| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| adamasrc |
Posted - 24/11/2011 : 21:03:33
hey guys, was looking at getting a mantis for my younger brother, he had stick insects before and loved them, was just wondering what you need to keep them? and how much does it cost? cheers :) |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Rake |
Posted - 09/12/2011 : 10:25:34
easy answer is cheap cheap and cheap, my smallest nymph at the minute lives in a Asda coffee jar with a stick and some meshing and some soil for substrate, they do need it dampish depending on mantid but do fine at room temp, general rule is no higher than 30 and try to provide a temp drop at night to prolong the life, if your house is cold then a heat mat does well |
| adamasrc |
Posted - 29/11/2011 : 17:37:28
sounds perfect, what do they need in the way of heating / lighting? and how much does a set up cost? |
| Mort13 |
Posted - 29/11/2011 : 10:43:05
Ooh I love the ghost mantids,they are such cool alien looking bugs!  |
| Emmy1 |
Posted - 28/11/2011 : 22:41:16
Absolutely! They can be slow hunters, so you may need to supervise the feeding of their prey. I'm not sure about other species, but a Ghost mantis is stationary a lot of the time. Mine slept all night and all morning, then hunted for 2 hours befor egoing back to a stationary position. But for those 2 hours of the day, she was gripping to watch. |
| adamasrc |
Posted - 28/11/2011 : 16:54:37
would you say they are suitable for a younger child, with supervision of an adult? |
| Emmy1 |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 23:04:59
I payed £6 for my female Ghost Mantis. She was definitely the most interesting pet I've had, hands down! The way they move and hunt is gripping! It's a little different from keeping stick insects as they eat live food and shed their skin, which means you have to keep their habitat a little moist and keep a watchful eye on them.
I kept mine in a box my lizard's crickets came in and fed them fruit flies. Unfortunately, she had a bad shed and ended up ripping out her feeding arm. I had her for 4 months, and would ahve had her longer if it wasn't for her struggling with her shed.
I used to leave a damp leaf in with her and she'd suckle the water dew up to hydrate herself. Really really interesting insects. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 19:16:16
You need insects and lots of them they are eating machines. Some are not a lot different to stick insects in their habitat and heat requirements. Depends what you want. I'd go have a chat with your local reptile shop so you get an idea of what you can get in your area. |
