How are you keeping them? You got three to adult that sounds pretty good. One of my males made it to adult with no issues.
Idolomantis diabolica
- Thread starter Rick
- Start date
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Did I put the pic of the little aquariums on here? they are just perfect size for one idolo and has a light for heat, gets about 85 to 90F or better during the day, sometimes more and I then turn light off, cause it is really hot here. I don't want then getting too hot, so I worry about that, not that they can't take it, but because I do not want them getting something they havent had before. Also have moss in there and only spray them once a day for their drink. Right now the boys get no extra heat and a fly or so every other day. There needs to be someone out there that has a female cause my boys are R e A d Y! if I did not put pic on remind me and I show it.
Wheres Yen ? We need help YEN! 
ismart
Well-known member
Don't get me wrong! Advice from yen is always top notch, and appreciated, but you seem to be doing quite well on your own.Wheres Yen ? We need help YEN!
Don't short change yourself! I finally have one adult male myself. This guy actually did not fall during molting. He came out perfect. 3 out of my 4 females are about to molt to adulthood any day now. They have stopped feeding. Now I'm getting nervous!
Oh! take a cold shower, no wrong symptomes, ummm, chew on a bullit, yea that's it a bullet!
ismart
Well-known member
A cold shower should suffice! :lol:Oh! take a cold shower, no wrong symptomes, ummm, chew on a bullit, yea that's it a bullet!
ismart
Well-known member
Finally! I have my first adult female! She is perfect! I cant wait to breed these guys. Now i just hope her sisters will follow suite?
She is perfect! I cant wait to breed these guys. Now i just hope her sisters will follow suite?I have one to go but I don't think she will do good. She should molt any day now and keeps staying really low in the cage. Was this your first female to molt?Finally! I have my first adult female!
ismart
Well-known member
She is the second female to molt to adulthood for me in the last week or so. The first female fell during her last molt, and was not savable. I cut her into pieces and fed her to various gravid multispina females. A very exspensive meal!
Back in 2008, when yen had them for sale. I picked up 10 of them. I did manage to get two males to adulthood, and one female. Unfortunately the female died three days later after reaching adulthood for no apparent reason? No one else at the time had any adult females for my boys to breed with. I kept them together. Poor guys were mad gay! :lol: They died two months later. Like you rick, i have a female that refuses to perch on the top of the cage. She clings to the side close to the floor. If she mismolts, i'm going to make diabolica cookies out of her for Bugfest! :lol:
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I just have fiberglass screen up there and some thin sticks glued horizontally from each side at the top, also thin sticks upright, but they stay on the screen molstly.
also congrats Paul! dont for get I have adult males!
also congrats Paul! dont for get I have adult males!
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LauraMG
Well-known member
Yay! Congratulations! I really want to buy some of these, but they seem to end mostly in heart break
ismart
Well-known member
Thanks! I have not forgotten!
If the others go well? I will be PMing you soon. Thanks! It does seem like alot of times, these guys do end in heart break, but it makes it even that more fulfilling when things go right.Yay! Congratulations! I really want to buy some of these, but they seem to end mostly in heart break
The hardest part is still yet to come!
LauraMG
Well-known member
Breeding?Thanks! It does seem like alot of times, these guys do end in heart break, but it makes it even that more fulfilling when things go right.
ismart
Well-known member
Last female molted to adult. Found her in a heap on the cage floor this morning. :angry: As cool as they look this species is not fun at all to keep. I may try again but next time I think I will make a special cage just for them. I have heard that even the best among us have a 40% failure rate due to molting issues. I got one out of the four to adult. I would really like to see the natural habitat of this mantis because I can't believe they haven't went extinct.
Ghostie
Well-known member
Precarious had some pretty good cage ideas for adults molting.. if we can get any there. :lol:
Getting them to adult is not an issue. THey were pretty easy up until that last molt. I lost all of them except one on the last molt.
ismart
Well-known member
So sorry Rick! My second female just molted to adulthood a few days ago. She actually molted on the top of the enclosure and looks perfect. She was hanging out on the bottom for like a week. I told her if she mismolted i would make cookies out of her, and bring them to Bugfest. It seemed to do the trick! :lol: Rick, let me know if you want her?
My second female just molted to adulthood a few days ago. She actually molted on the top of the enclosure and looks perfect. She was hanging out on the bottom for like a week. I told her if she mismolted i would make cookies out of her, and bring them to Bugfest. It seemed to do the trick! :lol: Rick, let me know if you want her?
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Obviously I did something wrong. What type of cage are you using?So sorry Rick!
