excellent eaters. And my European have been very hardy. Only a few dead. I'm going to keep and raise some, and release some others. I live by a forest preserve. :flowers: But, if anybody wants to adopt some european or chinese nymphs, let me know!
My name is J.J. I'm a relatively new mantid keeper. I started with a Ghost nymph. Then couldn't have just one, so I adopted a subadult Budwing and an adult Budwing. They are so much fun. (I got my budwings and supplies from Rebecca. Thanks again!) They love to just hang out on me while I'm sitting at the computer. Then, I found some ootheca on ebay for a ridiculously low price. I knew it was a bit of a risk going that route, but it was too good to pass up. Within the last couple of weeks I became a new Papa to Tenodera Sinensis and Mantis Religiosa hatchlings!
I knew I needed melanogasters fast, but they hatched on a friday. I had been shopping at Petsmart which had only carried d. Hydei. I decided to try my luck at Petco. To my great relief they actually had the melanogasters. However, I only purchased one culture that day. And there weren't a lot in there. I knew I needed a lot more. I went back the next evening and got two more cultures. Didn't look close enough. When I got home I discovered that both of them had absolutely nothing alive inside. Just dead bodies and shells. I went back the next day and looked in each of them at the store. All dead. I went to another Petco; all dead. Called another; sold out. Finally I called another that was a bit further away, and they claimed they had them, and were alive. Thankfully, that trip was worth it. I came back with two more cultures with PLENTY of food for my babies. Phew!
A lot of my chinese died out, but the ones that have survived are doing great! Excellent eaters. And my European have been very hardy. Only a few dead. I'm going to keep and raise some, and release some others. I live by a forest preserve. :flowers: But, if anybody wants to adopt some european or chinese nymphs, let me know!