# starter mantid/mantis??



## casperclone (Sep 17, 2007)

hey, im new to inverts, im allowed a mantis/mantid and was wonderin which is the best starter?, any other info would be greatly appreciated


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## Rainwater (Apr 18, 2007)

get a hardy species, like a giant african/asian or chinese praying mantis...


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## casperclone (Sep 17, 2007)

TY
I added ur msn if u dont mind so u can give me some info


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## daikenkai (May 24, 2007)

id suggest giant asians. only because they were my first mantids. or marbled mantids. both are ok with handling and very hardy and greedy! 
i had an asian called gammy, she was my favourite. really nosey wee thing and would hand feed too!


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## casperclone (Sep 17, 2007)

has anyone got any care sheets that i could have alook at, all the 1s i look at r shite 2 be perfectly honest


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## johnny_jb (Jun 15, 2006)

African, all around African would be my answer. I've been breeding for a bit now. And I've noticed I have a higher success rate with Africans then any other. I do have a care sheet, one that I wrote lol.
Here it is:

*African mantis (sphodromantis lineola)*

_Introduction _​ 
This also is one of the easiest mantis species and not as big as the Giant Asian but still I would recommend this mantis for a beginner. This mantis is also fine at room temperature. This is a medium sized mantis, males being about 5-6cm’s females being about 7-8cm. This is also a typical mantis look, green, brown or cream coloured. Two small yellow or green eye shaped patterns can be found on their wings (one on each side). They do require misting 3-4 times a week in order for them to drink.
_Sexing _​ ​ With most mantids, females are bigger, more bulk and more aggressive etc. The females have 6 segments on the underside of the abdomen were as the males have 7(+).

_Housing_​ ​ Housing is also the same as the Giant Asian. The container has to be 3x the size of the mantis from its head to the tip of its abdomen. And well ventilated. But don’t be concerned if you haven’t got a small enough container with most mantids especially one’s like the African and Giant Asian you can’t really have a too big of a container for them. But NEVER house two praying mantids together unless your mating because even while mating cannibalism in this species is common, and in most species. 

_Feeding _​ ​ Since this species can be aggressive and females tend to be the most aggressive, they eat will eat loads and I’ve had and seen reports of their abdomen ripping open. This is true and should be kept seriously, feeding a cricket every 2-3 days is fine. But I’m also sure that your mantis doesn’t want to be stuck eating the same type of food all the time and you will most likely get bored of watching it anyway. Feed it the odd fly, moth butterfly even a wasp or bee, yes there are risks with that but it’s much more interesting for you to watch the mantis catch a fly or something in mid-air and it’s more interesting for the mantis to do so it’s self. But another to keep in mind is after your mantis has just eaten. Don’t put another one straight into there because you will be over feeding it. Which as I said earlier could rip open the abdomen, and then another cricket that you put in could start eating away at the mantis.



Thanks
-John-


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

we have chinese here. big ones!!


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## Lucifus (Aug 30, 2007)

Ive always wondered, do there swipes hurt? Also ain't they brittle?


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## johnny_jb (Jun 15, 2006)

Hey,

Their fore arms can kinda give you a little pinch, but they use these more with walking then trying to attack you. In fact, I've never been "attacked" by a mantis before. It's all in the handling really, on TV you see people picking them up by kinda "pinching" them up from their backs and obviously the mantis bit him. When really they'd prefer just to walk onto you. To be honest it's hard to get them off your hand! 
The only time I was pinched by one, was with this one that was ill and due to die soon, it kinda slumped off my hand and just managed to grab me with it's fore arm. This didn't hurt all that much really, just felt like a little prick.

When it comes to defense their main one would be to look big, bold and though. Here's a link to a Giant Asian in a defense position - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped....JPG/750px-Praying_mantis_in_defense_pose.JPG 
When this fails and they are in the claws of some animal, their last defense is to bite. When they bite it's surprisingly strong, it can actually draw blood. 

They can be brittle but this all depends on the species. Normally troubles arise with shedding in the more exotic mantids like Orchids and some flower mantis's. This is because they're not so hardy and need high humidity in order to have better successes at shedding. 
Also when it comes to them falling over; I've had a African and Giant Asian fall from my hands two feet from the floor. They just landed on their legs with a little thump. However if a Orchid was to do this, they'd most likely to have some sort of bruising as this species is really delicate.
So really it depends on the species with delicacy. You'll also find some stick mantids very brittle. Like the Brunners Stick Mantis, these are very large and can grow up to 7 inches long. But a width of no more then 1.5cm. Here's a link to a picture of one...
http://livemantis.com/stickmantis2.jpg

This is another reason why I'd recommend the African, as these aren't that aggressive as the Asian, and they don't as big with around 6-8cm's long. But if it's size you want it's the Asian - getting around 9-10cm's long.
Also with being aggressive males aren't as a aggressive than females and don't get as big. But males fly and females don't.

Thanks
-John-

P/S 
lol sorry with all the typing - got a bit carried away


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## Mark75 (Jan 21, 2007)

As a starter I'd say S lineola or one of the Hierodula species.

All can be kept at room temperature, feed well and have the classic mantid look.


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## macro junkie (Oct 27, 2007)

giant asian is best for u


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## exopet (Apr 20, 2007)

Can't really add much to this, but I'd go for an african Sphodromantis sp, I've found in my personal experience that the nymphs are a little less skittish than chinese or asians.

they can be green or brown, although most I have seen are brown. I also saw some flourescent yellow sphodromantis a few years back, but not seen them since, 

anyone know the scientific name of those?


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm still relatively new to Mantids myself and keep 3 Sphodromantis Centralis. 

This might be of interest to you:

Jungle Jars


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