How do you prepare your ooth for hatching?

[Psychobunny]

Patrickfraser (a really really nice guy is sending me my first (fertile) ootheca!!

I have a container ready, and plan to glue it to the lid with my hot glue gun (using as

small amount of glue as possible).

That way, it would be hanging upside down in the container.

The lid of the container is almost all ss screen.

I have also seen people just lay the ooth flat on the floor to hatch!!

He said it will hatch very soon (I should get it today, they are Lineola!)

How do you guys prepare them?

Does my plan sound okay? Any suggestions or comments?

 

[Termite48]

Your container should contain some cushion providing material in it. Many people use excelsior or rafia so that when the hatching nymphs dry out and free themselves from the filaments that hold them "in mass" under the ooth, they will have some place to perch and to keep themselves protected somewhat from each other. Perhaps you can keep this container a little warmer than room temperature and surely you can spray it occasionally as you will the ooth before it hatches. That is about it. Someone else might ad a thought here and there, but this gives you the basics. They probably won't eat for a day or two, but be prepared to have to ad some melanogaster fruit flies soon, and therefore a small hole in the lid, which you can plug and unplug, could be made ahead of the hatching.

 

[massaman]

Be prepared this is ooth does have a mass hatching like any medium to large mantis ooth species has been known to hatching in masses and be prepared to lose some of them in the first day or two from when they hatch as it is always like that usually with large hatchings as your always have some die off and the rest will live on and some may die later then sooner but just have to prepare and also dont get fruit flies too early as just get them when you are really positive on the day a ooth may hatch and just compensate on other issues!

 

[minard734]

Sounds good to me. Put some tissue/paper towel on the floor. Maybe some tiny twigs also. That way, if some fall too early, they still get to harden correctly.

 

[Psychobunny]

Thanks everyone

I do have a bunch of small twigs in there to provide surface area, and they will be on my

under tank heater which is regulated to 85F.

I could also put a little damp shagnum moss at the bottom if you think it's okay, otherwise,

I could put in some shreaded dry paper towels.

Which ever you guys think is best. They will be misted for sure.

I'm excited!! wish me luck

 

[Termite48]

With the paper towels, you do need to check for mold. A better substrate is Sphagnum moss or coco fiber.

 

[massaman]

what I usually do is keep them in net cubes till their like l4-sub adults and then transfer them to critter keepers with dirt floors and vines and branches in each one to climb on and what not and do the same with my 5/10 and 20 gallon fish tank and never misted mine either and they all do fine usually!

 

[gripen]

what I usually do is keep them in net cubes till their like l4-sub adults and then transfer them to critter keepers with dirt floors and vines and branches in each one to climb on and what not and do the same with my 5/10 and 20 gallon fish tank and never misted mine either and they all do fine usually!

+1

 

[hibiscusmile]

I dont use the cubes, for mating only, I like a plastic container, but! all must use the one they like best, nature outdoors is the perfect place so we inprovise!

 

[Psychobunny]

Is there a way to tell when the ooth is about to pop?!

 

[massaman]

no but your get alot to hatch from the ooth as I said and your get a die off of nymphs from the ooth within the first to second day or so so be prepared to keep that in mind and get the fruit flies or order them the day they hatch and if it takes 2 days to get the flies them thats when the nymphs would be ready to feed!

 

[Psychobunny]

I already have tons of ff's (both kinds).

So I should wait 2 days before feeding them?

Next problem, which I didnt think about, how am I going to open the lid to put the ff's

in without have a bunch of little linolas hopping out!!??

Maybe I could cut a hole in the screen lid with a hobby knife and use a funnel, then plug

it up with a sponge stopper !!??

 

[massaman]

if you just got the ooth then odds are it may not hatch right away unless you asked on how fresh the ooth is or when it is laid as if it was like laid in the week or so it may be unwise to have the flies even way before the ooth hatches as the flies may all die before it hatches and would have to go out to order more and its better to be sure that the ooth will hatch in several weeks and then work on the sources of food then over compensate and have all the flies die off before it even hatches!

 

[massaman]

I just lift the deli cup lid and pour the flies out that I need and then close the cup back up and use a funnel for only my boxer nymphs and put as many as needed with my other nymphs in net cubes!

 

[lancaster1313]

I already have tons of ff's (both kinds).

So I should wait 2 days before feeding them?

Next problem, which I didnt think about, how am I going to open the lid to put the ff's

in without have a bunch of little linolas hopping out!!??

Maybe I could cut a hole in the screen lid with a hobby knife and use a funnel, then plug

it up with a sponge stopper !!??

I feed new nymphs on the second day, but make sure to give them a fine mist a couple of times on the first day. I have seen some nymphs drink while they were still dangling. Be very careful with the misting so nymphs don't get stuck and drown in the water, but they do seem to need and enjoy the drink.

I use the a small feeding hole when I feed most of my mantids and plug it with a cotton ball or paper towel, a sponge would probably be better. If you are using a net enclosure with a zipper, you may be able to get away with unzipping a small hole. If you are cutting into screen it might be a good idea to reinforce the hole with hot glue so your hole is less prone to widening.

 

[mantiscraze]

I'd expect anywhere from 100-200 nymphs from that ooth. Here is what I would do. If you plan to care for all of them, then great. Just feed them ff's, etc. If not, you should just leave them in the container for a week or so without feeders and simply let the strongest ones survive. This is how it works in nature.