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This is general care information pertaining to most mantid species. Clicking on the links on the left (Species Log) will single out specific tips for each mantid requirements; however, I have only singled out these species as the ones that I have previously raised via species log. Email me for more information or if you find that I have left something out here.

Lifespan Lifespan of a mantis generally varies from species, though the average life of a mantis is about one year. Some mantids, like the ghost mantis, can live up to a year and a half. Wild mantids die in the winter regardless how old they are. Most of the mantid's life is lived out as smaller specimen; most live only 2-3 months as adults (though ghost mantids live for a year as adults). Female mantids mature later than males and therefore live longer.

Housing The general rule of thumb for keeping a mantid is housing it in a container at least 3 times its entire body length in height and 2 times its entire body length in width. The reason for this is to give the mantid enough space to molt. Keep in mind that if you have sticks and leaves in the enclosure, the height from the lid to the sticks is what needs to be 3 times the length of the mantid. Sticks and leaves are generally not recommended or required as they can actually interfere and get in the way of molting. You also should not put the mantid in too big of an enclosure; it will have trouble finding and catching its prey unless you put a large amount of prey in the cage. Some mantids are also a sit-and-wait type of hunter, and will not crawl to prey if placed in a large container. I recommend Kritter Keepers for the larger mantids (Chinese, Africans, Asians, etc.) and 32 oz. deli cups for smaller species like Spiny flower mantids. I have provided in the link section of this website places where you can purchase 32 oz. deli containers.

Mantids can scale the sides of plastic and glass so a bare container is fine. Most mantids are cannibalistic (exceptions are the Texas unicorn mantis, Ghost mantis, and several others) so it is recommended to house them individually. Unless you are sure that your mantids are a communal species, I would not recommend keeping them together in one enclosure. Ventilation is important for mantids, as some species are prone to fungal infections if not provided with proper ventilation. Make sure the container has proper airflow.

I do not use substrate for mantid enclosures due to several reasons. Substrate conceals prey (especially crickets, who like to hide under objects) and make it harder for the mantid to hunt. It also builds up with unnoticed waste and uneaten insect parts and may grow mold or bacteria. I use paper towels as a substrate, just laid across the bottom of the enclosure. When the paper towel gets a bit dirty (I usually change them every 2 weeks since mantids defecate a lot), I just dump the paper towel in the trash and get a new one. The paper towel also retains a bit of water for humidity.

Temperature & Humidity Temperature varies for most species, but generally keep your mantids at a range of 73-82 degrees. Mantids from hotter, more arid regions are used to hotter environments. You can obtain a higher temperature by placing the enclosure next to a lamp or window, but make sure it is not too intense, otherwise you will cook your mantis. Cooler temperatures slow the metabolism of mantids and lengthen their lifespan while hotter temps shorten their lifespan, but both extremes can kill them. It is recommended to keep adult male mantids at lower temperatures to increase their lifespan.

Personally I do not keep my mantid enclosures humid, as humidity can cause fungal infections if the enclosure is not properly ventilated, as well as bacteria growth and mold. The more exotic species, however, do require some humidity. Just spray the enclosure once a week or every other day (depending on your species' humidity needs).

Molting Most of the time, you will notice when your mantid is near molting. It will stop eating several days before the molt (usually 1-2 days but 3-5 days is quite possible) and seem to ignore prey. Some mantids will strike at the prey, but do not catch it. This is because it is trying to scare the prey off and it does not want to eat. If this occurs, take any food out of the container, as you don't want anything interrupting your mantid's molt. Hungry crickets that have been left in the container have been known to chew or eat molting mantids. Mantids who have developed their wingbuds will stop eating as well, but their wingbuds will become swollen and will be larger than normal. A mantis sheds by hanging upside down, usually by a lid, stick, or leaf. The mantis begins to shed by shaking or spasming violently. Then the exo along the neck behind the head of the mantis will split. The mantis will slowly wriggle out of its old exoskeleton. This is when the gripping of the mantis comes in handy. Due to the wiggling, it is imperative the mantis chooses a spot where it can get a good grip, otherwise the wiggling and shaking can cause the mantis to fall during molting. When your mantid starts to shed, do not bother it, don't pick up the container to get a better look, and definitely don't try to assist it. The mantid will shed its skin and sit there hanging for a bit to dry off. Do not blow on the mantis to help it dry off, as wind is not a factor in the drying of the cuticle. Molting takes 20 minutes tops to complete. Any longer than this means that the mantis is having trouble escaping its exo. If your mantis is still molting after 20 minutes or seems to be stuck (ONLY after it has not freed itself in 20 minutes), you can attempt to assist it by GENTLY pulling the exoskeleton from the mantis. Spraying some water helps a little to pull the exo loose. The mantis will not accept food for 1-3 days after molting. Molting happens approximately every 2 weeks, and increases after each molt, and the final molt usually takes around 4 weeks or longer depending on species. Reasons for bad molts include inadequate housing (nothing to hang on), disturbance during molt (bumping the container, a loose prey item, etc.), or malnutrition (mantis was not properly watered/was sickly and did not have the strength to hang or pull through the molt). If your mantis has had a bad molt, please scroll to the FAQ section and look for the bad molt question.

