Praying Mantis Keeping 101 - A Beginners Guide

Hello, Hello and welcome to my beginner's

guide

to

mantis

keeping

, so you have decided that the

praying

mantis

is something you would be interested in

keeping

and in my opinion it is a great choice as these are one of the most fascinating ones you can keep. It's not too demanding, it's not too expensive and for some species you don't need much experience as long as you follow some basic

guide

lines, so the first thing you might ask is what species do I get? There are around 2,300 species of mantises in the world. world and a wide variety are available from independent stores, particularly online;

However, unless you have prior experience with these insects, I highly recommend sticking to the hardiest species for your first purchase. Personally, I would recommend the giant Asian mantis which they don't have. Any specialized requirement they are voracious eaters that grow to an impressive size, they are quite docile and not too skittish which makes handling them much easier. Another species to consider is the ghost mantis. These creepy looking mantises won't grow as big as the giant one. Asian mantis but they look stunning and come in a variety of different colors. They also dance easily imitating a leaf swaying in the wind.

A defense tactic to deter any potential predator. There are a few other hardy beginner species, but these two are the most available. and widely recommended for getting started with the hobby, therefore the following tips will apply to these beginner species only if you have a more specialized species, please do your own research and make sure you provide appropriate care as they may have different or additional requirements . How big should your enclosure be? A general rule of thumb is that the height of their enclosure should be three times the length of the mantis when they are molded, they will hang upside down and will need room to be able to slide out of their previous exoskeleton.

Remember Mantids can grow very large, so you may need to prepare different sized enclosures as they progress through their life cycle, regarding which type of enclosure is best. Anything appropriately sized is fine, whether it's a branded design, a plastic container, or something you've custom built. Make sure there is some form of ventilation to prevent possible air stagnation and mold growth and don't keep your cabinet in the dark, as you want to mimic natural daylight cycles, as you would expect in nature, don't place your enclosure in direct sunlight, as this could cause the mantis to die from exposure or overheating.

Your mantis will spend most of its time hanging upside down and will gravitate towards heights, so make sure you have trained your mantis to climb to the top of its enclosure as much as it can. Has difficulty gripping on smooth surfaces, you need to provide some type of canopy on top as a place to hang and this can be achieved with branches and twigs or by placing a form of netting or mesh, you may need to clean water stains or Remove debris from the side of the setup occasionally, but do not use any chemicals as this could result in death if your mantis ingests it.

You can make a 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water and apply it as a non-toxic solution that will work the same way. Well in terms of cleaning, discarded prey should also be cleaned locally to inhibit mold growth for the substrate. There are several options, mainly, the substrate will retain moisture and provide humidity in the environment, which is essential for a healthy mantis. You can give it to him in a simple way. such as paper towels or if you want a more natural look, decorate with cocoa fiber or any popular brand inverted substrate, as you may have heard that mantids do not tolerate being housemates very well and if kept together they may one eats the other.

For certain species to be kept together, the most popular are ghost mantises, however I would advise against this as a beginner as some will likely outgrow others and this can lead to cannibalism if not separated for beginner species that do not. should require. any independent heat source, this will vary depending on the region you are from, but generally the house temperature will suit them well if they are comfortable, then your mantis is probably too specific, the range should be between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius, so if you feel your house getting colder than these temperatures, then an additional heat source may be required, which may come in the form of a heat lamp or heat mat in a low placed position. on the side of the cabinet, just be sure to use a thermostat. to keep the temperature constant and during the night you can lower this temperature by approximately five degrees, humidity can be intimidating as it is difficult to measure, but a good rule of thumb is to keep the substrate moist but not soaked, so if you see it drying It's time to add some water.

I generally have to do this once a week and a little more often in the summer months to help with humidity maintenance. You should also skip enclosure size every other day. However, mantises can hydrate themselves from their prey. They must complement each other to avoid possible dehydration. This can often be combined with misting the enclosure, as this will give the mantis a chance to drink when it fails. I will also do this around the mantis so that some drops collect directly on the mantis. make sure you are drinking and also help soften the exoskeleton when approaching a malt.

