I know very little about mantids as pets, but we have one, and it just laid her eggs. They are attached to the top of the cage which is made of wire...part of the sack is on the other side of the top...not drying and not sure how to remove when it's time. Please someone help. I'll send a picture if necessary. Thank you!
Removing egg sack
- Thread starter Jodi
- Start date
Help Support Mantidforum:
@Jodi The ooth needs to sit there at least 24 hours to harden - I prefer to let them set a few days to ensure they are dried after being laid though (it will dry from being exposed to air). Then you can use a knife/flat screwdriver/etc and pry it under one end and it will come right off; however, if it is on screen mesh likely you will just need to grasp the ooth (ootheca (egg sac)) bottom nearest the screen and pull while rocking it side to side - it may take so effort as the ooth material can expand through screen mesh until dry.
If your worried about damaging the ooth, you can simply cut/remove the section of screen around the ooth it is attached to (then though you will have to repair the screen mesh).
The ooth once dry is really rigid and very hard to damage from grabbing/pulling on it so don't worry. The only way to harm the eggs inside is by accidentally getting a knife/flat screwdriver/etc through the ooth, or by smashing some eggs if the ooth is grabbed near the hatching area (furthest away from the surface it is attached to). Even if it is damaged and some eggs are destroyed the rest of the eggs will hatch fine.
Once the ooth is removed you can incubate the ooth, place it outside, or diapause it for hatching later. For information on any of those steps, see the links in my post here.
If your worried about damaging the ooth, you can simply cut/remove the section of screen around the ooth it is attached to (then though you will have to repair the screen mesh).
The ooth once dry is really rigid and very hard to damage from grabbing/pulling on it so don't worry. The only way to harm the eggs inside is by accidentally getting a knife/flat screwdriver/etc through the ooth, or by smashing some eggs if the ooth is grabbed near the hatching area (furthest away from the surface it is attached to). Even if it is damaged and some eggs are destroyed the rest of the eggs will hatch fine.
Once the ooth is removed you can incubate the ooth, place it outside, or diapause it for hatching later. For information on any of those steps, see the links in my post here.
