Saying goodbye

[Bug Trader]

I have one thats named, but its a 13' manakwari barneck scrub python that Ive raised for the last ten years and likely will have another decade but I let my daughter name her other than that I have not named any. I learned quick when you have a couple hundred mantids the work involved makes it hard to focus on any one or two. Was the same for the hundreds of dendrobatidae I kept and bred for over a decade and thier life expectancy far exceeds that of the mantids. They are all great to work with and watch, but its just easier to tag each viv by species name and leave it at that.

Giving something a name doesn't add to or take away from the level of husbandry involved and the way the dead are handled shouldnt matter so long as its handled responsibly. I waited to post in this thread as I saw the debate coming, I personally hope to live this life to its fullest just in case theirs nothing after. I do not share the belief in us and all living things having a soul as I am more science based than religous. It doesnt mean I would tell someone else their prized pet is souless or they shouldnt do with it as they wish after it dies, just be responsibe. You should know all to well the risks if your keeping amphibians and frequent DB.

 

[Sticky]

I don't have many, I have 6 mantids right now. I don't name all, at least not right away when I get them. A lot of my pets seem to tell me thier name. I hear it inside or maybe through something they do.

Sticky got his name when I was feeding him honey. He had grabbed the stick I was feeding him with and got it all over himself! He was so funny. Pearl is a very light colored giant asian. She has a pinkish almost mother of pearl spot between her eyes.

Some tell me nothing. I don't know why.

 

[MantidBro]

How do you say goodbye to your favorite mantis? And what do you do after?

I am waiting for some wooden boxes to arrive that I bought online. They will be coffins for my mantids I loved the most. The list includes Sticky, Sweetheart and

Honey. I will decorate them with a picture and put the mantids name on it. I will paint each one a different color.

Once Majesty died, I washed the bad smell away with soap and water then let her sit in alcohol for a little bit. Then I put her in a small see-through container and wrote on it with permanent marker "Majesty Stagmomantis Limbata".

Wooden boxes sound nice and the decorations will be a nice touch.

 

[CashPants]

Sorry i forgot most of the sympathetic ones are still children as yourself. Sorry kids.

I'm 31 and I am more than sympathetic, as is my 29 year old boyfriend. If you form no attachments to your mantids, why keep them at all?

 

[Golden State Vivs]

I have one thats named, but its a 13' manakwari barneck scrub python that Ive raised for the last ten years and likely will have another decade but I let my daughter name her other than that I have not named any. I learned quick when you have a couple hundred mantids the work involved makes it hard to focus on any one or two. Was the same for the hundreds of dendrobatidae I kept and bred for over a decade and thier life expectancy far exceeds that of the mantids. They are all great to work with and watch, but its just easier to tag each viv by species name and leave it at that.

Giving something a name doesn't add to or take away from the level of husbandry involved and the way the dead are handled shouldnt matter so long as its handled responsibly. I waited to post in this thread as I saw the debate coming, I personally hope to live this life to its fullest just in case theirs nothing after. I do not share the belief in us and all living things having a soul as I am more science based than religous. It doesnt mean I would tell someone else their prized pet is souless or they shouldnt do with it as they wish after it dies, just be responsibe. You should know all to well the risks if your keeping amphibians and frequent DB.

I don't intend to start a debate, apologies if my previous post sounded as though I was attempting to incite a debate. In fact, I agree with you, I do not believe in anything having a "soul." I don't name my frogs, bar one White's Tree Frog that my kids named Puddleglum (for all of you C.S. Lewis fans out there). I also agree that all deceased animals, native or otherwise, should be handled in a responsible manner. Solid waste should double bagged, and liquid waste should be treated with chlorine bleach, so as to prevent the spread of pathogens to the ecosystems these wastes come into contact with.