Sexing Yes, there is a way to sex mantids! Male mantids are generally smaller or longer than females and fly excessively. They are usually encountered upon the most since they are attracted to bright lights at night. Females are heavier in stock, have shorter or thinner antenna, and generally do not fly and some species even do not have fully developed wings. Males have 8 segments on their abdomen, while females have 6. This way of determining sex is a bit trickier since our eyes can easily miscount and the wings of the mantis can get in the way (which is generally why most people count the segments while the mantis is hanging upside down). However, it is the most common way of differing between sexes. Females are generally much more aggressive than males and get a lot bigger. Click the links below to see side by side comparisons of males and females.
Male and female segment count
Male and female last segment comparison Note how the male's last segment (left) ends in a cup, and the female's (right) ends in a point.
Male and female overhead view Male on the left. Note how he is much slimmer.
Male last segment Note how you can see his reproductive organs.
Adult S. Carolina female with underdeveloped wings
Comparison of adult Texas unicorn antenna length/thickness

Feeding Mantids will take any insect they can catch and overpower, but it is important to not feed the mantis anything that could potentially harm it. Tarantulas, large venomous spiders, wasps, and hornets are generally avoided. Honeybees are occasionally fed to adult mantids but keep in mind the stinger of a honey bee is capable of piercing the exo of a mantis. Other things to avoid include snails, slugs, assassin bugs, etc. Generally, the most common kinds of wild caught feeders people give their mantids consist of moths, flies, skippers, butterflies, grasshoppers, locusts, katydids, caterpillars (avoid the hairy ones), dragonflies and damselflies, and honeybees, as well as the occasional lizard. It is recommended to incorporate a variety of insects into the mantid's diet as they do tire of a certain type of prey when given it over and over. Flying insects (moths mainly) are attacked the most vigorously and seem to stimulate the mantid's predatory intincts best. Be sure if you catch insects that you are getting them from a pesticide-free area as the pesticides from the prey can pass onto the mantis and kill it. Also avoid catching insects next to roads (heavy metal contamination). Only resort to domesticated feeders during the winter months when wildcaught insects are unavailable.

Domesticated feeders include crickets, bluebottle and greenbottle flies, houseflies, roaches, d. hydei and d. melanogaster (fruit flies - melanogaster are a smaller version of fruit fly), waxworms, mealworms, superworms, and phoenix worms. Other more peculiar feeders that are possible for larger species include pinkies (baby mice) and even fish (usually goldfish, platys, or feeder fish). For domesticated feeder care and a more in depth list and description of each feeder, please view the feeders & care section.

Mantids generally know when to stop eating, but it is important to stop feeding them when they become full looking. You can generally tell if a mantis looks fat because its abdomen stretches and becomes larger. There have been rare cases, but mantids have actually had internal implosions (fatal), severe diarrhea and vomiting due to overfeeding. Bad feeders or food (ones that carry bacteria in their systems) can also cause a mantis to vomit a smelly black liquid or experience diarrhea. Bad feeders are usually domesticated ones; this can be prevented by gut loading the feeders and keeping them healthy prior a day or two before feeding them to the mantids to work out the bacteria from their system.