They may not like this spray, but it's better than having shedding problems in the future if you notice your mantis eagerly drinking water as soon as you miss it. be a sign that you should miss the little ones more often just to keep them more hydrated when it comes to what to feed your mantis, in my experience there is nothing better than flies, these range in size from fruit for newborn nymphs to houseflies and then green bottles. and eventually for larger bottles or blueflies, I have a whole video that talks about how to get maintenance and management of feeder flies, which I will link in the description.

If you have a large species, you can graduate them to medium-sized dubia roaches or lobsters. A good rule of thumb to follow is that your mantis will want something about the size of its abdomen and may eat surprisingly large prey compared to its own size. It is a good idea to supplement their diet with a mealworm or waxworm from time to time as they are high in fat, however this should not be something that is fed to them exclusively. You can also try putting a little honey on a stick from time to time as a sweet treat that they will always enjoy.

Don't be tempted to feed your mantis. crickets, this can lead to death, as crickets can be known to carry bacteria, they also carry many parasites that can be transferred to your mantis. I've read many stories of qriket-fed mantises developing all sorts of problems, so in general stay away from these in particular. When purchasing from pet stores, since you have no idea what conditions they come from and what mites they may carry, you may be tempted to catch something from outside to give to your mantis. Generally, this is something you should be avoided. There is a chance that the insects have come into contact with some chemicals or pesticides while in the wild and while it may not be likely it is just an unnecessary risk, you also don't want to risk your mantis being bitten or stung by anything. something that has a way of defending itself. so in my opinion it is best to stick with flies whenever possible when feeding your mantis.

You can usually place the feeder insect inside its enclosure and even when the mantis catches its prey, you may want to feed it yourself with tweezers, which can be a skill in itself. Mantises are game-based hunters. movement and won't hit something unless it's moving, so you may have to move the fly if it's not moving to elicit a response. They have stereoscopic vision like us, so try holding the prey at different distances. If your mantis turns away from prey or doesn't seem interested, it may not be hungry or preparing to mold. If that's the case, you can skip a meal and try again next time.

Beginner species will generally do well if fed a meal of the size. From its abdomen twice a week it is easy to judge when a mantis needs food as its abdomen will become flatter rather than round and plump. If you feel that your mantis looks full, it probably is and you can skip a feeding. They are mainly opportunistic hunters and would have no praise available in the wild, so there is nothing wrong with skipping a meal every now and then, you are unlikely to overfeed your mantis as they will usually discard a prey if they are done with it, however.

However, this should be avoided. when possible, just to minimize the risk of rupturing that abdomen, as a fall could lead to injury if they are too bloated with food. Once a mantis reaches adulthood, it will no longer need to grow, so you can reduce its feeding to an adequate meal once a day. One week, as your mantis grows, it will need to shed its exoskeleton, so it's important to be aware of what signs to watch for and how to prepare. A newborn mantis will multiply after a few weeks and will progressively elongate as it matures entering its final phase. the cycle to adulthood takes two to three months;

It varies between mantises, but these beginner species go through this process six times before emerging as winged adults. With the correct configuration, you will have left ample space for the mantis to escape its exoskeleton and emerge. In the next stage of its life cycle, your mantis will likely refuse food as it prepares to molt and appear slower. You may notice a slight discoloration in color as the formal shell peels off and detect visible signs of the mantis' abdomen pulsing as it attempts to remove. Its old covering once the mantis emerges will be very soft and vulnerable so it is important to leave it alone for a few days without feeding or handling it just to give it the time it needs to harden up.

If you notice your mantis displaying this behavior, don't do it. . Interfere with it unless absolutely necessary, as it will probably do more harm than good. Sometimes things can go wrong and the mantis can fall over for a while. If this happens, you can try to help her return to a high position and regain her balance so she can hang. To complete the hardening process, there are times when the mantis may have had trouble melting and there are some things we can consider to help it recover and live a healthy life. If the femantis has the ability to hang and feed, she will usually be able to solve her problems. problems in later molds, so if your mantis has leg deformities or raptors are not too serious, check its behavior and see if it is still able to catch its prey, they can usually do this even if only one raptor is Functional, there are examples where a mantis has had two of its legs caught in a malt requiring amputation, but if this is early in its life, it can grow its back.

