What Mantids to get? (new user)

[Leah]

how come the oats and honey culture doesnt get mouldy?

Honey has anti-fungal properties.

 

[Executor of Fruit Flies]

I don't think any of the species you've mentioned are hard to keep; you just have to keep the desired conditions and feed and mist regularly. I'd say in my short experience as a mantis keeper, laziness was the main factor for my mantis' deaths, though a few deaths were a bit of a mystery.

I'm keeping p wahlbergii, p paradoxa, d dessicata, and p agrionina. Despite what the caresheets say, I've found that they get hardier as they get older. I don't use a heat souce...yet. I will when it starts to get really cold, but my mantids have withstood at least 60 degree F.

In conclusion, I'd say just get whatever you think looks best, and have a mister, containers, heat source(I use a lightless ceramic "lamp"), and food ready, and you'll do fine. Just don't be surprised if you have a couple die of unknown reasons.

 

[Ian]

thx leah