Hello from Oregon!

[Gizmo]

Hi my name is Scott and recently my girlfriend and I unexpectedly became owners of a Chinese mantis. She lept out of a box with product from China at our work and she's been our pet ever since.

We have become really attached to her, probably too much so, which means we spoil her rotten as best we can.

I joined the forums because she made an ootheca last weekend and we are very determined to see them hatch, especially after finding out that her time is limited now.

 

[Rick]

Welcome.

A mantis really came out of a package from China?

 

[Gizmo]

Thank you and yes. She jumped out of a box of vases and scared my girlfriend at first.

However, the product is distributed by a company in Troutdale and as soon as I started telling people I had a mantis, I was told by a few people that area seems to have a lot of them, so she could very well be from here.

 

[dmina]

 

[Fredstrong]

Greetings!!!

 

[CosbyArt]

Greetings Scott and that is one heck of a way to start the hobby

Sorry to say you are right about your mantid. As she laid a ooth already that means she is at least a month into adulthood so she has likely about 4 months or less left in her lifespan. A downside of the hobby for sure as mantids range from about 8 to 12 months in lifespans, although they can live longer, it isn't common.