Nymphs are usually started out with d. hydei and domesticated feeders. The smaller, less aggressive nymphs may actually need d. melanogaster but as they grow can advance to d. hydei and then to larger prey items (small crickets, medium crickets, roaches, in order from smallest to largest prey, etc.). Around L4 and up, I try to feed a variety of wildcaught insects. Once as adults, feed the females regularly as you would have when they were nymphs and decrease the amount you feed to the males. Male mantids mature more quickly than the females and die sooner, therefore limiting their food supply and decreasing the temperature of their enclosure will help them live longer. Feed the males sparingly and do not keep them fat.

HANDFEEDING CRIPPLED MANTIDS:
For some mantids who have become deformed in some way during mating and have trouble catching prey/can no longer hunt, hand feeding is an option. To do this, you must crush part of the insect (mantids do not generally eat ANYTHING that is put up to their mouthparts. Crushing part of the insect exposes the juices and the mantis will be able to taste this. I usually crush the head, it is much easier to handfeed the mantis as most of the legs of the insect will be out to the side and will not poke/bother the mantis. Crushing the head also paralyzes the prey. The prey must be paralyzed in order for the mantis to except it - wriggling prey is not excepted by crippled mantids during hand feeding) and put the exposed juices up to the mantids mouth. It make take several tries for the mantis to accept the prey, but if it is interested it will take the prey if it can. I have found that mantids who keep refusing the handfed prey will become more interested if you pour a little water in a bottlecap and dip the crushed part of the insect in the water. Then stick the crushed, now watered part of the insect up to the mantids mouth. The mantis will begin to drink the water it senses on the prey item, and after the water is drained it will nibble on the prey's guts and then start eating. For more stubborn mantids, you can dip your finger in water and tap the mantid's head to get a water droplet on its eye or head. The mantis will start grooming ('licking' its forearms) and you can place the prey at the very tip of the forearm. When the mantis gets there whiel still grooming, its licking will turn into biting and it will start to eat the prey and take it in its forearms. If the mantis is unable to grasp the prey due to malformed forearms, you must hold the insect up to its mouth until the mantis finishes, though most mantids can hold onto prey using just their mouthparts. It is easiest to do this with tweezers, grasping the prey by a wing or hind leg. Another option is sticking the crushed prey halfway down a straw and offering it to the mantis like this using the method above. If the mantis refuses prey but is in need of food (skinny), a forcefeeding can be initiated. This is usually done by grasping the mantis gently between your thumb and forefinger in the thorax. Using the tweezer or straw method, bring the prey up to the mantids mouth. The mantid, at first, may fight the prey like an enemy but will bite it and eventually start eating. Wait a few seconds, and SLOWLY start letting go of the mantis. If the mantis is absorbed in eating, it will continue to eat and stay still. If not, it will drop the prey and attempt to wiggle further out of your grasp. It make take several tries for a force feeding or hand feeding to work. The key is to be gentle and patient.

Watering & Misting Mantids get most moisture from their prey, but occasionally do drink water. Misting the enclosure of the mantids every other day suffices, though I usually do not mist the enclosures of the mantis. Mold, bacteria, and fungus can grow in the enclosure and can cause fungal infections. I offer my mantids water every week by dipping my fingernail in water and putting it up to the mantid's mouth so it can drink from my nail. Another method I use is putting some water on a tabletop and letting the mantis walk over the water. Mantids who are thirsty will point their antenna to water once their feet touch the water and then bend over to drink. If you do decide to mist the enclosure, do not soak the container, only mist the sides a few times, enough to get the side covered in a few droplets. Offer water to nymphs by draping a paper towel over the sides and bottom of the container and then spraying on the paper towels. Even if you are careful to mist sparingly, nymphs can easily drown in larger droplets. The paper towel helps absorb the excess water and the nymphs drink directly from it.

Mating Mating mantids can be quite challenging since females are extremely aggressive and males can be skittish. Female mantids are capable and infamous for eating the head of their mate while still in the process of sexual reproduction. Some species are harder to mate than others. You will find that some species of mantids will mate for a few minutes, and others for a few hours or even a few days! The following has been taken from this article and edited slightly. Follow the steps below to ensure the biggest success with your mating. I have used this technique and have never had any cannibalization issues.

