Ok we need to fix this...

[agent A]

hello all,
so thank you for @Kryptic Mantids for pointing out something in the dedicated caresheets section that I think needs to be addressed
on one of the caresheets I claimed that high heat can make females eggbound, but I looking back, I was basing this on anecdotes from 2 (yup, just 2) females becoming eggbound while under a heat lamp, and they may not have even become eggbound for that very reason. It was foolish of me to say that, but I was a child when I made that claim. Where were the adults who should have said "what are you basing this claim on?"? Jesus it's like critical thinking is totally lost on us! And I wasn't meaning anything bad by saying that, but now, 12 years later, I realize my claim not only makes no biological sense, but it's based on too low a sample size.
So let's work together to check the caresheets, point out some stuff on there that seems a bit iffy. We can edit (I'm a mod on this subforum so I can do this) the caresheets so that they don't contain any misinformation. Thank you!

 

[Orin]

I could see a heat lamp cooking or dehydrating abdominal/reproductive organs and preventing egg laying.

 

[Introvertebrate]

I sometimes ask the Arachnoboards guys, "What are you basing this claim on?" Shortly thereafter, all breaks loose!

 

[agent A]

I could see a heat lamp cooking or dehydrating abdominal/reproductive organs and preventing egg laying.

yes, but a 15 year old's observation of 2 individuals with this issue and no mantises not kept under heat should not be the basis for this conclusion

 

[happy1892]

It does make sense that stress from too much heat was the reason why your females got egg bound. But you are right that it is too small of a sample size to be sure.

All 3 or 4 of my Pseudoxyops perpulchra females were egg bound and didn't lay even when very fat. I gave one of the females plenty of broad leaved branches in her net cage to lay an ootheca on, but she wouldn't lay. It is a mystery to me why they wouldn't lay. I didn't keep them too hot. Actually, I did keep them rather cold for a period. Of about 60F for a day. The heater was too weak to heat my room.

 

[TheWolven]

It does make sense that stress from too much heat was the reason why your females got egg bound. But you are right that it is too small of a sample size to be sure.

All 3 or 4 of my Pseudoxyops perpulchra females were egg bound and didn't lay even when very fat. I gave one of the females plenty of broad leaved branches in her net cage to lay an ootheca on, but she wouldn't lay. It is a mystery to me why they wouldn't lay. I didn't keep them too hot. Actually, I did keep them rather cold for a period. Of about 60F for a day. The heater was too weak to heat my room.

That does seem rather odd. I do wonder how sensitive these mantises are to temperature fluctuations. Heck just how sensitive they are in general.

 

[Orin]

yes, but a 15 year old's observation of 2 individuals with this issue and no mantises not kept under heat should not be the basis for this conclusion

I still use many of my husbandry observations from when I was 13.

 

[agent A]

I still use many of my husbandry observations from when I was 13.

same, however i also take them with a grain of salt. nowadays I try to be careful how many conclusions I draw from memory or small sample sizes. there's a balance to strike

 

[Introvertebrate]

I still use many of my husbandry observations from when I was 13.

Hey Orin, at 13, I was more into pinning things in a frame than actually rearing them. Eventually, I saw the light.

 

[agent A]

Hey Orin, at 13, I was more into pinning things in a frame than actually rearing them. Eventually, I saw the light.

see I was always the "I really don't like killing anything" even though I was really considering killing myself at that age. it's no wonder I became a vegan!
oh, speaking of pinning, I need to lyophilize a Creobroter specimen later!