What and Why?

[angelofdeathzz]

In a few simple words, why are you drawn to raising mantis?

Fun? Science? Pet? Friend? Challenge? Animal love? Bug Love? Other?

I'm a cross between animal lover and fun with a good kick of challenge of the science involved to do it long term, if that makes sense?

 

[CoolMantid]

Animal love, pet, fun!!!!

 

[sporeworld]

Well, since society frowns on HUMAN experimentation.... (jk).

Mantids (and other critters) are my "Desk Hobbies". Something that draws my attention away from the PC's when I really need it (which is about every 2 hours). Unlike TV or YouTube or Netflix, it's a very small investment of time, then right back to work.

I also enjoy the relaxation of animal husbandry. A bit like a bonzai garden - good stress relief. Oh, and once the "machine" is humming along, every day is something new - someone sheds, or mates, or hatches or dies. Walking into the office is almost always a new experience.

What I DON'T care for, which is probably the DRAW for many, is the kill/eat part. I'm a big softy. Makes me wish Phasmids were more viable as pets in the US. :-(

 

[mkayum]

I loved animals. My first encounter with a large female chinese mantid.Little sad story... I accidentally stepped on a large female chinese mantid while jumping on leaves covered trampoline. My dad bought it inside and kept her but she died of an injury. I always wanted to try something easy to keep and cheap pet. All of sudden, the word of mantid popped in my mind. I thought to myself "Why not?" Haha. I convined my mother to let me get one. She liked the idea of having a pest controller in her house. LOL. So i bought three chinese ooths online. They all hatched and I kept 40 but only 5 survived through to adulthood.

challenge & animal lover like me & something useful like pest controller.

 

[mkayum]

Oops

 

[guapoalto049]

Sorry to be the yin to Sporeworld's yang, but ever since I was a kid it was the way they attack prey. I was always interested in the biggest, strongest, toughest, etc. of any type of animal, and mantids happened to fit the adjectives in the insect world. I really hate when mantids eat each other so I'd never go that route, but I sure enjoy watching them stalk prey like the expert hunters they are

 

[maybon]

Sorry to be the yin to Sporeworld's yang, but ever since I was a kid it was the way they attack prey. I was always interested in the biggest, strongest, toughest, etc. of any type of animal, and mantids happened to fit the adjectives in the insect world. I really hate when mantids eat each other so I'd never go that route, but I sure enjoy watching them stalk prey like the expert hunters they are

+1 same thing here, they are big nasty apex predators (of the insect world). Really cool pets to keep and cheap/easy to raise.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Over the years, I have discovered that mantises make less poop than tigers. It also hurts less if they bite yr finger, and there is more variety in mantids; tigers are generally just stripey.

Guess it's time to go back to bed.

 

[agent A]

i love animals and animal violence B)

 

[sinensispsyched]

I love the way they hunt!

Whenever I'm depressed, their slow, deliberate actions always soothe me.

They're my (second) most trusted friend(s).

 

[happy1892]

Because it is fun and I love bugs. Pet means just keeping a few right? I like watching them catch and eat animals. I found out everybody where I live think insects are not animals!

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I am preparing to lead my swarm of mantis minions for world domination. Wait, err did I say that outloud. I mean because they are cool, yah, cool, real cooool... :shifty:

 

[dlemmings]

I have always been drawn to the obscure, I had never really seen a mantis outside...untill last year when I was on my back patio and saw this small bug.

it was like the size of an ant but had raptoral front arms like a mantis (but I thought it was too small to be a mantis) it was holding perfectly still as I moved in for a closer look.

since it was so still I thought I had time to grab my camera fron inside the house only 10 feet away on a cofee table, but when I got back it was gone.

I hopped on the internet and seached for a bit and decided it must have been a nymph.

i stumbled across mantisplace and mantispets and really liked the look of orchids, ghosts, violins, and of corse idolos

jast july I began my research for the best "beginner" choice and was going to buy a naitive garden variety (easy to keep) but ultimatly found a local who sold me my first mantids.

because he lived so close to my work he actually dropped them off at my work (thanks Kiet!)

So last august I became the proud caregiver to a sexed pair of ghost nymphs who I raised to adulthood, and a "freebee" Sp. Lineola named Greta (the only one of my mantids with a name)

I now have Ghosts, Creos, a Violin and a Glass mantis...and of course "Greta" :shifty:

 

[Domanating]

I like insects in general but i like to keep predatory insects since it's more fun and interesting. In my case it's not about loving the animal but really because it interests me watching them closely and see their different behaviors.

Mantids are 1st in the list of insects i want to keep because they are different. Just the simple fact that they have a neck makes the difference. It makes them more human, that's the main factor.

They are easy to keep too, as some said above.

However i already tried keeping a nest of paper waps for example. Can't deny the dangers but they are very smart. They will get used to your presence and will not consider you a threat after a while. At this stage you can even stick your hands in their enclosure and they will act as nobody's there. They learn incredibly fast and soon they will know where to get directly to their resources and will be able to fly i the enclosure without bumping on the edges.

I've been successful for 2 months, then for some reason mutiny broke out in the nest and they separated. After that i let them go and kept the abandoned nest.

Keeping wasps is a full time job. Only a colony of 10/11 wasps will promptly consume about 3 times the food you usually give to an adult female mantis per day, in addiction you must give them a constant source of water/honey/sugary water and wood for nest building.

Mantids are definetely easier to keep but wasps were undoubtebly a great experience and extremely interesting.

Even so, the praying-mantis is still a favorite

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Very interesting to hear all the variety of answers so far, surprisingly no one has said "because they look like little Aliens" Ha-ha!

Thank you Phil for clearing up the Tiger vs Mantis conundrum, personaly I've alway's found them to just be so darn plain stripey myself (the nerve of them).

And Spore not all Phasmids are illegal, just most of the COOL ONES....

 

[sporeworld]

Sigh. I know... I just can't seem to find any of the legal ones for sale. Ah, well...

 

[Mvalenz]

I like to see them eat!!!!! :taz:

I like it when I hear their little claws hitting the side of the enclosure late at night. I know that some unfortunate feeder was just snatched up and is being devoured. It's like a sweet lullaby and it helps me sleep.

Not so much the science behind it; maybe a little. Definitely because it was a easy pet to take care of; very interesting and curious insect as well. I do find it entertaining to take care of them. I can't wait to try my hand at breeding them.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Sigh. I know... I just can't seem to find any of the legal ones for sale. Ah, well...

Talk to Peter; he's your go-to guy. Also, you should try StickTalk at www.sticktalk.com Most of the members speak Brit, but you'll catch on after a while and you can trade with U.S. members.

 

[sporeworld]

Ha! I've been watching "The Big Fat Quiz of the Year" (BBC show) so much lately, I've started to develop an accent! I almost said, "Heading to Dixon's" instead of the grocery store!

Thanks for the lead!