Why aren't we captive breeding Idolomantis??

[Christian]

Hi.

@ Steven: may I know who told you to keep them at those temperatures? Maybe as a PM? The caresheet is in preparation, but, as it will contain also historical and behavioral information, it is still a lot of work to do. Some things will be described for the first time.

@Orin: I kept D. desiccata for 4 generations, Sibylla pretiosa for 5, and inbreeding was not a problem yet. Most people overconsider inbreeding, though. A degenerative inbreeding does not occur after a few generations. The problem is rather that males tend to avoid copulations with more and more closely related females. This can only be avoided or delayed by keeping your breeding stock at high numbers. Thus, introducing "new blood" simply means adding a new allele to the gene pool which may enhance the attractivity of the genders. And, of course, delay possible negative inbreeding effects.

Regards,

Christian

 

[Orin]

So how many here have personally kept Deroplatys desiccata for 3 generations? 5? 7? --Consectutive successive generations without addition of any new stock or breeding material.

Are you saying that inbreeding and a small gene pool will put limits on our captive breeding success Orin?

Thanks,

Obie

No, I was saying that most mantids have a shelf life of a few generations tops in the hobby. It's not genetic, it's that the hobby is small and mantids aren't easy like roaches. My example was trying to explain there aren't too many more people who have kept Deroplatys for multiple generations than idolomantis. D.d. is a huge, beautiful one that has been imported many, many times.

How many people still have their Otomantis going?

I understand in Europe they keep more species though nearly all of that is because they replenish their stocks easily from WC which doesn't mean the shelf life is any longer, just more product.

 

[Christian]

I understand in Europe they keep more species though nearly all of that is because they replenish their stocks easily from WC which doesn't mean the shelf life is any longer, just more product.

It's not as simple as this. There are some stocks for which WCs ar not longer available, or just very rarely. Nevertheless, some stocks are maintained for a long time. At the end it's a question of attention, of cooperation, of personal experience and of available place.

Secondly: The numbers of those guys willing to keep their stocks for a longer time is rather low. Most people want to succeed with a particular species and try others afterwards. That's why some species vanish one day if they are not very attractive. Noone can be the Arch of Noah for all species he has ever had. Otomantis is a good example.

Regards,

Christian

 

[Tapos]

could the breeders with knowledge list some of the do's and don'ts. i realise some trade secrets are hard to part with, but we amatures do buy from some of you, and even little hints may stop some of the obvious to you, but not obvious to us mistakes, we will make in raising ours for pets? even a care sheet in German would be helpful. i can find a translater if it would safe a dead pet.

 

[Christian]

As said before, the Idolo caresheet is on the way. Regarding the advices, I use to give everyone who gets specimens from me the information necessary for successful breeding. This holds for every species. Every serious breeder usually proceeds like this.

Regards,

Christian

 

[Orin]

I understand in Europe they keep more species though nearly all of that is because they replenish their stocks easily from WC which doesn't mean the shelf life is any longer, just more product.

It's not as simple as this. There are some stocks for which WCs ar not longer available, or just very rarely. Nevertheless, some stocks are maintained for a long time. At the end it's a question of attention, of cooperation, of personal experience and of available place.

Secondly: The numbers of those guys willing to keep their stocks for a longer time is rather low. Most people want to succeed with a particular species and try others afterwards. That's why some species vanish one day if they are not very attractive. Noone can be the Arch of Noah for all species he has ever had. Otomantis is a good example.

Regards,

Christian

I didn't say the Otomantis or Deroplatys were gone over here.

 

[Christian]

Oh, there is still Otomantis in stock? That's good.