Mantis Rearing Apprentices?

[sinensispsyched]

What if we took experienced members that have been on this site for more than a year, and then appointed them a noob as an apprentice. This way, tools and tactics could be shared, and new friends could be made.

Here are the "Extreme Masters",that have been here for a couple of years, which come to my mind.

Peter Clausen

Yen Saw

Precarious

Hibiscusmile

PhilinYuma

Patrickfraser

Ismart

Angelofdeeathzz

If I have not included you, it's probably because I have never had the great fortune of meeting you online. If you have been here for more than a year and I had not included you, please either PM or post that fact, and I will edit my post.

Is the idea stupid?

 

[agent A]

i call hibiscusmile

my feeling is if we all give our insights to every noob we get better results than if someone just gets advice from 1 person, like a second opinion type thing

 

[patrickfraser]

Maybe a noob can seek a "sponsor" of their own choosing. It would be up to the sponsor to accept a noob. I think the forum does a good job of eliminating the need. I'd rather have 10 differing opinions from different experiences than just one. That's just me. I think I have learned a lot in the year I've been here, but wouldn't consider myself an "extreme master". I am just very dedicated and dedication is usually followed by some kind of success. Good luck to all in the new year and happy keeping/breeding.

 

[lunarstorm]

Maybe a noob can seek a "sponsor" of their own choosing. It would be up to the sponsor to accept a noob. I think the forum does a good job of eliminating the need. I'd rather have 10 differing opinions from different experiences than just one. That's just me. I think I have learned a lot in the year I've been here, but wouldn't consider myself an "extreme master". I am just very dedicated and dedication is usually followed by some kind of success. Good luck to all in the new year and happy keeping/breeding.

I agree, well said. Private instruction wouldn't benefit anyone but the "apprentice" but having questions and answers posed in the forum benefits everyone. A mentor program isn't a bad idea, it is a valuable process for many corporate workplaces but I don't think this forum is the right place for it.

There are also *hundreds* of people that have been on this forum for over a year that are very knowledgeable. Compiling a list of "experts" is going to be subjective and I think each member needs to decide for themselves who to trust and/or prefer.

 

[dlemmings]

In my line of work the noobs spend time with each of the experienced employees, and thus develop multiple facets along the way...in other words I agree the current format works.

I have had all my "noob" questions answered, many time by the same group of "core" people who first welcomed me to the forum 6 months or so ago. not all the answers are the exact same but like a recipe being adapted I have learned to apply ideas of those with similar species kept in similar enclosures in similar climates to my own mantid care.

thanks BTW to all you forum supporters who take time to answer our questions!!!!

 

[Newflvr]

I'm very new at rearing mantids and to this forum. But have found that everyone that I have chatted with very tolerant of my "stupid" questions and more than willing to point me in the right direction.

 

[CoolMantid]

What about the woman from Mantis Pets! She is nice and helped me alot!

 

[patrickfraser]

I don't think Carey (GreenOasis) likes us anymore. She's never here. I guess she's busy with her own forum on the website. I saw in her signature or something it was "good to be queen". I guess she has ascended the throne. :chef: (that's a crown, NOT a chef's hat) :lol:

 

[CoolMantid]

I'd go to Precarious!

 

[sinensispsyched]

You're right about the multiple opinions. I hadn't really thought of that. Hmmm....

 

[PhilinYuma]

Don't let yourself be shot down so easily by contrary opinions!

I think that this is a very good idea. Obviously, though, it would have to be by private arrangement between the two parties. Anyone who wanted to try this would do well, I think , to look for a member who has either made posts on the species that the newcomer is keeping or has them on his species list. The problem with varying opinions is that you don't always know which one to follow, and a good breeder's opinion on one subject may work because it fits in with his overall management.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Problem is anyone can be considered an expert for opinions, when it truly takes time to be an expert at mantis rearing. Some think it is simple. Get mantis, raise mantis, feed mantis, mate mantis, hatch ooth, expert! Doesn't happen that way, a lot of people decide to sell and it is good hobby, but you have to stay consistent and dedicated to the hobby or business all the time, you can't dabble in to many directions as one will get more attention than the other. I do not consider myself an expert, just experienced. There is a difference. There are mantis out there I personally have been defeated by, and until I defeat them, I would not consider myself such, so that may never happen, because of the many different species that are yet undiscovered. I tried to rear roaches, they did better than I would ever imagine, but they also took more care than the mantis, so I had to send them off, and that is what I mean with to many directions. Get one thing and get good at it. This is all probably off target, but I see a lot of people come and go, and that is probably because it is really just a hobby with them and what money they can make when the going is good. Please, no offense to anyone, just saying!

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Here are the "Extreme Masters",that have been here for a couple of years, which come to my mind.

Peter Clausen

Yen Saw

Precarious

Hibiscusmile

PhilinYuma

Patrickfraser

Ismart

It's OK I didn't make the list.

 

[gripen]

It's OK I didn't make the list.

psh you only breed idolomantis for multiple generations. easy! also another note alot of us were doing mantids well before we joined the forum.

 

[sinensispsyched]

True!

Angelofdeathzz, I added you, but I mis-spelled your name. I will edit it ASAP.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Edit to just: Nick, lol.

 

[massaman]

I would add crisp to the list but need to know him as know him and have called him on occasions and his knowledge of the mantis is as good as it will ever get but I dont say that about everyone!

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Wait I'm not on the list? I thought for sure I would be this forum's Mantis Whisper when it came to handling, communicating with, and building relationships with mantises. Got to let them know who is the dominant one in the swarm.

 

[sinensispsyched]

Son of a gun, I can't edit my first post any more. However, in my head there is:

Nick

ChrisP

Krissim Klaw

Rick

as well as everyone I had already mentioned.