How to determine gender for L3/L4 Idolomantis diabolica

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Yen, I sexed 2 of my idolos (one is male, other is female) but the male (even though i mist him constantly) bites the top of the cage with his arms wide open, and then sways violently back and forth. What's wrong? What should I do?

 
Yen, I sexed 2 of my idolos (one is male, other is female) but the male (even though i mist him constantly) bites the top of the cage with his arms wide open, and then sways violently back and forth. What's wrong? What should I do?
Do his claws get stuck in the lid mesh? That's the only reason my gongies did that ;)

 
while your guys might be getting stuck, I have not noticed this at all in my screen cage and I watch them a lot.

what I do notice is that they do drink from the net if wet.

while I hope that yours are not getting stuck, I would watch more closely to make sure that is the reason.

also, let's try to create a new post to talk about problems. this thread should be used for questions about the topic at hand and maybe to post some photos to ask for help with the sex.

Harry

 
I have always just looked for the extra segment in the male. Seems easy enough...but now I know how to double-check on those "iffy" ones. Thanks!

 
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Glad the information help :D

I have always just looked for the extra segment in the male. Seems easy enough...but now I know how to double-check on those "iffy" ones. Thanks!
All the younger stage Idolomantis show 8 segments. The female 6th segment will cover the last two segments as they aged while the male's 7th and 8th segment continue to grow which make it easy to sex when they are larger.
 
Thanks again, Yen - for all your help on this and about a jazillion other topics (and for getting be started with my first batch of these beasts!).

If there are no other comments (and with your blessings), I'd like to add this to the Consolidated thread's first page, and eventually to the final compiled Caresheet.

 
Yen, I am so glad you posted this because I was trying to sex my 4 idolo's yesterday and found

that the usual method does not apply to these guys, so I was clueless! until now, thank you Yen :)

Another contribution to the forum, you are a true asset ;)

 
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Wow! Excellent!!! I'm fairly new and I got them all right :D

Also, I found I have two males!!! I lost one today unfortunately (devastatingly) so before I bury him/her I will check this. :(

Now hopefully I'll get myself a female!

Thank you so much!

 
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