Mine came in today Hopefully they won't come out over the weekend cause I will be gone. Mark

Hmmmm......
A suspicious looking envelope just showed up.
I wonder if there could be any Fiero robbing insects inside.

quote Originally posted by Deabionni: Hmmmm...... A suspicious looking envelope just showed up. I wonder if there could be any Fiero robbing insects inside.

I am SO surprised that they actually sent them in the mail like that... can one of you post a pic of the envelope?

Here are some links:

http://www.life.uiuc.edu/entomology/entoillinois/InsectFAQ/mantiscare.htm

http://www.easyinsects.co.uk/mantis/ootheca/

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/mantids/p/mantids.htm

http://www.wildeyereptiles.com/sections/insects.htm

[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 02-04-2005).]

I'll post a pic of the envelope when I get home tonight.

This should be interesting Um, just in case, keep them away from my car...

------------------

1984 Fiero SE

[This message has been edited by RWDPLZ (edited 02-04-2005).]

Johnny Mantis Seed. Had I asked it would have been redundent. We have a hugh population.

Cool pic. Looks like a "Carolina mantis".

Knaw, It,s a Down in Alabama inside yo mamas pajamas mantis.

My Aunt next door is scared to death of them . See it's already killed the cat.

[This message has been edited by Wolfhound (edited 02-04-2005).]

Here's how the envelope arrived.

I can only imagine how many Fiero thieving things are waiting to bust out of that envelope.

[This message has been edited by Deabionni (edited 02-05-2005).]

Thanks for postining the pics. Good luck raising 'em...

Just remember to get a spray bottle, and make sure the container has some air holes.

If you get flightless fruitflies, more of yer buddies will survive, but even if you provide them with enough food, a lot of them die within the first two weeks. Basically, you get the FF is a amll tube. Put that in the middle of the tank, and just open it. by the time the mantids hatch, there will be a LOT of little FF for them to munch on.

the pet shop here says that the big ones eat crickets......is that true??

Sure, They will eat pretty much ANYTHING that moves in front of them...
Worms, crickets,chicken, fingers..

But when they are babies, they eat smaller stuff.

Just don't just dump a lot of crickets in the tank, the crickets may munch on the mantis!

yeah that's why i said the big ones...that's crazy man, this should be good for some short video clips.......what's a healthy lifespan for them?

6 months to a year...
There are a few species that live a bit longer.

The Chinese ones I sent you are among the largest.. Not "Huge" , but they get pretty big.

[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 02-05-2005).]

Wow! They just started hatching !
For those whow have set up your little Mantis tanks, check to see if you rs hatched yet!
Make sure you have some sticks/twigs/other stuff in there, so they can climb!

Remember not to spray them TOO much, just once or twice, they easily drown right now...!

Just spray the side of the tank once a day.

I want one that would be awesome.

Mine haven't come out yet. I hope that they stay in there for a few more days until the fruit flies that I have make some babies. I guess I could always just get more from the Biology Dept. if they don't. It's gonna be fun watchin those critters roam around the cage.

I want some!!! I have a 25 gallon fish tank is that good enough??? Plus how do you guys keep them in your tanks? wire mesh or something? Plus on average how many come out of just one egg?

Nick

Fierorumor, that is so cool that you are offering these creatures to good homes.
I have seen lots of those egg cases in the wild and never knew what they were. Thank you for that info.
The state of Florida would bury us both if you sent anything here - Very illegal to ship insects or fruit here.
We are so vulnerable to invasive species, we have to be careful.
Too bad. I would give them a home in my backyard if I could...
Best to you and your pets!

Maybe I'll go and get a few more egg cases from that field... but for now, I don't want to ship any of these cases, they might hatch in transit, and that would be sad.

A few importatnt things for those who have them :

If you tape the cases to the side of the tank/enclosure, make sure the tape adhesive is not exposed, or little babies will get stuck. The mesh should be like a screen door, or holes in the container shouldn't be much larger then this ---> 0
mist them only a little the first few days, or they will drown in the droplets. Stick a piece of paper towel in the bottom to absorb moisture.

The two egg cases that have hatched have made about 400 babies so far. The fruit flies should arrive tomorrow, and they should be happy munching on those.

They could hatch NOW, or in a few weeks, it really depends on the heat , humidity, and when the egg case was created. Some of them might not hatch, that's nature, the female might not have been fertilized, or it could be an old case.

Also, a lot of mantids will hatch, then die after a few minutes. That's the way it goes. If you want to move /carry/pick up a little mantis (or even the larger ones) let them crawl onto something. then carry THAT thing. they are pretty fragile. Also, babies hop. a lot.

Lets' see your enclosures!

Hope they hatch soon!

-FieroRumor

The babies hatched from THESE containers:

(A large chinese soup container, and a cheeseball chip container.)

I used a twig to get 'em from those small containers to the main enclosure (They tend to climb upwards)

Here's a pic of my "main" enclosure:

(A large disposable cake holder)

You don't need a lot to keep 'em.

[This message has been edited by FieroRumor (edited 02-13-2005).]

Its that easy Rumour? I have heard it both long and loud from the wife that I am absolutely not having any &*^% mantids in the house. Gee, I could have stayed at home with Mom to get this attitude, Your lucky you have such an understanding wife. I will be waiting until it finally warms up enough to put those oothacas outside so early May weather permitting. Will you be setting up the Mantis cam? I don't have cable and need something to watch. Kevin

quote Originally posted by Tinker: Its that easy Rumour? I have heard it both long and loud from the wife that I am absolutely not having any &*^% mantids in the house. Gee, I could have stayed at home with Mom to get this attitude, Your lucky you have such an understanding wife. I will be waiting until it finally warms up enough to put those oothacas outside so early May weather permitting. Will you be setting up the Mantis cam? I don't have cable and need something to watch. Kevin

Heh, She's NOT that understanding, she just has no idea about them yet... LOL!!!!!

I suppose I'll set up the 'Cam again... I've been really busy working on a way to merge all of the projects I've been working on, and it's progressing well. Don't want to blab about it too much yet.

It IS pretty easy to raise them, I'm going to have a few little mantid groups, so I end up with a few large ones.

With this new batch of online classes I just started, I'll be sitting here for about three hours a night. The Mantids give me somethin' to stare at while I'm at class..

I would like one... PM sent!

quote Originally posted by blakeinspace: I would like one... PM sent!

ONE??? How about 2000?

THIS is what I came home to tonight:

Holy Cow!

Hope a few of yours hatch soon!

PM sent.. Nice pics!!