Is there any non cannibalistic mantis?

[Chameleonmaster]

I would like to start breeding mantises for my chameleons. i would like to know if there is any mantis that don't eat each other when housed together as babies?What kind are they?I love mantises but i see it being a ton of work trying to keep them all separate!

 

[EKEKO]

When presented with a lack of prey they will prey on their own. Some more than others but out of experience Ghost Mantis usually don't prey on each other when provided with constant prey.

 

[Jon114]

What you're looking for is a communal mantis.

But lo' and behold; there are no communal mantids. ALL will partake in cannibilism, some more than others.

There are several species which are much less cannibilistic than T. sinesis, however these are tropical species which are considered PETS rather than feeders. Having had experience with many species of mantids, I would consider two species, both commonly kept, to be the least cannibilistic. Such mantids are Phyllocrania paradoxa, the ghost mantis, and Gongylus gongylodes, the violin mantis. Ooths from both species can hatch out and grow several instars with little to no cannibilism as long as lots of food is provided. They grow more cannilbilistic as they grow larger.

The catch? As being regarded as pets due to their extremely exotic looks and behaviors, they're expensive. A single P. paradoxa l2/l3 nymph is about 10+$. G. gongylodes nymphs can be 30+$ a piece! You'd be better off breeding these two species of mantids, selling them, and using the resulting money to buy more feeders.

So in short, stick with chinese mantids. They're cheap and easy to care for. You just need to feed them well.

 

[camimom]

Nope! Not asking,e one.

As babies if you provide enough food,they wonton but they grow up and eventually will.
its nature.

 

[Chameleonmaster]

Ok thanks for the input guys! I guess I am just going to go with the chinese mantis or whatever I can find in the classified. I have plenty of crickets so keeping them fed shouldn't be a problem.
Thanks again!

 

[little leaf]

I am growing babies right now- I can for sure tell you this-
be sure you have LOTS of fr/flies ready -
I have them separated in water cooler jugs - I started them in a screen cage- both they AND the fr/ flies were getting out - I have baby mantis ALL over the house- lol - and the tiny flies just walked right out of the screen -
I use a coffee filter on the top of the jug ( if you call a water supplier, they have the jugs that may have tiny cracks , and I bought mine for $3 each) , and no one has gotten out - but also, you can not pick up that many lose fr/ flies- but you can suck them up w/ you sweeper hose- put a pantyhose over the end, and then loosen the attachment so you have just a small bit of suction, just enough to make them stick- and then put it over a bucket, and turn off the sweeper, they fall right off- and that is the best way I have found to collect the escaped fr/ flies- if you try to pick them up the squish
I dont know if I am doing any of this right- its my first time- but the little mantis are so cute , I dont so much mind them out- but the flies- ewwwwww- lol

 

[Chameleonmaster]

sounds like a hassle but i am still going to give it a shot. im hoping someone at the reptile show this weekend is going to have some for sale or some type of strange feeder. i was thinking some type of cheap Tupperware to put babies in.

 

[little leaf]

you can go to Gorden's food and get a whole ton of deli cups for like $5 - get the tall ones- any food supplier should have them , but they are fast- so to feed and water them you must be quick- that is how alot of mine get out now- so I changed to the water jugs- no one gets out now-

 

[coldbloodedAL]

In my experience, its really not worth it unless you have a larger chameleon species like c.parsonii, t melleri, f. oustaleti, etc. That may require larger, different prey to keep their interest.

I found myself tending to mantis more than my chameleons and the rest of my feeders. Misting, cleaning, and feeding 50-100 cups is a PITA if your just doing it for feeders.

If you really want to try your hands at mantis, hatch an ooth, feed off the majority to the baby chams and keep about twenty to raise. If its not much of a hassle to you then go for more.

There is, on occasion a guy at the Taylor show who sells mantids(Where I got my
Ghosts from). But they usually dont come cheap.

 

[Chameleonmaster]

I cook at a church every once in awhile so we always go to gordans for supplies especially tupperware.
Thanks I will keep an eye out for him this weekend.

 

[Chameleonmaster]

I just want to try and get something different for my guys!

 

[little leaf]

how many were you looking for ?

 

[Chameleonmaster]

About 20-40 doesn't matter on age but would prefer nymphs because I have baby chams.

 

[little leaf]

oh, ok - I fed most of mine to my cham already - if you were only looking for a few I could give you some- mine keep eating each other- so every day I have less I dont know how many will make it to adult hood- but if you have no luck at the show let me know - I have 2 more to hatch out, I can let you know when they hatch and like 30 more ooth - but those are for the yard - I am like you, just messing with them to see what happens my cham better keep eating these - she is so dang picky about what she eats, these are only the 2nd food I have been able to get her to eat - these are about a week or so old

 

[Chameleonmaster]

oh, ok - I fed most of mine to my cham already - if you were only looking for a few I could give you some- mine keep eating each other- so every day I have less I dont know how many will make it to adult hood- but if you have no luck at the show let me know - I have 2 more to hatch out, I can let you know when they hatch and like 30 more ooth - but those are for the yard - I am like you, just messing with them to see what happens my cham better keep eating these - she is so dang picky about what she eats, these are only the 2nd food I have been able to get her to eat - these are about a week or so old

Lol one day you have 50, the next day you have 2.
Any amount would be good actually just to give a test run. But I will pm you if I have luck at the show this Saturday.
Thanks

 

[pepezkakap]

That's very sad that mantis used to be readily available in the wild back here in Jakarta, Indonesia. Now I haven't seen any. Not even grasshopper.

I guess I need to start importing them sooner or letter from rural areas or even worse, abroad.

 

[little leaf]

that is why I collected so many ooth , and let them loose again - we have many ( alsmot to many- lol) mantis but we also used to have walking sticks all over- and lady bugs- I think they are making a come back- I see a few more every year then the last - but it is just sad what we are doing to the world