They are honestly my favorites and i wish to keep these two species cultured, I've kept many species and hope to keep many more, but only few mantids have a certain spark to their personality and behavior that draws us in. Rhombos are friendly with people but not overly friendly/curious like some hierodula I've kept and maintain themselves on your shoulders or wherever you leave them, there is a gentile contentment about them with people, you can touch them without much risk at all, but they have an insatiable appetite, I've had my hair and earbuds attacked numerous times by mistake. They are most likely the most aggressive of the mantids ive kept, they have been described by members as little tanks that literally dive at prey the same size or larger with some of the brutest force witnessed in mantids. I remember I started raising rhombodera with a 5pc of r.stalli from carey, the same time many budwings and popas were flooding the forum 3years ago I believe. They were second highlight of the mantis species I kept at that point which were chaetas, budwings, iris, sybillas, sphodros, sinos and marbles(h.parvicep which I miss tremendously) and r.valida popped up later the same year from precarious stock. They were pretty much the same mantis with a wider shield. The little parachutes kill me really..
Oh and chaetas, chaetas I had started keeping when yen released his first stock I believe, I was emailing him as soon as he updated his old website with the first information I've ever seen on the african stick mantis I reared 5 and one made it to adult unfortunately, I've had a few great unexpected run ins with chaetas overseas none of which kept my hopes going with them until recently. Now I have about 45 l2s running about. Couldn't be happier with these two. Anyone think they've found there stable yet as well?
Oh and chaetas, chaetas I had started keeping when yen released his first stock I believe, I was emailing him as soon as he updated his old website with the first information I've ever seen on the african stick mantis I reared 5 and one made it to adult unfortunately, I've had a few great unexpected run ins with chaetas overseas none of which kept my hopes going with them until recently. Now I have about 45 l2s running about. Couldn't be happier with these two. Anyone think they've found there stable yet as well?