There's a great example of this that I'll link to in the description most of the time. However, if the conditions are right, your mantis will melt just fine. They've had millions of years of evolution to perfect the process and you just need to trust them to do their thing. There are distinctive features that you can spot on your mantis as it matures to tell if it is a male or female, this can be quite diverse between species, however in general you can look at the segmented parts of its lower abdomen like An indication, males will have eight segments, while females will have six segments, in adulthood males will also have wings that spread. beyond the end of its abdomen and appears thinner compared to its female counterparts, this can be difficult to measure in younger mantids, so you may need to wait for it to grow a bit.

There are other telltale signs that some species exhibit, for example, male ghost mantis. They have a longer crown that tapers to a curve in the center compared to females, which are more rectangular. Mantids are excellent to handle and these beginner species should not pose any problems, but here are some guidelines to keep in mind: They are very fragile creatures that can be hurt easily, so it is best to try to convince them to come out of their enclosure. with a stick or something similar instead of trying to grab them, encourage them to walk towards your hand, otherwise they may become defensive or try to run away, you will find it.

It just takes a little encouragement totempt them and they often walk willingly towards the hand you present to them. Try holding your hand over them as they will often try to climb upwards. Beginner mantids will generally be very docile, but can have a burst of speed if they so desire. and may sometimes jump, it is best to be prepared for this by moving them away from anything that could hurt them or any area they can escape to. If you are handling an adult mantis that has wings, be prepared that it may try to fly, especially if it is a male, they are not really adept at flying and won't get very far, however they tend to head towards the light so just make sure the windows are closed as a precaution, you may notice your mantis leaning forward and leaning forward.

He brings his mouth to yours. skin that may look intimidating, but it's not trying to bite you, it's probably thirsty and feels damp or salty on your skin, so trying to drink a smaller mantis won't hurt you, and in the worst case, a A large mantis might give you a small bite, but it is highly unlikely, however, if it is something that concerns you, simply give your mantis a splash of water before handling it so it can hydrate. It's also a good idea to wash your hands before handling it to avoid getting anything nasty on your skin that could hurt the mantis. mantis just be sure to rinse the soap off thoroughly if you have a female mantis as she reaches adulthood she will begin to swell a lot in preparation to settle into her thickest spot.

This is the egg sac that contains potential hatchlings. A mantis will produce this regardless of whether it is mated or not, but if it has not been fertilized and the egg sac will be dormant and will not produce young, some mantids are parthenogenic, meaning they can produce young in the form of clones of themselves. even without mating; However, with beginner species this is not a concern if you see that a mantis has produced its leave it for a few days and it will change from a foamy consistency to a hardened consistency. Once the capsule has hardened, you can remove it from the enclosure if you wish.

They may lay more uthica during their adult stage, so keep this in mind if your mantis appears to be fat, she may only be carrying eggs as a last resort, you may be doing everything right. and your mantis could still die. These are insects that produce hundreds of offspring and in the wild, very few of them would survive to adulthood. If your mantis passes away, simply review its conditions and set up and see if there is anything you think may have caused it. and make the necessary modifications to the correct parameters. Female mantises can live more than a year with males a few months behind.

I really hope this guide was helpful and was compiled from common questions I've seen about the hobby from first-time keepers of these insects. One of the most fascinating and curious invertebrates available and makes an excellent pet for both children and adults. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below and I'll answer them to the best of my ability. I invite you to join the mantis maintenance forums. and Facebook groups too, as there is a lot of information on specific problems you might face if you like this type of content and want to keep up to date with developments in my own invertebrate collection.

I post videos at least once. a week, so consider subscribing, but thanks for watching, stay safe and I'll see you next time.