[NaomiR]

I'm getting a peacock Mantid (for my daughter Jamie) - they're awesome so I thought I would show you a picture

I'm getting 3 Mantids for me, they're Orchids, how lovely are these guys???

I'm also highly tempted by the Flower Mantid.......

 

[Rowangate]

I don't think us humans realise how different bugs and insects can look, all three are very pretty.

 

[SarahC]

Im beginning to go off you Naomi,I think you are living the life I should be :mrgreen:

 

[NaomiR]

you are living the life I should be :mrgreen:

it's a tough job but someone's got to do it :lol:

you like them then??

 

[SarahC]

yes I like them a lot.I've kept the green ones in my youth but not for many years and now there are more varieties available.I like beetles a lot to.I've never kept any because the ones I like are expensive and I assume the beetle stage is the end of their life and I have no experience of them.I also have always greatly desired an emerald tree boa.This desire hasn't diminished with the years,they are expensive and not to easy to keep though.If you get one Naomi I shall have to kill you.

 

[NaomiR]

No worries there I really DON'T like bugs and bettles :lol: I used to be fascinated by the dung beetles when I lived in Africa they were fabulous creatures but I really don't think I would actually like to own any, I'll leave them in Africa I think.

No idea what a tree boa is so I'm off to google it

 

[vickyholt13]

they are beautiful. i found mantis a little tricky as some are canabalistic and like to live alone and breeding them the females like to munch the heads of there mates while mating and after if your not quick enough to get them out. i love insectsi have uite a few varietys of stick insect including some with nastly spines that like to draw blood regular with a back leg grasp lol. i love beetles too but onle keep one cheap variety the spotted sun beetl i also keep millipedes, and lots of land snail species. good look with your mantis there nice species you have picked makes me want to start keeping the odd one again

 

[NaomiR]

all mine are going to live on their own Vicky, can't risk any of them loosing their heads it would be such a shame :lol:

the 3 x orchids arrived this morning they are MINISCULE lol I've popped them into their containers but really at a loss at to what I should feed them, I didn't expect them to be so weeny I hope the other ones are a bit bigger can't wait for these ones to moult

 

[vickyholt13]

aww bless them very dinky then. normal food is fruit flies for the small ones. hope you get on well with them pics maybe of your new tiny pets when you get chance

 

[Alan_Calderwood]

nice one naomi mantids are very interesting to keep the diferance between a new hatched nymph and a fully moulted out adult always used to amaze me
heres a good site for care sheet for them also try ebay for buying them thats where i used to sell alot of my nymphs and you get a good deal to

one thing thought i would advise against any species that requires high levels or heat and humidity as a little in either direction can be disastrous but id deffo go for the peacock mantis and have a look at the link bellow and you will find loads like the peacock that need low levels of humidity and and heat
http://www.insectstore.com/

good luck
Alan

 

[ian]

I had a flower mantid named Magda. She (actually a he!) was fascinating especially when ripping the heads off crickets and sucking up their legs like spaghetti. I used to keep her in my room but I kept having nightmares about her attacking me and I had to move her.

 

[NaomiR]

well this is my little orchid nymph, she looks nothing like an orchid right now because they mimic red ants to protect themselves when they're so young and vunerable.......

 

[Velvet_Meece]

Wow they are young aren't they!

Orchids rarely eat prey that isn't flying, so unlike other matids you can feed crickets, roaches, locusts, waxworms etc to, orchids you need fruitflies for nymphs and green/blue bottle flies for adults, you just buy a pot of maggots wait until they form a cast and chuck a few in the mantids enclosure

Out of the 3 you mentioned, i'd deffo choose a peacock, in fact i have on myself, but out the 3 you chose, peacocks are the easiest to keep alive and care for, room temps fine, they eat anything and everything and its uncommon to lose any few at one time for no apparent reason! theres loads of lovely looking easy to care for mantids...but so many people are attracted to the flower type as well as dead leaf, ghost and gongylus species, but again they are slightly more difficult to care for, all differ....but i'll stop babbling now and just say...

Lovely manties!!!! :mrgreen:

 

[Erica08]

They are AMAZING :!: I didn't know they could come in so many colors and varieties :bash