So I finally decided to join. I have always loved insects and nature in general. The mantis was always at the top of my list. When ever I found one it was like a treasure. When I realized that you could buy the ootheca, I started raising them. I learned much in those early days from the Chinese mantis. First, I came to loathe the cricket for killing my first Chinese mantis. No one had told me what crickets do to molting mantids. To make it worse I found my newly adult mantis lying crippled and being eaten by the cricket on my birthday. I stayed with the Chinese a few years and then quit.
Some years later at university I discovered a female Mantis religosa. I let it be, but it renewed my interest in them. I soon discovered that I could obtain and raise some more exotic types. I started with the African mantis and had my most successful experience up until then. It was a goal of mine to move onto the flower and leaf mantids. By luck, I found a spiny flower mantis subadult at the pet shop, but it was sickly since the day I bought it and lived only month. Talk about disappointing. I then learned never buy one that vomits constantly at the store or at all for that matter! Now I'm trying my hand with Phyllocrania paradoxa and Pseudoharpax.
I've always liked a mantid that would hunt down its prey and was a little reluctant to raise a mantis that some would call sedentary. The ghosts are much calmer than anything I have had before. They eat like any other mantis I have had. I have even seen some food chasing. They are the easiest ones I have ever hand-fed. My biggest fear is molting. I got the RH in range and lots of room, so here's hoping for good sheds. So far the ghosts are on there way to becoming my favorites.
I know I just gave my whole mantis life story, but I also have other facets to my life.
Some years later at university I discovered a female Mantis religosa. I let it be, but it renewed my interest in them. I soon discovered that I could obtain and raise some more exotic types. I started with the African mantis and had my most successful experience up until then. It was a goal of mine to move onto the flower and leaf mantids. By luck, I found a spiny flower mantis subadult at the pet shop, but it was sickly since the day I bought it and lived only month. Talk about disappointing. I then learned never buy one that vomits constantly at the store or at all for that matter! Now I'm trying my hand with Phyllocrania paradoxa and Pseudoharpax.
I've always liked a mantid that would hunt down its prey and was a little reluctant to raise a mantis that some would call sedentary. The ghosts are much calmer than anything I have had before. They eat like any other mantis I have had. I have even seen some food chasing. They are the easiest ones I have ever hand-fed. My biggest fear is molting. I got the RH in range and lots of room, so here's hoping for good sheds. So far the ghosts are on there way to becoming my favorites.
I know I just gave my whole mantis life story, but I also have other facets to my life.
