Ok, you got me! My first mantid ideas??

[Small Pet Feeders]

Hello everyone

Some of you may know me, my name is Dave, I operate Small Pet Feeders. I'm usually more of a reptile guy, as I have a veiled cham, panther cham, couple of beardies, a chinese water dragon, and 2 sand boas. And of course I have all the feeder insects that Small Pet Feeders stocks, so I have a nice collection going already, only thing is is I don't have a mantid yet, I thought you guys could help me out with some ideas on a good "starter" mantid? I know I like the look of Ghost Mantids, but honestly any praying mantis would be really neat!

I appreciate the input everyone!

-Dave

SPF

 

[CoolMantid]

Ghosts are amazing and hardy. But you should probally start with a native species.

 

[lunarstorm]

There's no such thing as a native species in the US. Based on everyone's feedback on their ease of care, I think ghosts sound like a great starter species.

 

[jcal]

Ghosts are awesome. You sell Chinese ooths right. You could hatch one of those and raise the nymphs.

 

[PhilinYuma]

There's no such thing as a native species in the US. Based on everyone's feedback on their ease of care, I think ghosts sound like a great starter species.

There are about 21 species of mantis native to the US, plus about four adventitious species like the Chinese mantis. I agree that ghosts are a good choice as a first exotic mantis, though.

 

[lunarstorm]

Thanks Phil, I stand corrected. For some reason I thought they were introduced to North America, but I now realize it's pretty silly to think that such a diverse insect didn't naturally occur on this large continent.

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

Sphodromantis Lineola! or any other Sphodromantis spec.

 

[agent A]

I recommend creobroter, as usual very fun and easy species

 

[twolfe]

Are you planning to start with nymphs or adults? And are you planning to breed them?

I've had Ghosts for about a year now. They are a lot of fun. I personally think that that there are hardier species to start with. When I was a newbie, only 20% of my Ghost nymphs made it to adults.

Agent A recommend Creobroters.I agree they are easy.

South American Green Mantis (Oxyopsis gracilis) is another species to consider

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Budwings are the easiest species I can think of to keep, they eat anything and thrive with not much care or effort, plus there cheap and breed fairly easily.

 

[agent A]

I agree with Tammy about the ghosts, and I forgot to say another very easy and totally cool species is popa spurca

 

[Krissim Klaw]

The Chinese Mantis is a fun starter species, especially if you want something to handle. Both males and females get big, are very active, and will tackle a large range of prey items. Ghost mantises make for a nice mantis if you want to set up a fancy display cage. Unlike the Chinese they will actually use the sticks and leaves. The ones I have been around however have also been more timid when it comes to handling and feeding.

 

[Small Pet Feeders]

Wow, what a nice selection of choices. As each of you post, Im googlin' away! I really like the Ghost, and the Creobroters. I think Ghost might be my starter mantis, maybe I'll just get an ooth and see how many survive. The operator of Bugs in Cyberspace proposed a trade that I may just have to take him up on

Yall are a great helpful community here. Thank you. And I may go ahead and hatch out a Chinese Mantid ooth to get me started, I've been meaning to hatch some out to sell as a live feeder, we've just been ridiculously busy here.

-Dave

SPF

 

[gripen]

mantids are not very good feeders because they have a bad habit of eating the thing you were trying to feed to. also as feeders mantids require way more work than it is worth if all you are doing is feeding them to larger animals. i would stick with roaches and crickets for feeders.

 

[Small Pet Feeders]

Actually larger reptile owners look for mantids as a unique feeder, for chameleons and beardies especially. I tend to agree with you to a point, but many people will pay $1 per large feeder or more. They tend to make for great dinner time pictures ;-)

 

[gripen]

mantids are more work than they are worth when used in that way. also mantids have to be housed individually, feed live food daily, and misted daily. there beauty is wasted in this role, and besides who would feed a great predator to another predator. to me it seems a little much.

 

[frogparty]

Not much love for the idea of usin mantids as feeders on a mantis forum...lol

 

[dlemmings]

with your existing experience, and the caresheets available plus the expertise available on this forum, i would say most species should not be to much of a challenge for you.

i think ghosts are visually very cool looking , but not real agressive. its kind of fun having a species that will "hunt" down its prey rather tha wait for something to fly by.

My Sphodromantis Lineola likes to hunt and its only been a few days but my tiny little creos are also prettty active hunters.

 

[CoolMantid]

THere are definetly native species, Start with one so that if it is to difficult to take care of or if you cant handle the amount of offspring you willl get.