Orchid mantis enclosure feedback

[Wonderpants]

After doing a fair bit of research and reading up, I decided I would start with an orchid mantis after all, which I’ll be picking up tomorrow. I think it’s a young male as I ordered a female, but it has a brown collar and the supplier said they were sold out of females. 

 
Just thought it’d be good to get some final advice on the enclosure though, as shown below. I’ve been getting a feel for the humidity and heat levels over the last couple of days, and the humidity varies between high 70s up to virtually 100% after a spray, while the heat mat is set to 28C/82F, with the temperature in the top and middle of the terrarium around 25C/75F.
 
I’ve been reading that males are OK with room temperatures though, as the temperature was set to a level recommended for females, so I’m wondering whether to turn the heat mat down or even off altogether.
 
Any thoughts or issues with the settings or the enclosure itself?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Sorry, but that enclosure is way too big for a male orchid, unless it's adult. There's no way it will be able to catch its food in there unless you dump way too many fruit flies in. 

The heat can be turned off.

- MantisGirl13 

 

[thehelepolis]

Sorry, but that enclosure is way too big for a male orchid, unless it's adult. There's no way it will be able to catch its food in there unless you dump way too many fruit flies in. 

The heat can be turned off.

- MantisGirl13 

This right here is good advice, but there is a way to keep him in that nice big cage. All you have to do is give him a little hunting assistance. Coerce the food item to crawl in his direction and watch him to make sure he catches it. Basically, just make sure he gets his food and he will be fine.

 

[Wonderpants]

Thanks, I was going to leave the heat off with a male. Was keeping it high as I was planning for a female. Hygrometer is quite useful though, and as I’ve brought it...

As for feeding, I’ll keep an eye on him. May try feeding with tweezers if it seems necessary 

 

[Kotowski]

Both females and males can be kept at the same temperature. The reason to keep males in a lower temp is to slow down their development if needed.

 

[Wonderpants]

Picked him up from the shop today. Managed to catch a couple of half dead flies (we have a conservatory where one corner ends up knee deep in the little *******s) so I found a couple that could still run around, put them in the enclosure, and found him eating one when I looked a bit later!

 

[MantisGirl13]

I hate to tell you this, but because that's an adult male orchid, he probably won't live more than a month tops. Maybe less, depending on when he molted to adult. Next time get a nymph. 

- MantisGirl13 

 

[Wonderpants]

OK thanks.

I got him from a  reptile/invert shop who said they could order them in. Will go to a dedicated mantis breeder next time though,

And at least it’s good experience for starting out.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Do you know his age? also where are you from? sorry if you posted and I missed it. As long as you use flying food he is ok in there. He only

needs to eat every other day, so he wont starve. He will like a nice little drink daily though.

 

[Malo Stapalo]

OK thanks.

I got him from a  reptile/invert shop who said they could order them in. Will go to a dedicated mantis breeder next time though,

And at least it’s good experience for starting out.

Little over a month later, hows it going?

 

[Wonderpants]

He’s doing Ok, just doesn’t seem to be eating much in the last few days. I just put him and a cricket in a deli pot together to see if he would be interested, and while he grabbed it, he didn’t eat much of it, so the part eaten cricket is running round the pot. Will probably have to euthanase it.

Also got two L2s which moulted to L3 shortly after I got them and seem to be doing well.