Mantid Day!

[LoveSticks]

We got 4 types of Mantids this morning--many thanks to Kermit and Sarah! (I will post in breeders area a bit later.)  My daughter, Sky, is so excited.  They are soooo tiny.  I am a little worried that even the flies are too big for them.  Do you have to cut the flies in half when they are this small?  Can anyone give me any details on Brunners?  I cannot seem to find any care sheets on them.  I am attaching a couple of pics of Sky just getting them out of the box.

 

[Mystymantis]

Unless you are hand feeding the mantises, which would be difficult since they are so small, I wouldn't cut flies in half. Mantises only go after live prey anyway, unless you are hand feeding them in which you can trick them into thinking the prey is alive. Do you have fruit flies to feed them? Or maybe some other tiny prey?

 

[LoveSticks]

Thanks for the reply.  We did have fruit flies but they seemed too big so we went to the store and got a different kind.  That seemed to work.  I also did put a tiny bit of honey near where they were perched and we did notice some of them taking the honey.  I think that we are on track, hopefully.  The only ones that we have not seen eat yet are 2 thistles but they are the biggest so maybe they are OK.  

 

[Kermit]

Amy...

The Thisles are tuff and will take down small house flies even at L2! But Hydei are what you want for them at least until the next molt... Btw, if the Thisles are not eating, that's because they are about to molt... Most likely. Hold off on having any prey in with them until a full 24 hrs after the molt. Same with any species close to molting and following a molt.

Brunners... They will take Hydei now and house flies after next molt.... I will PM you with my own care sheet.

Stagmomantis Gracilipes - these guys are Still L1 and Hydei are too big... One more molt (L2) and the should move up to Hydei. PetSmart carries melangaster fruit flies... That's what you want and sounds like what you already figured out and bought. They can be kept at  temperature of 70 to 90 degrees. They are from the Arizona desert but they appreciate a light spray or missed of water every couple days on the side of their enclosure. Try to avoid spring them directly. They will grow to about two-and-a-half or three inches. And either stay green or turn tan in color. You will need to separate them as they are highly cannibalistic even at L1.

I also recommend separating the Brunner's as they too are opportunistic and you may wake up to find one missing!

So fired up that Skyler is excited!

Write to me with any questions and please send picture so I can see how they progress!

Look for my p.m. on Brunner's

Kermit ?