Hello! So far I've had two mantises. Both are Carolina mantids and I've had a male and currently now have a female. They were also both caught out in the wild as well. Macchiato unfortunately went to the freezer on the 21st of October and I found Mocha a few days later. She's been doing quite well and eats 6 blue bottle flies every 3 days. If anyone has any advice do let me know. I'd love to see Mocha live for as long as possible before I move onto possible purchasing some future mantids (can't decide between Ghost and African Stick mantids). Since I'm new to this, I'm fairly worried about her diet since I was want to be able to give her the best food I possibly can. I purchased my blue bottle flies from PanterraPets and put 6 pupae in a container (with air holes to breathe) to hatch after she finished with the previous batch of food. I've briefing read about gut loading feeder insects and am curious about this. I'm also wondering if I need to feed my feeder insects as well despite the fact they really aren't going to live longer than 3 days.
As for the enclosure, I use the "nursery" I bought from TheMantisPlace (it's supposed to be a nursery for L1-2 but works fine as an enclosure). They have mixed reviews but I'm pretty satisfied with it. She's got plenty of fake plants to hang around on and mesh on the top that her feet won't get caught on so I call that a win. I use EcoEarth as substrate and change it out about once a week. I've only had her for a week and a half or so but her feedings don't take place in her terrarium. I do them on my counter with tweezers after popping my flies in the freezer.
If anyone has any advice on providing the best I can for her, do let me know.
As for the enclosure, I use the "nursery" I bought from TheMantisPlace (it's supposed to be a nursery for L1-2 but works fine as an enclosure). They have mixed reviews but I'm pretty satisfied with it. She's got plenty of fake plants to hang around on and mesh on the top that her feet won't get caught on so I call that a win. I use EcoEarth as substrate and change it out about once a week. I've only had her for a week and a half or so but her feedings don't take place in her terrarium. I do them on my counter with tweezers after popping my flies in the freezer.
If anyone has any advice on providing the best I can for her, do let me know.
