Among the most stunning and unique creatures in the insect kingdom, the praying mantis is an excellent choice as a pet. Capturing and caring for one is both enjoyable and straightforward. Simply find a jar large enough to accommodate the mantis and gently place it inside. Ensure your new pet's comfort by providing a spacious enclosure and ample food.
Procedure
Capturing the Praying Mantis
Scour flowering shrubs and wooded areas for a praying mantis. While the exact location of a praying mantis is unpredictable, they tend to inhabit regions with flowering shrubs and trees. Carefully inspect shrubs and foliage nearby, as their slender bodies and green hue allow them to blend seamlessly into their environment.
- Check around your home, paying particular attention to damp areas and foliage.
- Explore spots abundant with insects and bugs, especially where you've previously encountered praying mantises.
Put on gardening gloves before capturing your mantis. While praying mantises are not venomous, they can bite. To avoid being bitten, wear gardening gloves.
- If bitten by a praying mantis, quickly shake your hand up and down to reduce the pain.
Extend your hand towards the mantis. It should climb onto your hand willingly. Be careful not to squeeze it.
- You may choose to use gloves when handling the praying mantis.
Transfer your praying mantis into a jar. Use a spacious empty jar capable of holding at least 16 fluid ounces (473 mL). Cover the jar's opening with plastic cling wrap and secure it with a rubber band. Poke several small holes in the cling wrap to allow for ventilation.
- A large peanut butter or kimchi jar is suitable for this purpose.
- Opt for a plastic jar if available, as it's less likely to break compared to glass.
- While capturing your praying mantis in the wild, a small jar can be used temporarily. However, for long-term housing, a larger habitat is necessary.
Preparing the Living Space
Provide an enclosure with dimensions at least three times the length of your mantis' body and twice its width. This size enclosure ensures ample space for your mantis to move around. An aquarium cage with a mesh top is recommended for proper ventilation.
- The enclosure's height should also be at least three times the length of your mantis.
Include a substrate in your mantis habitat. Consider utilizing shredded tissue paper, vermiculite, potting soil, sand, woodchips, or shredded bark. These materials absorb water effectively and release it gradually, maintaining a stable humidity level in the mantis habitat.
- There's no specific amount of substrate required for your mantis habitat. Adding 1 inch (2.5 cm) or 2 inches (5.1 cm) of substrate should suffice to ensure your pet's health and happiness.
Position plants and twigs within your mantis' habitat. Introduce plants similar to those found in your mantis' natural surroundings. In addition to small plants, you can incorporate twigs, reeds, branches, artificial plants and flowers, or decorative plastic branches.
- Artificial plants and branches are commonly utilized in lizard habitats and should be accessible at your local pet store.
- If using artificial plants or branches, ensure they are free from glue and insecticides.
- Add at least one branch to the habitat that measures three times the length of your mantis' body. Your mantis will utilize this branch during its molting process.
Caring for Your Companion
Monitor the suitable temperature and humidity levels. The ideal temperature and humidity levels vary based on the mantis species you've acquired. Place a thermometer and hygrometer in or near your mantis habitat to ensure it remains within optimal environmental conditions.
- If your pet is housed in a room with extreme temperatures, consider relocating it to a more controlled environment.
- To elevate humidity, mist the substrate with water. Increasing the frequency of misting will raise the habitat's humidity levels. Alternatively, reduce air ventilation at the top of your mantis' enclosure to boost humidity.
Provide your mantis with flies and other insects as sustenance. Praying mantises enjoy consuming flies, roaches, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, and other small insects. You can introduce these bugs into your mantis' habitat or feed them directly using tweezers.
- Your mantis will only consume live insects, so acquire them from a pet store or catch them yourself. Insects can be found in forests or on farmland.
- If feeding live bugs, wait until your mantis captures and consumes them. Otherwise, the bugs may escape and perish, leaving your mantis hungry.
- The feeding frequency depends on the mantis species. Some may require feeding every four days, while others may need daily meals.
Perform monthly cleaning of your mantis' habitat. Transfer your mantis to a small jar of the same size used for initial capture, then empty all substrate from the habitat and wash it with hot water. Avoid using detergent as it could harm your pet. Add fresh substrate and replace the shrubs and branches.
Keep your mantis solitary. Praying mantises are solitary creatures. Housing two together will result in them attacking each other.
Identifying Your Mantis' Species
Determine your mantis species based on its geographical location. Various mantis species inhabit different natural environments. For example, the Carolina mantis is not found in England as it is native to the U.S. Refer to a book detailing praying mantis species and their respective habitats to determine which of the 2,400 species your mantis belongs to.
- The Carolina mantis inhabits the U.S. from New York to Florida, extending from the east coast to Utah, Arizona, and Texas.
- The black barrel or eight-spotted mantis is indigenous to Australia and New Guinea.
- Theopropus elegans is found in Singapore, Myanmar, Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
Measure your mantis' length. Utilize a ruler to measure the length of your mantis. Different species exhibit varying body sizes. For instance, the Chinese mantis can grow up to 4.5 inches (11 cm), whereas the Carolina mantis typically measures only 2 to 2.5 inches (5.1 to 6.4 cm). Refer to a book illustrating the differences among mantis species and compare your mantis' length with those of other species to identify its classification.
Avoid relying on color to determine the species of your mantis. While mantises are commonly green or brown, individuals of the same species can vary in coloration.
Consult an entomologist. Entomologists specialize in insects and can assist with identifying your mantis species. Reach out to entomologists at your local university or entomological society for guidance.
Helpful Tips
- It's advisable to leave praying mantises in their natural habitat as they play crucial roles in local ecosystems and gardens.
The insights shared in this section are drawn from the experiences of Mytour readers like yourself. If you have a useful tip to contribute, please share it with us by submitting it below.
- Explore damp, lush areas abundant with foliage, branches, and blooming flora to discover mantises. Gently lift one using gloved hands or allow it to crawl onto your palm. Move with caution to prevent startling the creature.
- Identify the species based on its geographical location, physical characteristics such as size, and seek advice from entomology experts if necessary. With over 2,400 species worldwide, narrowing down the identification can be challenging.
- Handle your newfound companion with care and consistency to establish trust. Avoid any form of pressure or harm. Through regular, gentle interaction, mantises will become accustomed to human presence and may willingly perch on your hand.
- Provide a secure enclosure that is at least three times the length of the mantis, furnished with branches, foliage, and appropriate temperature controls. A well-designed habitat is essential for maintaining the health of mantises.
- Mantises are solitary creatures by nature. Keeping two together increases the risk of aggression and fatal encounters. It is imperative to house mantises separately in individual enclosures.
- Offer live prey obtained from the wild or purchased from pet stores for feeding. Mantises exclusively consume live, moving insects. Use tweezers to present the prey for convenience.