*Update:MORE Nymphs! What NOW?* The Mantises are hatching!!!

[Krissim Klaw]

You should send some of your extras to me! Ahhh what have you done to me I am so craving nymphs now.

As for the nematodes, not sure I've ever seen anyone specifically ask about that. These nymphs will be too larger to want to fuss with anything that small. I also don't think you have anything to worry about them messing with your mantids. If I remember correctly they tend to go for delicate things like flea larva. The nymphs should be way too large and hardy for them to do any harm to.  

[imderanged]

OK so now as of June 25, after a not unexpected die off of some of the nymphs and an accident in which my husband knocked over one of the cups (I had coco fiber at the bottom & some got buried. He didn't tell me right away but when I found out I spread out the dirt on some notebook paper and rescued as many as I could. Hubby tried to help me wrangle them but accidentally killed another closing the lid. HE IS NOT ALLOWED ANYWHERE NEAR THEM ANYMORE) I have 2 large deli cups with about 10 nymphs apiece plus the ones in the terrarium ( much harder to get a count) They are getting misted daily and eating D. melanogaster. I think I saw one starting to molt but when I checked on it later I couldn't find it (one of the ones in the terrarium) so I don't know if it went well sad I just got more cups, so I might split them up even more in the next few days.  

[Krissim Klaw]

Awe, sorry about your losses but if it is any conciliation in the wild they would be lucky for one or two from the Ootheca to make it to adulthood. I am rooting for you, and hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on in. =3  

[imderanged]

POOP. I found a shed exoskeleton this morning, so of course I was excited my little guys were growing. But I found the newly shed mantis on the floor of the tank and it's all twisted... I'm guessing it fell before it was done drying. It's alive but I don't hold out much hope for it. sad  

[Kipluck]

I think molting is so fascinating, but so stressful. With my crabs and my roaches especially. They just become so soft and vulnerable.  

[Krissim Klaw]

Shedding is indeed a delicate process. It is one of the reasons I like my crew to be caged alone so they won't be bugged during the process. I also like the net cages for shedding because I think it provides for an easier grip for most species.  

[imderanged]

He actually was on the screen when he shed, most of the mantises stay on the top screens of the terrarium or cups. I got a few more cups though and i think I'm going to get some tighter screening to fix these up (the fruitflys can climb though the screen I have now) I'm pretty excited though. While i have had a lot of loses I saw another shedding and I think this time it went a lot better and I've seen a few in the oldest group that look to me to have grown and shed when i wasn't looking. They are hunting and eating more consistently.  

[Krissim Klaw]

Yay, and please don't be discouraged by the odd death here or there. This species is known to have sizable losses for seemingly no reasons. That is one of the reasons this species have such high yielding ooths.  

[imderanged]

I am having a terrible time feeding them! They can be sitting perfectly still but as soon as I open the top they come charging out of the cup and spread out everywhere. Every single feeding time I am trying to herd 5 or 6 nymphs that jump make a break for it. Any suggestions? (I've tried blowing on them, it doesn't work for me)

Also, one of my nymphs had trouble molting but it made it! but now one of his legs faces the wrong direction. Is there any I can do or is he doomed at the next molt?  

[Krissim Klaw]

If you have them in the deli cups, I know a lot of members will cut a small hole in the side and stuff it with some foam or a napkin. Then when they go to feed they just open that little hole and dump some food down in it than cork it back up. You can use a funnel to make dumping the fruit flies in easier.

As for the one with the injured leg, there is a good chance he can still have a perfectly successful molt and fix his leg. You may want to check the humidity though in your cages and raise it a bit if you are getting twisted limbs.  

[imderanged]

Krissim Klaw

If you have them in the deli cups, I know a lot of members will cut a small hole in the side and stuff it with some foam or a napkin. Then when they go to feed they just open that little hole and dump some food down in it than cork it back up. You can use a funnel to make dumping the fruit flies in easier.

As for the one with the injured leg, there is a good chance he can still have a perfectly successful molt and fix his leg. You may want to check the humidity though in your cages and raise it a bit if you are getting twisted limbs.

It is just one mantis, the others legs are good. I saw one with the molt stuck on it's leg & dragging it around, I think it was that one but I can't be possessive. I've been spraying one a day, you think I should increase it to twice a day?  

[Krissim Klaw]

Humidity can be a delicate thing. I'm not sure where you are or how dry the air is. You don't want to mist so much that the droplets stay in the container that long or mold forms, but at the same time you don't want it to be too dry. I would think once a day spray in a deli cup should be enough.