My whole point was that it was obvious the OP has an attachment to her animals, even if they are short-lived insects. Posters should have a little compassion, don't kick the OP while she is down by telling her that her prized animal has no soul and should be thrown in the trash (the first reply). That post accomplished nothing, a classic example of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

 

[Bug Trader]

My whole point was that it was obvious the OP has an attachment to her animals, even if they are short-lived insects. Posters should have a little compassion, don't kick the OP while she is down by telling her that her prized animal has no soul and should be thrown in the trash (the first reply). That post accomplished nothing, a classic example of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Agreed and thats why I made it clear in my last two sentences attacking those beliefs and feelings of others is going too far,

" It doesnt mean I would tell someone else their prized pet is souless or they shouldnt do with it as they wish after it dies, just be responsibe. You should know all to well the risks if your keeping amphibians and frequent DB."

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Too each his(or her) own, you can believe or not believe that living things have souls, I tend to think they do and that energy gets recycled over and over as they die and a new life begins, of course you can't see or touch it but to me thats doesn't mean its not there. I don't name my mantis spare a special few that are older and more social with me, if you have a bunch of mantis its hard to become attached to each one equally. That said I do feel bad for Sticky as I have had a few mantis that I like alot and when they pass I do feel saddened for a bit as well, I think they call it "compassion" and its totally OK in my eyes.

 

[MantidBro]

I cant believe that they don't have a soul. My old mantis Sticky sure had personality and a soul! I spent 2 months feeding him milk, honey and bee pollen. And the others definitely feel something and feel enjoyment. Martha loves to ride outside on my hat. I hate it that summer is over. No more playtime outside

They certainly deserve better than to be treated like trash.

Robin.

That's pretty weird for a mantid owner to be so unaffected by the death of their mantids. As if they meant nothing. Plus they obviously have souls - animals, such as cats and dogs, squirrels even, have been seen by mediums. If those animals have souls, wouldn't a mantid? Yes. And why? Because without a soul, they wouldn't even be alive! It's the energy of the soul that makes everything work. It doesn't just do it magically by itself! That's why when our energy runs out, aka our soul, we die! Because our heart and brain can't work without the energy. Otherwise you're just a sack of meat. These are MY beliefs, anyways.

 

[Digger]

My current pet, Nikki Mantis, unquestionably has a recognizable personality. Certainly much more of a personality and more cheerful, curious disposition than my mother-in-law. And you don't expect me to flush my in-law down the toilet when she's cold and stiff - do you jrh3? (hmmmmmm...) I work in the physical sciences (astrophysics) and try to think and work empirically. This mantis is a person, I say. She watches TV for hours on my shoulder. She seems to hear (listen/react) to voice vibration (even though I believe they only recognize much higher frequencies, they may feel voice). And, you ever notice how you treat your mantises in a special manner, but look at the feeder crickets as completely different objects. Almost like the social status of the mantis was manor-born and the crickets were the lowest lepers (dirty thieving little creatures those crickets!!). I will hire a hearse when Nikki goes through the leafy gates.

 

[Digger]

I named a lamb up at my Uncle's NJ farm when I was 6. Bout a month later, that cute animal was on an outside spit being grilled for dinner. No - they didn't say anything at the time but it is a true story.

Sticky - you damn well continue to name your mantids and perform burial ceremonies for the deceased. So will I.

 

[MantidBro]

My current pet, Nikki Mantis, unquestionably has a recognizable personality. Certainly much more of a personality and more cheerful, curious disposition than my mother-in-law. And you don't expect me to flush my in-law down the toilet when she's cold and stiff - do you jrh3? (hmmmmmm...) I work in the physical sciences (astrophysics) and try to think and work empirically. This mantis is a person, I say. She watches TV for hours on my shoulder. She seems to hear (listen/react) to voice vibration (even though I believe they only recognize much higher frequencies, they may feel voice). And, you ever notice how you treat your mantises in a special manner, but look at the feeder crickets as completely different objects. Almost like the social status of the mantis was manor-born and the crickets were the lowest lepers (dirty thieving little creatures those crickets!!). I will hire a hearse when Nikki goes through the leafy gates.

