Digger
Well-known member
This is Qiji. The term roughly translates from simple Chinese to English as "Miracle." 18 days ago, I had a Tenodera sinensis hatch in a Kritter Keeper (screened). I picked out eleven newborns as keepers. The rest I kept in the KK - misted and fed for a few days. As expected most found their way out of the KK (outside). By the 4th day just about everybody had left. I carefully escorted any remaining nymphs out and swept out those that had died. The top went back on and I brought the KK indoors and put it on my desk. There is sat untouched for two weeks while I tended to my keepers in their individual condos.
Today I took the KK into the bathroom to clean it and store away. I took the top off and to my shock, there was a shadow of a nymph - still alive. No water. No food. For 14 days! How? So I rigged a small hospital container and carefully misted some distilled H2O which he shakily slurped up. I let him rest a bit then placed in 2 Drosophila melanogasters. The flies didn't last long at all. Gave him one more. More rest then transferred to a custom, luxurious condo. I've raised a lot of mantids and this survivor really shocked me.
Today I took the KK into the bathroom to clean it and store away. I took the top off and to my shock, there was a shadow of a nymph - still alive. No water. No food. For 14 days! How? So I rigged a small hospital container and carefully misted some distilled H2O which he shakily slurped up. I let him rest a bit then placed in 2 Drosophila melanogasters. The flies didn't last long at all. Gave him one more. More rest then transferred to a custom, luxurious condo. I've raised a lot of mantids and this survivor really shocked me.