TikTok and Mantis Breeders?

[divipha]

Recently I’ve been seeing a flood of people being introduced to the world of mantis keeping, mostly from TikTok. The demand for species such as ghosts, spinies, especially orchids are at an all time high. Honestly this is the most I’ve ever seen. What are your guys’ thoughts on all this?

 

[MantisMart]

Im happy about it. Im always glad to see more people join this hobby!

 

[MantisGirl13]

I'm also glad to see more people in the hobby, but I'm not thrilled that they are going after Orchids, and even spinys, as they are not great for first time keepers, and for most of these people, they will never get past the beginner stage after the newness wears off.

I want more people in the hobby who are invested. 

- MantisGirl13 

 

[hysteresis]

I'm also glad to see more people in the hobby, but I'm not thrilled that they are going after Orchids, and even spinys, as they are not great for first time keepers, and for most of these people, they will never get past the beginner stage after the newness wears off.

I want more people in the hobby who are invested. 

- MantisGirl13 

Yup, on MANTIS KEEPERS, one of the questions asked on the JOIN REQUEST form people answer Is "How did you hear about the group?".

People answer "TIK TOK" a helluva lot these days.

Another question is "Why do you want to join this group?".

A common answer includes the words "orchid mantis" in it. LOL!

You should see the length of my orchid waiting list. 

 

[divipha]

Yup, on MANTIS KEEPERS, one of the questions asked on the JOIN REQUEST form people answer Is "How did you hear about the group?".

People answer "TIK TOK" a helluva lot these days.

Another question is "Why do you want to join this group?".

A common answer includes the words "orchid mantis" in it. LOL!

You should see the length of my orchid waiting list. 

Omg I can’t imagine! Madem Mantis on Instagram is claimed her waiting list for orchids has over 100 people Sorta worries me though, I hope everyone takes care of them properly considering they’re not the best for beginners

 

[yankeeman1421]

Ok basic care for orchid mantids is more or less beginner level. It’s when people uhhh... love them too much that kills them(too high temps, overkill on humidity, sub-par enclosure, poor ventilation, etc.) When raising orchid nymphs, less is more. Breeding these guys, mainly getting females to lay their ooths is where the challenge lies. 

That said, the demand for orchids is sky high right now (thanks tik tok). While the actual available supply for them is next to zero at the moment. Thing is, people buy species such as orchids, don’t intend to breed them, and then throw a tantrum when no one has any. My issue is that this is one of many ways a species disappears from the hobby. 
 

That in mind, I don’t recommend selling or trading orchids to beginners in the hobby, not because of their care, but more-so because that could make orchids even harder to acquire in the future.

 

[divipha]

Ok basic care for orchid mantids is more or less beginner level. It’s when people uhhh... love them too much that kills them(too high temps, overkill on humidity, sub-par enclosure, poor ventilation, etc.) When raising orchid nymphs, less is more. Breeding these guys, mainly getting females to lay their ooths is where the challenge lies. 

That said, the demand for orchids is sky high right now (thanks tik tok). While the actual available supply for them is next to zero at the moment. Thing is, people buy species such as orchids, don’t intend to breed them, and then throw a tantrum when no one has any. My issue is that this is one of many ways a species disappears from the hobby. 
 

That in mind, I don’t recommend selling or trading orchids to beginners in the hobby, not because of their care, but more-so because that could make orchids even harder to acquire in the future.

This was very well put I couldn’t agree more. That’s part of the reasons why I worry about this species. Perhaps breeders and experienced hobbyists can help educate beginners 

 

[yankeeman1421]

This was very well put I couldn’t agree more. That’s part of the reasons why I worry about this species. Perhaps breeders and experienced hobbyists can help educate beginners 

I try I try. As someone who’s been breeding these guys for little more than 3 years now I know all too well how these guys work, so I try my best to keep those around me educated. When people ask lots of questions it shows they are genuinely trying to do their best to take good care of the mantis. It just irks me when people go around saying these guys aren’t easy to take care of. 

