Mantis making Ooth

[pigglett79]

Here are a couple pics of my mantis lady making an ooth. And yes, her boyfriend lives with her. They are in an 18x18x36 screen cage and have been living together for weeks. I didn't expect him to survive and don't have anywhere to put him so I just left them together. They seem to get along fine, which is crazy.

 

[KatiLemons]

That's pretty cool! Are they both wildcaught?

 

[pigglett79]

That's pretty cool! Are they both wildcaught?

No I purchased a few ooths several months ago. I still have two females and a male. I was getting so tired of them and fed the rest off LOL.

I also have 10 ghost mantids left after feeding a bunch off as well.

I wanted to raise them up just once just for fun. They are a very expensive hobby if you don't breed crickets or flies.

 

[laurie]

So you were able to hatch and grow a pair up together? I have tried keeping them is separate deli cups. Not much luck. I do have ff's so feeding them would be no problem. maybe i will try in a screen cage. Your look so cool. How long does it take an ooth to hatch from when it is layed?

 

[pigglett79]

So you were able to hatch and grow a pair up together? I have tried keeping them is separate deli cups. Not much luck. I do have ff's so feeding them would be no problem. maybe i will try in a screen cage. Your look so cool. How long does it take an ooth to hatch from when it is layed?

I started them out in deli cups, I had to separate them out as they were all eating each other like mad. I at one time had like 15 deli cups with them all in and eventually you end up with one in each, but I selected out males and females to be sure I had pairs. I then grew them up in larger critter keepers, but they didn't seem to like those much and didn't eat well. I eventually bred my females and fed off the rest. So I only had two spare screen cages and I started to feel bad for the others that were in smaller critter keepers, so I fed them off. I then added my last male and one of the females to this screen cage (actually the one you gave me LOL). I didn't expect the male to survive so I just left them in there. They have been a happy couple ever since.

Oh I do like the ghost mantids though, they can all live together in one cage and dont eat each other, so much easier. That is why I still have 10 of those and only 3 of the Chinese.

It takes about 3 weeks for them to hatch from the ooth.......

 

[ataraxia]

Im sorry for my ignorance. I could google but id rather feel silly i guess. lol Mantids arent my strong point
I notice that you remove the front part of the arms on the female. Is this so that she doesnt kill the male or cage mates? Also, do you tongue feed her once this has happened?

 

[pigglett79]

Im sorry for my ignorance. I could google but id rather feel silly i guess. lol Mantids arent my strong point
I notice that you remove the front part of the arms on the female. Is this so that she doesnt kill the male or cage mates? Also, do you tongue feed her once this has happened?

Her arms are fully intact. She is missing part of one rear leg due to an accident with closing a lid on it when she was much younger, but that is it.

edit: those arms can really pinch too! haha. I have felt it a couple times when moving from one enclosure to another.

Edit2: Well, her arms do look a bit weird, maybe they have been attacking each other after all. I guess they aren't as in love as I thought. She seems to be missing the thin projection at the end of her arm. Good catch.

 

[ataraxia]

Ahh, i see. They are through the screen.

 

[pigglett79]

Ahh, i see. They are through the screen.

Well, I inspected her closely and she is missing the thin projections at the end of her arms, but she is currently eating a cricket and seems to be fine. I guess I should think about feeding the male off so that she remains ok.

 

[maxttu]

I started them out in deli cups, I had to separate them out as they were all eating each other like mad. I at one time had like 15 deli cups with them all in and eventually you end up with one in each, but I selected out males and females to be sure I had pairs. I then grew them up in larger critter keepers, but they didn't seem to like those much and didn't eat well. I eventually bred my females and fed off the rest. So I only had two spare screen cages and I started to feel bad for the others that were in smaller critter keepers, so I fed them off. I then added my last male and one of the females to this screen cage (actually the one you gave me LOL). I didn't expect the male to survive so I just left them in there. They have been a happy couple ever since.

Oh I do like the ghost mantids though, they can all live together in one cage and dont eat each other, so much easier. That is why I still have 10 of those and only 3 of the Chinese.

It takes about 3 weeks for them to hatch from the ooth.......

I love how you "felt bad" for them and fed them off! Lol!! Tough love!!!

 

[pigglett79]

I love how you "felt bad" for them and fed them off! Lol!! Tough love!!!

Haha, yeah I guess that's sounds bad. But after that investment of time and money I'd rather see George get a big meal than set it free I mean that is what I got them for.

 

[juice28]

I love how you "felt bad" for them and fed them off! Lol!! Tough love!!!

i was thinking the same thing lol...like dang..what if you didnt feel bad

 

[JimO]

I just had to laugh when I read that too.

It is a good thing you didn't set them free since they aren't native. They have a short life anyway, so why not give your cham a little variety.

Haha, yeah I guess that's sounds bad. But after that investment of time and money I'd rather see George get a big meal than set it free I mean that is what I got them for.