Mating thing...What to do???

sk8erkho · Oct 12, 2007

Okay, so I find out via my last post under general discussion that my little male H. Grandis is full grown and ready to do the wild thing but there is just one problem. His little organ is hanging out and this seems like it could present a problem. I'm wondering if maybe this is why the female keeps throwing up her threatening "arms in the air" posture? She keeps freaking him out with threatening postures and attacks. :mellow: Once I had the tank with a separator in the middle for the two of them and when I went to feed them I noticed he was staring at her in a weid kind of posture like ready to jet at any moment. <_< When I got a little lower and looked at the tank he could see her and viceverse. She was in that threat posture with her arms all up and what not and before I knew it she kind of swung at him but was unable to get him through the partition. :angry: Poor little guy started running around the tank and when I went to rescue him to give him a break he flew right out of the tank, onto my locks, and ran to the top of my head where my little man (nephew) said, he was staring right at the tank where she was and looking or leaning from side to side looking for her to come "kill him!!!!"

And to this day it's the same way with them. Everytime she sees him she throws those arms up and he know Exactly what that means. SO, I don't see how I could possibly mate the two if she doesn't get some mantid Prozac or something to chill her out!!! What do I do about this? I feel kind of bad for the little guy all he wants is a chance to get things right with her!! Any suggestions???

hibiscusmile · Oct 12, 2007

ha ha ha, I don't know how the nephew puts up with you! What tales he must have. I just had a giant sheild have hangies too. It had green stuff coming out. It happened right after a molt, or during. I guess you would call this a rupture. She is frigid! Get he drunk and try again! no really I've no idea, other than they are not ready. What I do to get them ready is put their tanks with the screens together (butt to butt) so to speak, and whatever she puts off (can't remember name now) will do the trick. Give em time!

Kriss · Oct 13, 2007

The best advice I have been given was to wait 4-5 weeks as adults before attempting to mate.

Try placing your male on a surface (I use blinds in my bug room or curtains) and give him a few mintues to settle in one spot.

Then intoduce the well fed female a couple of inches infront of him.

He might see her straight away or you can blow on her or stroke her legs with a paint brush so she moves.

It might take a couple of attempts but eventually, if the pair are ready, the male will jump on her back.

You could also try a similar thing but distract the female with food and whilst shes busy eating the male should hopefully jump on her back.

Idealy I try to make sure the female doesn't see the male until hes on top of her.

OGIGA · Oct 13, 2007

Most others here have said 2 weeks. By the time it's 5 weeks, I would have already expected an ootheca. I wonder who said 4-5 weeks...

Kriss · Oct 13, 2007

I always wait at least 4 weeks

Some pairs longer depending on how they react to one another.

In my experience by waiting this amount of time I have lost fewer males because the females seem less inclined to attack a mate and the males mount the females more readily and with less hesitation.

I have had the most sucess with this method, other people have theirs.