What Mantids to get? (new user)

[Samzo]

no, died molting

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

that's a shame dude

i think i'm only gonna get one at first ( is that even a good idea? ), i hope that doesnt happen to it.

on a lighter note - i've just created from scratch a successful fruit fly culture. just with a banana in a jar ( not even bought fruit flies! ) , though mould'll probably wipe em out. is there any household substance that i could use as a mould inhibitor for it?

 

[nickyp0]

i use oats with honey with alittle bit of water for my fruit flys and with in a week i have about a thousand of them i hope this helps.

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

yeh that sounds good, what amounts of them do you put in?

 

[nickyp0]

I use a cup of oats, two tea spoons of honey, and add water to make moist or like a paist make sure to ont let it dry out

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

wow cool that sounds easy, i'll try that out, thankyou

 

[Samzo]

i'm all for getting free (except the banana lol) flys but iI find working with the lab flightless fruit flys so much easier... i literally pick them up and put em in. but as Ian knows i've had bad expericances with fruit flys that can fly... lol

 

[Mantis Keeper]

I very much prefer flightless fruit flies as well. I just have to keep completely restocking because after four or five generations they mutate and start flying. I think I'm gonna try cultivating those wingless ones, that way they don't accidently learn to use their wings.

 

[Ian]

with my flies, I either use ready made culture mix, or, simply banana on its own. About 10 days ago, I put a cup outside with just some banana in, and that was it. I didnt put a lid or anything on, as as I said, they were outside. Took it in yesterday, and it is absolutley teaming with maggots, of which half of them have pupated. And when feeding, I never keep small nymphs serparately, unti. they are old enough to feed on crix or roaches. So, I bung em all in a net cage, and put the whole culture in, until all the flies have been eaten. By that time, the maggots or pupae that were in the cup would have pretty much hatched out, so its almost a contsant cycle.

Cheers,

Ian

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

doesnt the banana go mouldy though?

 

[Ian]

not in my experience, no. It just gets broken down, and pretty watery. Sometimes, a prick a hole in the bottom of the tub, to drain out the excess water.

Cheers,

Ian

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

how come the oats and honey culture doesnt get mouldy?

 

[Ian]

I am not sure, I suppose, there is no fruit that is able to rot.

Cheers,

Ian

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

every day i'm finding myself warming to the idea of a different species, right now i'm thinking maybe Hierodula , but am unsure between Hierodula grandis (Giant Indian Mantis) and Hierodula membranacea (Giant Asian Mantis) , which one would you suggest?

also, is Pseudocreobotra wahlbergi as hard as creoboter to look after?

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

i'm pretty sure i'm gonna get some ghost mantids soon. anyone got any tips on caring for them , i've never had anything like them before

 

[Ian]

yes...WATER. They need spraying everyday, and if you do this, they will live to the full

Cheers,

Ian

 

[ibanez_freak]

Yeah, ghosts are ok to look after. A lot of water and food every so often (but found they can last without food for longer than my other mantis) but now I think I should tell you (even if you aren't planning on getting one) don't bother with chinese mantis. These have annoyed me so much. I have real troubles with thm.

Any one else found this (noty americans I guess because they got ok conditions over there i think).

Cheers, Cameron.

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

is Pseudocreobroter whalbergi more difficulty than creobroter?

do Pseudocreobroter whalbergi need a heat mat even if they're being kept at room temperature?

 

[KennethJ78]

@ Johnald:

It has allready been said that Hierodula membranacea en Hierodula grandis are very likely the same species.

I've kept H. membranacea at room temperature and sprayed it once a week. They haven't had any problems with moulting whatsoever and they practically eat anything you feed them.

Perhaps you should try to make up your mind first ? Do you want a large mantis ? a pretty small one ? An easy one ? A species that requires somewhat more attention ?

Easy, large species : Hierodula membranacea ( H. grandis ), Sphodromantis lineola, Sphodromantis viridis, Sphodromantis sp. Room temp.is fine.

Easy, pretty, large species: Polyspilota aeruginosa ( like Sphodromantis, but more colourful ) Room temp.is fine.

Easy small species: Miomantis paykullii ( like Sphodromantis sp... just one third of their size ) Room temp. is fine

Easy, small, attractive species: Any of the Creobroter species ( Asian ) or Pseudocreobotra species ( Africa ). Just spray some more often then the other species mentionned above.... Heatmat needed, because they need temps a little over room temp.

Then offcourse : Gongylus gongyloides ??? Well... try do get some experience with easier species first. Gongylus needs very high temperatures and are specialized in flying preys only. Crickets / roaches just won't do for them...

Phyllocrania paradoxa ??? Well... not particularly difficult, however.. because of it's shape it's more vulnerable during moulting, you'll understand that.

As I said: Make up your mind first and don't try aiming at a "somewhat rare or difficult species because it looks so beautiful". Get some experience in keeping mantids with a "more common, less difficult" species" like Sphodromantis, Hierodula, Miomantis, Polyspilota, Creobroter or even Pseudocreobotra.....

Good luck

 

[Johnald Chaffinch]

thankyou ken, that's just what i needed