# Indian flower mantis?



## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Hello,
Looking into getting one of these. Mainly to photograph. Just wondering about their care? Are they easy? What size enclosure? 

Thanks in advance.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

I found them really easy to keep, we got 7 and got all 7 to maturity, although the males don't last very long. 

Keep them quite humid, but not soaking a mist every couple of days should be enough, a little warmer than room temperature. 

We kept ours in pint pots their whole life, they don't grow very big!


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

Not sure what species you meant but i'm assuming you meant the Creobroter genus???
If so, here's a good care sheet for them,
Creobroter sp (gemmatus, pictipennis, elongata) Indian Flower Mantis Care Sheet. - UK Mantis Forums


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks  do they tolerate handling? If not are there any other species that would?


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## iLuke (Jul 14, 2011)

My African congo mantis likes being handled lol, it's pretty fun to look after and keep


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Thanks  do they tolerate handling? If not are there any other species that would?


Very friendly little mantids, you can handle them no problem. : victory:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks  I might get one. Will they only mainly eat fruit flys, or will they eat teeny locust? (I buy these to feed to my mini frogs)


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Thanks  I might get one. Will they only mainly eat fruit flys, or will they eat teeny locust? (I buy these to feed to my mini frogs)


Well if you get them under L3 they will be about the size of the smallest locusts, so you may need to get fruit flies then, when ours were L4-5 they were taking green bottles. 

they really do prefer flying food and do much better on this, but can be fed locusts if needs must, no crickets though.


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks for the help do you know of any good suppliers of all things mantis?


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Thanks for the help do you know of any good suppliers of all things mantis?


Metamorphosis often have them in, failing that the UK mantisforum has people selling mantids, sometimes flowers pop up.


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## iLuke (Jul 14, 2011)

vivalabam said:


> Well if you get them under L3 they will be about the size of the smallest locusts, so you may need to get fruit flies then, when ours were L4-5 they were taking green bottles.
> 
> they really do prefer flying food and do much better on this, but can be fed locusts if needs must, no crickets though.


Why don't you feed your mantid's crickets for?


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

iLuke said:


> Why don't you feed your mantid's crickets for?


Just flowers, them and orchids are a lot more sensitive to the bacteria in crickets guts.


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## iLuke (Jul 14, 2011)

vivalabam said:


> Just flowers, them and orchids are a lot more sensitive to the bacteria in crickets guts.


Oh right, my african congo is alright with them though yeah?


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks  I will look at getting a set up sorted. I take it they need to be housed on their own?


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

iLuke said:


> Oh right, my african congo is alright with them though yeah?


Yeah should be, although you could try and mix things up a bit, feed it locusts ever now and again. 



Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Thanks  I will look at getting a set up sorted. I take it they need to be housed on their own?


Ah right awesome. :no1:

Yeah, they can live together, but it is likely you will loose a few, much better to just keep them apart.


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## iLuke (Jul 14, 2011)

Thought so  Cheers Kerry.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

iLuke said:


> Thought so  Cheers Kerry.


You're welcome! :no1:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Pmsl, Just told my mum about the mantis and she said 'I'm not having bugs in this house' My reply was... what do you think I feed the frogs and geckos! I even have roaches. She then began shouting to my dad 'did you know she has roaches' :lol2: Hilarious.... I've enquired on metamorphosis.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Pmsl, Just told my mum about the mantis and she said 'I'm not having bugs in this house' My reply was... what do you think I feed the frogs and geckos! I even have roaches. She then began shouting to my dad 'did you know she has roaches' :lol2: Hilarious.... I've enquired on metamorphosis.


:lol2: Gotta love parents! My mum doesn't really mind, oddly!


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

vivalabam said:


> :lol2: Gotta love parents! My mum doesn't really mind, oddly!


My mum is even scared of my tortoises... but bedroom door must be closed when she is at home. :lol2: I wasn't even really allowed any frogs, but they um just came home with me one day!


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Decided to push the boat out and go for 1 indian flower mantis and a target mantis (spiny flower?)
Could this be the start of a new obsession? :whistling2:


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## dan112 (Oct 14, 2008)

yes i got a european mantid thursday and want more already :2thumb:just dont have any money


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Decided to push the boat out and go for 1 indian flower mantis and a target mantis (spiny flower?)
> Could this be the start of a new obsession? :whistling2:


Let's hope so! :mf_dribble:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

I picked up a few sticks on my way home, just wondering if they are safe for mantis? also is there anything I need to do to them? Also can I use eco earth as a substrate? 








Crap pic but these are the trees that are around


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Just put them in boiling water for a bit, we don't even bother doing that. :blush:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Ok doke  is that tree safe to use? I'm mainly worried about mould growth as I know this is bad for the mantis. Also can I use eco earth? I want to make it natural looking :blush:


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Ok doke  is that tree safe to use? I'm mainly worried about mould growth as I know this is bad for the mantis. Also can I use eco earth? I want to make it natural looking :blush:


No idea, if our twigs grow mould we throw them out and get more, there's lots of twigs about! :lol2:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks, I'll just do the same. I'm going to put a thin layer of eco earth in the bottom too


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Thanks, I'll just do the same. I'm going to put a thin layer of eco earth in the bottom too


Yeah, that's good for humidity. :no1:


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

I often use sticks from the garden, just dowse them in boiling water and give them a bit of a clean. I doubt they'd go mouldy, none of mine ever have.
Good luck with your new mantids :2thumb:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks  I got 2 today and I've got one arriving from metamorphosis tomorrow !
Heres my teeny tiny indian flower:
















And a rubbish pic, but my spiny flower who tried to attack me bless him :flrt:








And again rubbish pic, but here's their little set ups. there are holes drilled in the lid too.









p.s just sprayed the jars and those pics make it look wetter than it is!


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Is the top of the lid cut out? Or is it just the normal lid over the mesh?


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

vivalabam said:


> Is the top of the lid cut out? Or is it just the normal lid over the mesh?


Normal lid with holes drilled in the top. Thought it would be more secure.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Normal lid with holes drilled in the top. Thought it would be more secure.


Na, take the lid off and just have mesh, there needs to be loads of ventilation with mantids, especially these ones.


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

Ok, was just worried as the mesh isn't a massivly tight fit. worried about them getting out.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> Ok, was just worried as the mesh isn't a massivly tight fit. worried about them getting out.


They aren't really escape artists, you just need an elastic band round there, leave it tonight if you don't have any and pick up some elastic bands tomorrow.


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

It does have an elastic band round it already, just looked like one of them was trying to find a way out already :lol2: I'll take the lids off when I go upstairs.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Jazzy B Bunny said:


> It does have an elastic band round it already, just looked like one of them was trying to find a way out already :lol2: I'll take the lids off when I go upstairs.


They aren't really escape artists, we often have a massive hole in out mesh and never had an escapee. 

The only time one has ever escaped is when the lid fell off in the car, it was an adult male so he obviously went looking for love! :lol2:


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## Jazzy B Bunny (Jun 21, 2007)

The 2 teeny ones have just had their first fruit flies  The bigger one I got from metamorphosis is big enough to eat small locusts but I'll feed that one tomorrow as he/she's just arrived.


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