What's a good survival percentage?

[okstrat]

I feel like some sort of mantis doctor mengele... had 5 ghosts hatch from a ooth, and only 1 survived. Hasn't even hit L2 yet. Had probably 40 or so C Elongata hatch, about 30 alive so far. They haven't hit L2 yet either.

So what's an average percentage of survivors through the Instars? Obviously the older they are the better their chances are, and it is going to vary by mantis species, but I'm just curious. The ghosts seemed to be a LOT more fragile than the Elongatas, but their ooth was really small. We'll see how my 'homemade' ghost ooth does as it is pretty big and won't be subject to shipping/handling as much as the others.

I know obviously nobody has exact numbers, but what survival percentages would you guys see as a 'average'?

Pete

 

[Rick]

Depends on many factors. Some species do better than others. I think there are too many variables to give an exact answer.

 

[hibiscusmile]

mengela huh! sounds like it, I never hardly ever lose one, they are tough little creatures, give us the specifics of what u r doing, cause something ain't right.

 

[okstrat]

mengela huh! sounds like it, I never hardly ever lose one, they are tough little creatures, give us the specifics of what u r doing, cause something ain't right.

Well, the ooth I had (which was a free one included with another I bought from a breeder here so this was IMHO a freebie/gift and I am not complaining in the least) was less than half as long as the one my female laid recently. It also looked pretty dry and crunchy when I got it out of the packing. I superglued an end to a limb inside a small glass jar. At the bottom of the jar was a piece of sponge that I wet (I never wet the ooth directly) and temps were around 75-80 degrees in my attic. I spritzed it with water every other day. top of the lid was covered with cheesecloth.

5 hatched total, with one dying 'inside' the ooth - couldn't get all the way out. It looked like only part of the ooth hatched, they were all on one end. I left them alone for a day, then spritzed the foam. 2nd day when I woke up two were dead. 3rd day I fed them each a D. Hydei, sprayed their container lightly, yesterday one died and today when I came home from work the last one died.

Of my 40 C elongatas, about 30 or so are still alive. I'm not sure what killed them - bodies were intact, so I don't think it was cannibalism. I do know that some seem to grasp the idea of a delicious fruit fly than others. It seems like the ones that are still kicking just about jump into the fruit fly vials when I tip them over

Pete

 

[hibiscusmile]

Sounds like the ooth was just too dry, which probably gave them not enough energy to make it, but also they need misted the first day, one time lightly with very warm water from your sprayer, the second day and thereafter twice a day misting and by end of second whole day or begining of third feed them.

 

[okstrat]

Thanks so much, I'll keep everyone a little more humid (was misting once a day, I'll do it twice now) and go from there. I really appreciate all of you who help us noobs out. One of these days when I know my success rate will be higher I'll have to order a really cool ooth or two from you.

Pete