New Mantis Keeper!

[KatSoucy]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum as well as to keeping mantises. I have wanted one for a very long time and I just ordered a Giant African Mantis from Bugsincyberspace.com and it should arrive in a couple of days. I am almost finished setting up its enclosure and I was wondering, can I use sticks from outside? Do I need to clean them anyway if so? And how likely will my mantis survive shipping and should I expect it too live for a year or more? I know Google said they live 3-8 months after their final shed. Also how do I know if it's going to shed?

 

[spider_creations]

Welcome, I have used sticks from outside but I suggest boiling them so they don't bring anything like small bugs or stuff like that. A mantis molts about seven times in its life and you can tell if it's going to molt if they don't ecept food or if later if there close to adult sometimes if they are close to molt there wing buds will swell. Hope this helped

 

[Teamonger]

Welcome!

@KatSoucy

You should take a look at the ever helpful CosbyArt's pinned tutorial on DIY mantis enclosures.
There is a section dedicated to sterilizing items and has a crazy amount of useful info. It seems the most common means of sterilizing are boiling or baking.

 

[Sarah K]

Welcome! I use sticks from outside, and bake them to sterilize. I am quite certain your mantis will survive shipment! Using a heat pack and checked for the most ideal shipping day weatherwise is a common practice of all mantis breeders and sellers. I have never once had a mantis die in shipment.....knock on wood....and Peter from Bugsincyberspace certainly knows what he is doing as well, so nothing to worry about! Your mantis should live for a year or a year and a half, as long as it remains happy and healthy! Enjoy!

 

[CosbyArt]

Hello and welcome to the forum

I already responded to your other thread about the sticks. Regarding the life expectancy, most captive raised mantids live 12 months from the time they hatch from their ooth. With proper care from the start they can live longer, my longest lived mantid was 15 months, the oldest I've seen from another keeper I believe wasn't "padding" the time was 18 months.

About knowing when they will molt see this thread (there are others on the forum too)...

 

[crabbypatty]

@KatSoucy I just use wooden skewers, I cut them to size and hot glue the ends to cover any sharp ends. 

 

[KatSoucy]

Thank you all so much for the advice, I really appreciate it! ☺ I am very excited to get and raise my first manis.

 

[Rick]

Welcome. Using sticks is fine, I see no reason you would need to clean them. 

 

[hibiscusmile]

Welcome