New Ghost Mantis Setup

[infinite213]

Just got my Ghost mantids setup. Ghosts from Precarious, FF from Brian, and supplies from mantisplace.com. (Thanks Guys!)

I have sphagnum moss as a substrate on the bottom of 32oz cups with cloth lids. Used sticks from outside (boiled them first to get rid of any bugs or bacteria). Does anyone see a problem with this setup or have any advice? The only problem I see is the mantids having too much room and not able to get to their food. Which leads me to a question, if the ghosts are hungry will they go after the food or will they just sit there and die? Are they that lazy? They are L1 right now and should molt to L2 soon.

 

[LauraMG]

Great setups!

 

[sporeworld]

Looks like you got it!

As I've mentioned in other posts, they're great communal mantids, but they'll be fine like you have them.

That's a lot of room for one L1 Ghost, but the ff's will find their way up there eventually.

I'd advise cutting a hole in the top and plug it with a sponge. That way you use a funnel and just tap fruit flies down the hole. Easy.

Keep us in the loop...

 

[hibiscusmile]

Lookin good, and ghost are good fly finders, till they get old, then not so good, but ghost babies are rad! :lol:

 

[infinite213]

What should I look for when they are about to molt for the first time?

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

What should I look for when they are about to molt for the first time?

I'm not sure if it applies to the earlier molts, but when mine went from L4 to L5 they showed almost no signs. They gorged, were active, and as far as I know they had'nt been L4s very long. I fed them one night - they all ate. I wake up in the morning, and boom, 3 fresh L5s. L5 ghosts don't eat very much though.

 

[warpdrive]

I personaly love the setups, but I think they are too large for L1s.

I also agree that they can be kept together for the most part. at least at this stage of the game.

I've seen no agreesion in my smaller tubs, yet I do have 3 in a huge container and feel that you need to add more food so they have a chance to get something...in other words, it's just a waste.

but I do love the L1s. they are such a cute little ninjas. :donatello:

Harry

 

[infinite213]

Just an update: The mantids are all L3 now the last one just molted today, the first one molted on the 20th which happens to be the only male as far as I can tell at the moment. I cant get good close up pictures with my phone but here are some:

This is the male:

and here is the female that molted today:

This is her molting:

All of the ghosts have their own distinct color which is cool. I have 6 total.

Hopefully I am wrong and have at least one more male, I would hate to lose him and not be able to mate the females.

I started giving them Yen's mix of honey powder and bee pollen in a paste and they love that... Like a little treat.

But like Phil says food is not love so maybe I will start to sing for them or something (which might not be a good thing, they might not like me after that).

Also I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here for their time, knowledge and helpfulness. I don't want to take it for granted and I know that many people here have put a lot of effort into this forum and into the keeping of mantids and in turn have shared there knowledge and findings which would take many of us years to figure out. So thank you very much.

 

[infinite213]

Do the mantids at L3 start to eat more infrequently or the same as L2? It seems that the females are more reluctant to eat than the male.

 

[infinite213]

Impatiently waiting for my male ghost to molt to L4. I know its gonna happen real soon and I find myself spending a little too much time staring at him just waiting... I want to know his behavior before he molts. Is 2 weeks between L3 and L4 about right?

 

[warpdrive]

that sounds about right. I think my first one to hit L4 took about 11 days. then the rest about 14 days.

the next wait is longer.

Harry

 

[infinite213]

Male mantis molted to L4 yesterday.

Two females about to molt any time now...

the rest should be 5 days behind.