Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, I just had about 100 nymphs hatch, will they take newborn pinheads? I dont have fruit flies, I was planning to order them but didnt expect them to hatch so fast! If they refuse will they take em crushed, I tried to feed one by hand, it didnt seem interested! If they dont take crix, I hope they eat the weak that are already dieing for now!

I had the same problem. I had mine hatch before I was ready too. I now only have 7 left. Mine can take pinhead crickets and they are only 3 weeks old. I suggest you try the crickets. Are they chinese mantids? Thats what I hatched. Your going to lose a lot of them regardless if they are fed or not.

Well, yes they are chinese. I havent lost too many as I think some of them have fed on each other. I really didnt expect them to hatch today, I just got them in the mail from a friend yesterday, THANK GOD they didnt hatch in the box! I separated them into about 27 plastic cups with peat(about 8 or 9 mantids per cup) and I even put some dead (barely moving) ones in for a snack, I will remove them tomorow though so they dont rot! I will put as many crix i got in there sometime tonight! Most of them seem to be doing very well though, they are so cute! Thanks.

Your going to lose a lot of them regardless of what you do. Some just die for no reason. Mine didnt start eating each other until about the fourth day. 8 or 9 to a cup seems excessive. But I left all of mine in a ten gal. tank. I have 7 left but most died for no obvious reason. Some were eaten too though. The ones I have left are all much bigger now except a couple slackers. Wait until they molt! You will be so surprised at how much they grow with one molt. Mine have all turned green now. Mine hatched the 20th of OCT. So they are only a few weeks old and most of them have molted twice already.

Thats cool. I put more female crix in my tank so they can lay eggs. The crix are born really fast and i have 100's already! And I put about 5 crickets in every cup, They seem to be stalking the crix... The reason why i put about 8 in every cup is becasue im looking for the strongest surviors! I'll be happy with 30 nice strong mantids! I can already notice some of the weaker ones just chilling and the larger more faster ones running around, jumping on the others! lol

That actually isn't very true. It seems to be more of a "who can catch who first" game. One mantid catches another, eats it, gets fat and more sluggish, and then that mantid becomes more vulnerable to becoming a meal to another mantis. You get the picture.

-Andrew

Well not sure if you will get thirty good ones. Remember a lot of them die for no reason. I am down to seven. I expect to lose at least two more that are slacking in the size department. One of mine just molted for the THIRD time. Keep in mind these were born only three weeks ago! So that one is pretty big already.

Good, thats just what I wanted to hear. At least they will eat each other and not all drop dead! I havent lost too many yet, they seem to be jumping on each other though! They are so cute, I was very upset when my male died, but now hopefully I can mate em when they grow up. Also they have been eating the pinheads! Since thier also newely born, they dont seem to have a prob with em! Thanks guys for everything. Ill let you guys know of my progress!

Another shot. They are lil sweeties!

Is that how you hung the ooth? Upside down it looks like. Guess it didnt make much difference since you had a good hatch.

No, I had the ooth taped to the top of a jar on both sides. I moved it way after it hatched in a cup with a few mantids. I seemed to have no problem with the hatch! They hatched quick too. They are taking the pinheads with no problems. Some even eating each other!