For me, these guys make great pets. They like to be handled, are pretty, and are super easy to care for. Does anyone else here keep some? I have about 40 right now.
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Anyone else keep praying mantis pets?
- Thread starter appleguy123
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For me, these guys make great pets. They like to be handled, are pretty, and are super easy to care for. Does anyone else here keep some? I have about 40 right now.
All of these images get bigger if you click them.
Yikes! 40? Some questions:
1) How much do they cost?
2) Do you buy these at a typical pet store like PetSmart or Petco?
3) What do they eat? It looks like it's eating a moth or something in one of your pics.
Some questions:
1) How much do they cost?
2) Do you buy these at a typical pet store like PetSmart or Petco?
3) What do they eat? It looks like it's eating a moth or something in one of your pics.
1. Between $2-$10 some are more expensive, but I don't own those. I buy them as early nymphs, they get more expensive as they get older
2. Nope. Online. Mantidforum.net is where I get mine.
3. They eat smaller insects, and each other f you don't separate them.
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One of them is eating right now, so I took this pic for you.
Sometimes rarity, sometimes beauty, sometimes supply because a certain species is hard to breed. The 3rd picture in my OP is my most expensive mantid.
Aw I think they're cute!
I wouldn't own them since they'd be incompatible with my cat (its hard enough to keep her away from the frog tank now that she knows something lives in there).
I wouldn't own them since they'd be incompatible with my cat (its hard enough to keep her away from the frog tank now that she knows something lives in there).
Sorry but IMO bugs belong outside.
The same could be said for dogs, cats or any other animal normal kept as a pet.
I don't keep any as pets, but I don't mind them either. I don't get as many at my current place as I did at my parents' but I still see them occasionally
Question is, do you mate them? I know mating them is kinda of a investment since you loose the male in hopes for more mantis.
I've bred them about 20 times and only lost one male. And that was because I put 2 males in there.
Happens more in the wild because females would be more hungry.
Happens more in the wild because females would be more hungry.
For me, these guys make great pets. They like to be handled, are pretty, and are super easy to care for. Does anyone else here keep some? I have about 40 right now.
All of these images get bigger if you click them.
Cool. You have terrariums to keep them in? Do they drink water or get all their moisture from their prey? Is it difficult to tell a male from a female? Do they only eat live bugs or can you put a dead one on a stick and make it dance around as a substitute?*
Would they eat live meal worms? How much maintenance do they require?*Years ago that is how I fed a rock python dead rats. Drag them around by the tail. The snake would strike and eat it.
You know your avatar is mantis like?
I've seen people keep spiders as pets but I didn't know anyone had mantises. I think I prefer the green ones, they look less creepy.
Cool. You have terrariums to keep them in? Do they drink water or get all their moisture from their prey? Is it difficult to tell a male from a female? Do they only eat live bugs or can you put a dead one on a stick and make it dance around as a substitute?*
Most of them live in deli cups. Mantids like small cages to get their food easier. They get most water from pray, but they sometimes drink when you mist them. As nymphs, it can sometimes be difficult to sex them, it depends on the species. It's almost always obvious on adults though.
They will stop eating their prey if it does not fight. They will eat meal worms, but they're not very healthy. Mine eat hoppers, moths, and flies.
Very little maintence. They will eat as much as you want to feed them(except when about to molt), but only Ned to be fed bout 1x per week. Misting helps with molts. The small containers are cheap and easy to clean or replace.
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There are entire forums dedicated to keeping mantids. I get all of mine from forums.
I'm reminded of those movies from the 50's... With the 20' long ones spiders, mantises, your choice.
Thanks for the info. I'll probably resist.
Cool!
Do they bite, or pinch, or whatever? Are they easy to handle? Do they fly? How long do they live?
I like unusual pets like these. Very cool.
Do they bite, or pinch, or whatever? Are they easy to handle? Do they fly? How long do they live?
I like unusual pets like these. Very cool.
They don't really pinch unless you've done somethig to hurt them. In only been pinned once when one of them was trying to eat the other and I aggressively separate them. It didn't hurt bad.Cool!
Do they bite, or pinch, or whatever? Are they easy to handle? Do they fly? How long do they live?
I like unusual pets like these. Very cool.
They really like to be handled.
Males can fly after they're adult. Females can't. Females live for a year, males for about 8 months.
Cool insects. I'd never heard/known of anyone keeping them as pets before. The ghost mantis reminds me of the predator.
They walk really weirdly and wag their abdomen like a dog tail. I'll try to get a video tomorrow.