 

[hysteresis]

That in mind, I don’t recommend selling or trading orchids to beginners in the hobby, not because of their care, but more-so because that could make orchids even harder to acquire in the future.

I never thought of it that way, brother.  In Canada, any 'fancy' mantises are hard to find as it is.   I encourage my patrons to breed.  Alas, my list is still full of 1s and 2s.

 

[Grapple_Apple]

I 100% agree with what @yankeeman1421 says. I don't like coming off as a know it all because I'm definitely not but with species like Stenophylla, Hymenopus, and Idolomantis, I really think that people who are first importing them into the country/ breeding them here for the first time should be extremely selective about who they sell to. 

While I love the idea of people wanting orchids and getting into the hobby, I seriously don't think that an orchid is a good beginner. I myself as a breeder on IG have gotten at least 17 requests for orchids/ spinys, and as @hysteresis said on FB, I get a lot there too. 

Not to mention orchids are already a difficult enough species to breed as it's common to have males mature and die off from the same brood as females, so people who buy an ooth in hopes of breeding have a hard time. 

That being said, I don't agree at all with new keepers getting orchid mantises at all. Too rare, too difficult in terms of novice experience, and too difficult to breed to just have individual specimens going to places where realistically they won't be bred and most likely won't make it to adulthood or will have improper care.

Get a Sphodromantis or Heirodula. Exponentially easier and will introduce you to basic care much more smoothly.

 

[thebookman10]

Personally as a redditor when I hear the word tiktok my vision turns red. If i put aside my thoughts as a redditor getting more people into the hobby is great, but when I read some of the other replies to this it reminds me a lot of the hype for clownfish after Nemo was released, which is ironic I guess. I lot of people will want only 1 species, and I am sure most of them will do the research and say, I want something easier, or I want nothing to do with feading insects or feeding alive animals. But some will just do minimal research and buy an orchid or some toher showy species and not take optimal care of it. It really is up to the sellers and breeders to properly vet their customers and start using the right to reserve sales to people.

 

[nzxmUyZNKEBoqN3e]

I was browsing Instagram today and saw a British TikTok-er feeding her orchid mantis (all wild-caught) wasps, carrot-fed crickets and flying ants. I have in fact reached out to her to suggest some habitat and diet changes, as well as to signpost her here and to r/mantids if she has any further questions. I'm excited that people are getting into the hobby but so concerned for the welfare of the mantises.

 

[ElytraXD]

I feel some people just buy mantises because they look ‘pretty’. Specifically orchids . They probably don’t care about the care needs of the mantis and just go with what’s ‘easy’. Anyway, I hate tiktok soo

 

[gravewurm88]

I have no clue etc tiktok is that's mentioned here so much but I guess it's a good thing. I myself have collected reptiles since I could walk got into breeding as I got older and naturally reptiles led to arachnids and mantids. But it's like with anything else Florida with their burmese python problems and now they are having problems with giant monitor lizards, mainly water monitors, establishing themselves there. People see something and think it's cute or it's a "cool" novelty for friends to see and have no thought into the care for the animal long term. The fact that little 6" lizard will grow to be longer then most people are tall yet water monitors are the highest sold monitor lizard. I perosnAlly think most people live life with their heads up their @$$. It comes down to the sellers. If you have a individual buying one of something and ask no questions as to care of any background of the animal questions at all what do you think the future of that animal is? But instead of not selling it they do. $ talks. It's a hard business to be in, if I turned down every clown that didn't know anything about what they were getting into it would make things difficult to say the least. I guess the point is it takes all of us dummies included to keep the industry going. Just hate price hykes on orchids right now. 

also I have a lone idolomantis,lost the other two due to prolonged power outage and freeze, snow in Texas, interested shoot me message I'll send you picture. 

 

[TheWrongCrowd]

I'll be honest, I dont like social media and I stay off it, but I'm glad people are getting into the hobby. I just know, from eight years of volunteering at an animal shelter, that social media can lead to a lot people getting pets that are not right for them. I see this though with mostly rabbits and parrots. Mantids are relatively easier pets so I think this is a good thing for the most part. Maybe I'll even get to meet more mantis people!