Hey everyone! My name is Peter. I have been a lurker here for a few months and would like to introduce myself to you. Earlier in the year, my brother got into the mantid keeping hobby and eventually convinced me by June. I adopted my first Chinese mantis from the garden that month and raised it to adulthood in, releasing it back in September so she could mate.
By the middle of July I bought my first "exotic" mantis... BOBBY, my Spiny Flower Mantis. Things... snowballed. I created a mantis-centric instagram account (mrzorak) so I could learn and keep tabs on the community. I went to the New York Reptile Expo and picked up an Orchid mantis. Before I knew it I was babysitting 20+ mantids of various species while my brother was on vacation and he needed help.
I am happy to be in the hobby now and hope to be doing it for a long time. Currently, I have an orchid mantis, spiny flower, popa spurca (African Twig) and Indian Flower mantis. I will soon have a Boxer mantis.
By the middle of July I bought my first "exotic" mantis... BOBBY, my Spiny Flower Mantis. Things... snowballed. I created a mantis-centric instagram account (mrzorak) so I could learn and keep tabs on the community. I went to the New York Reptile Expo and picked up an Orchid mantis. Before I knew it I was babysitting 20+ mantids of various species while my brother was on vacation and he needed help.
I am happy to be in the hobby now and hope to be doing it for a long time. Currently, I have an orchid mantis, spiny flower, popa spurca (African Twig) and Indian Flower mantis. I will soon have a Boxer mantis.