I also look at animals as if they are no less important than we are. Who are we to say, as humans, that we're more important than any other living creature? My mantids also watch TV, the movement stimulates them. And I think they'd be able to hear our voices so long as there's a noticeable vibration, which would probably depend on how close you are to the mantid and its' ultrasonic ear. And when my Majesty died, I put her right next to my bed in a see-through medicine bottle.

 

[Sticky]

Sticky - you damn well continue to name your mantids and perform burial ceremonies for the deceased. So will I.

You bet I will! I can't imagine doing anything less.

I can't bury anyone right now, I live in an apartment complex. I will find a good safe place for them to be. A sacred place.

I wish I could share pics, I like the job I did on Stickies box. Its very cute. I signed up with flicker. Will try to post a link in the morning.

 

[Sticky]

I have Sticky's little box sitting next to my favorite chair as well as my cat's ashes on a shelving unit. Hercules will also get his own box. I did not have him long but he deserves nothing less. He was a darling!

 

[MantidBro]

I cant believe that they don't have a soul. My old mantis Sticky sure had personality and a soul! I spent 2 months feeding him milk, honey and bee pollen. And the others definitely feel something and feel enjoyment. Martha loves to ride outside on my hat. I hate it that summer is over. No more playtime outside

They certainly deserve better than to be treated like trash.

Robin.

Mantids feel, people just don't understand because animals don't speak their thoughts and say how they feel. They show how they feel through physical movements, usually.

 

[MantidBro]

Sticky - you damn well continue to name your mantids and perform burial ceremonies for the deceased. So will I.

You bet I will! I can't imagine doing anything less.

I can't bury anyone right now, I live in an apartment complex. I will find a good safe place for them to be. A sacred place.

I wish I could share pics, I like the job I did on Stickies box. Its very cute. I signed up with flicker. Will try to post a link in the morning.

Nice

 

[MantidBro]

I have Sticky's little box sitting next to my favorite chair as well as my cat's ashes on a shelving unit. Hercules will also get his own box. I did not have him long but he deserves nothing less. He was a darling!

That's a cool idea to place them in boxes.

 

[Precarious]

Mantids feel, people just don't understand because animals don't speak their thoughts and say how they feel. They show how they feel through physical movements, usually.

Exactly. Most people define value by how closely something compares with themselves. Lives, spirits and intellects take many forms. Very few are even remotely human. But if we are able to see past the physical/emotional differences to the core of the force behind all life, or if our concept of Self has transcended association with the physical body exclusively, we can recognize the link between all living things. And if our empathy allows us to experience life, even momentarily, through the lens of another life form we can see the similarities and recognize that subtle bond we all share.

 

[Sticky]

That's a cool idea to place them in boxes.

I have a link to my flickr page. I hope it works! It shows the cover of Stickys coffin.

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/sticky2012/8104747876

 

[agent A]

Exactly. Most people define value by how closely something compares with themselves. Lives, spirits and intellects take many forms. Very few are even remotely human. But if we are able to see past the physical/emotional differences to the core of the force behind all life, or if our concept of Self has transcended association with the physical body exclusively, we can recognize the link between all living things. And if our empathy allows us to experience life, even momentarily, through the lens of another life form we can see the similarities and recognize that subtle bond we all share.

i'm gonna go tell my mom that :lol:

she will think i'm even freakier than she does now

but she's so narrow-minded, only caring abt the human species

personally i wish i was a creobroter or a frog of some sort rather than a human-like life form...

 

[MantidBro]

Exactly. Most people define value by how closely something compares with themselves. Lives, spirits and intellects take many forms. Very few are even remotely human. But if we are able to see past the physical/emotional differences to the core of the force behind all life, or if our concept of Self has transcended association with the physical body exclusively, we can recognize the link between all living things. And if our empathy allows us to experience life, even momentarily, through the lens of another life form we can see the similarities and recognize that subtle bond we all share.

Well said.