Praying Mantis Nymphs

[Frogki]

I am new to this mantid thing, so I need some advice. I just recently got some baby nymphs, and I now have two left. I'd like some advice on care, and housing. I've got a little 1 1/2 as in the tanks is 1.5 gallons, that I can keep one in, will that be big enough? I know that they eat insects, and I know that these don't really need to be dusted, but these mantids are so small, it looks like they would be eaten by the grasshopper, rather than the other way around. Any advice on care?

 

[MantidLord]

feed fruitflies, mist occasionally. half gallon may be to large. And separate them if you only have two. What species?

 

[hibiscusmile]

They need tiny things right now, grasshopper to big, must find small food!

 

[Frogki]

Alright, well IDK what kind they are... MY teacher got them with one of those praying mantis kits, so... IDK... Maybe if I take a picture and show it to you guys? That's not for this forum though, is it...

 

[PhilinYuma]

It's fine to post pix on any thread if they illustrate what you are saying. Go ahead and post your I.D. pix on this thread.

 

[Rick]

Alright, well IDK what kind they are... MY teacher got them with one of those praying mantis kits, so... IDK... Maybe if I take a picture and show it to you guys? That's not for this forum though, is it...

Most likely it is the chinese mantis.

 

[Frogki]

Most likely it is the chinese mantis.

IDK... They are really small, and they are brownish greenish, almost not green at all, you know what I mean?

Anyway, we're feeding them these yellow aphids that we found on my moms plants... They are much smaller than the mantis' so... They'll be alright, won't they?

Alright, I got all three of them (yes, it's three... I didn't see the last one who had survived... Anyway, I need to get them food, and I looked at a picture of a chinese mantis... These guys look like miniature versions... So 1. How big should they get, and 2. How much should I mist them. I can't get a photo at the moment, my camera is really blurry... IDK why... So if I could get answers to these questions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

 

[hibiscusmile]

Feed them all the alphids they want, mosquitos too and get some fruit flies or set out a cup with some mashed fruit or vinegar in it and they will come! I like to use a 32 oz cup and a mesh lid, this lets them crawl in, but they don't all find their way out and then I get extra flies that way. Mist them morning once and nite once with really warm distilled water if u got it, or set out water the night before so the clorine will leach out of it. They will get about 3" or more and live about 10 mts.

 

[Frogki]

Opps... Double post. Edited

 

[Frogki]

Feed them all the alphids they want, mosquitos too and get some fruit flies or set out a cup with some mashed fruit or vinegar in it and they will come! I like to use a 32 oz cup and a mesh lid, this lets them crawl in, but they don't all find their way out and then I get extra flies that way. Mist them morning once and nite once with really warm distilled water if u got it, or set out water the night before so the clorine will leach out of it. They will get about 3" or more and live about 10 mts.

Well, one died of... Err, accidental causes, if you get my drift... Anyway, the two left are very active, at first they explored my hands carefully, then they started jumping any chance they got and I had to put them back in their container, which for now is a 1 and 1/2 gallon tank (1.5) with climbing sticks in it... I can't get a good photo of them, the camera is messing up. ._. Anyway, I'll have to go get a mister, I thought I had one before, but I guess someone took it. So I'll go out today if I can, seeing as I haven't misted them at all this week. Alright, so mash up some fruit, or put vinegar in a cup for flies and mosquitos? Thanks for the life span estimation... And I thought that the chinese mantis grew to 6 inches... It's a good thing if they don't though, cause I can't afford an 18X8 inch cage... Thanks for all of the info... I think they are neat and that they aren't all that expensive... So as adults, can you handle them?

 

[Frogki]

Well, IDK if this will help in identifying them, but they are very curious... They are active day and night, and when released on my hands, they will perch near the edge of one of my fingers, move his head around curiously, and then they'll start scurrying over my hand and crawling up my arm (that's when I decided it was time for them to go back in the container)... Anyway, should I just go out and buy one of those fruit fly packs from petco or what? I put a few big aphids in but... Any advice? I want them to survive!