S. limbata Mating Blues

[cloud jaguar]

I have a 3.5 week old adult female s. limbata. She is about 2.5" long and a very nice pale pink color. Lately she has been getting very fat and eating steadily. Looks like she is about to lay an ooth.

She has not mated though! Last friday I put a smallish male in with her while she was in the mating cage (2' net cage with tons of fake vines and foliage). I fed her a cricket in there. The smallish male seemed to notice her but not really try to mate. I figured she was not ready to mate or the male was gay.

Yesterday I introduced yet another male into the mating cage with her. This male is a large healthy looking one. I am sure he is a limbata but his wings, while speckled, seem clear and brown. I am pretty sure male S. Limbatas have inner wings that color, right? Kamakiri? Phil?

Anyways, dhe even seemed to vibrate her wings a bit (i think that is releasing pheromones) and STILL this other larger male did nothing! I really would like to get her mated before she lays an ooth.

I think that this afternoon we will try to put him on her back directly after feeding her anohter cricket.

 

[kamakiri]

Wings sound normal. I did try to give you the gay ones though

I don't know if I'd try the direct placement. Sounds like a good way to get the male whacked.

My main breeding technique is to take the male and female on their separate deli lids and line them up where the male is at the 4 or 10 o'clock position, maybe slightly higher looking straight at the female. Touch his antennae to her back if he has not gone still (aware of female freeze position) and wait for him to jump.

 

[cloud jaguar]

I did try to give you the gay ones though

LOL

 

[Rick]

See my guide. Often I also will just pick him up and put him on her back. She will lay ooths whether mated or not. Stagmomantis are usually pretty easy to mate.

 

[Katnapper]

I did try to give you the gay ones though

:lol:

Best of luck, Arkanis...

 

[agent A]

In order for Metal to mount Marie, I sort of tossed him on her and he mounted her and connected later on.

 

[cloud jaguar]

thanks for the advice - i just put him right above her and he hopped on. Oh well, they have been at it for about 4 hours - they are in a large net cage with lots of fake foliage. I sure hope he makes it - i have a couple of other girlfriends for him.

 

[cloud jaguar]

Well, the diminutive male that mated with the pink female last night survived! I took him out this morning and put him back in his plastic home where he quickly ate a cricket.

Now I have two mated limbatas - one green and one pink!

 

[Katnapper]

Congrats!!! Hopefully all will go well with them. So you've got other girlfriends for him too, right? Best of luck with those matings too. Hopefully the little guy will pull it all off.

 

[kamakiri]

Congrats!

I've only got about half of my 11 girls mated. So far, I haven't lost any of the current 4 males...not including the 1/2 male that I brought home. I was actually going to see if he could re-mate, but I left them in a small tub, and I don't know if he was eventually pulled off or dropped only to be within reach of the female.

One pair that I left mating overnight in one of my smaller keepers was pretty well stocked with fake foliage. I found the male first thing this morning cowering in the corner furthest from the female under some of the foliage.