Step 1: Your mantids must be adults! The mantids should also have been adults for at least a couple weeks. I usually wait 2-3 weeks before trying to mate them. Generally the older they are, the more inclined they will be to mate. Young males may not initiate mating and young females may not be receptive to the male.

Step 2: Before mating the two, make sure you give your female A LOT of food. Continue to feed her until she drops half eaten prey or rejects it all together. This lessens the chances of her to eat the male during mating since she is not hungry anymore. Feeding her a lot will also give her the nutrition to produce healthy, large, fertile ootheca. Feeding the male is also recommended, though it is unlikely he will consume part of the female during mating as males are not aggressive.

Step 3: Take your adult male and place him on a surface. This can be a flat surface or a hanging surface but make sure there is space. A large container can suffice, but may not provide enough escaping room for the male once he is done with mating. I usually set him next to a window, loose in a room. He may want to wander off but should settle down soon.

Step 4: Now that your male is settled down get your female ready. Take her out of her cage and place her about 8 inches or so from the male. If you are mating them in a cage, make sure you introduce HER into HIS cage. Make sure she is a little bit in front of him where she can't see him. If she sees him like in this picture divert her attention from him by tapping her or wriggling a finger in front of her in the opposite direction.

Step 5: Now using a long pair of tweezer, stick, etc. (keep this at hand later in case something happens and you must separate them both; the stick/tweezer will help you avoid getting pinched if there is a scuffle) prod the female to make her walk AWAY from the male. He should see her soon and give her attention. If he is ready his antennae will point at her and he may creep closer ever so careful. If he sees her it's okay to stop prodding her along. If he stops move her a long a little bit more to keep his attention.

Step 6: Once the male is locked onto the female he should keep approaching on his own. Now may be a good time to use your tweezers to give her a cricket or roach to keep her front legs occupied. If she rejects the prey it is okay; she is full and will most likely not harm him if she shows no interest in prey. He should eventually jump on her back quickly. He may jump on backwards. This is okay and I assume it's to protect his head. He should turn around soon. If he just sat there and never jumped on her back, blow on him gently to make him move towards her more.

Step 7: Now that your male jumped on the female he should of got positioned and starting bending his abdomen towards the females. It may take a while for him to initiate mating. Some males will stay on the female for a few hours before actually starting to mate. He may also tap her quickly with his front legs or used his antennae to "slap" her with them. She should open up to him once he makes contact and they should begin mating. I tend to leave the pair loose in a room to give him ample room to escape (usually on a table next to the computer so I can watch them as I type) or you can use a large cage or net cage (not recommended). Don't try to watch them the entire time. Most mantids mate for HOURS or even DAYS.

PROBLEMS OFTEN ENCOUNTERED:
1. Male shows no interest in the female (runs away or just stares at her for a couple of hours). Put them away and try again in a few days.
2. Male jumps on but the female freaks out and they turn into a crazy mass of wings and legs: Quickly and carefully try to seperate them before she bites. You may want to use a glove or a stick or something to avoid getting pinched. If she gets a hold of him grab her and squeeze her thorax gently. This should make her let go. Try to mate them again. If she keeps freaking out wait a week and try again. She is not really ready.
3. The male just sits on her back doing nothing after several days: Blow on him with a quick gentle breath. He may start then. Or you can gently squeeze his thorax with your fingers. If he still doesn't do anything carefully pull him off and try again in a few days. Only pull him off if he sat on her back doing nothing for several days.
4. You come in and check on the pair only to find your male being eaten or already half consumed. Just leave them be. He can and will continute to mate and there is little you can do.

Ootheca Depending on how long you waited to mate your female and how well fed she is, she may start laying ootheca 1 day to 2 weeks after mating. Females who have been fed more, mated with more mature males, and mated later in her adult lifespan but before she has laid her first infertile ooth tend to lay sooner. She may lay them on the lid of the enclosure, the side, or any sticks/decor in the enclosure. You can separate the ooth from the enclosure or move the adult mantis. I recommend doing this as if the ooth hatches, the female is perfectly capable of eating the nymphs if she can catch them. Keep the ootheca at the same temperatures that you would the adult mantid. However, it is recommended to keep the ootheca in a humid environment to prevent the eggs from drying out. I usually just put a bunch of paper towels in the bottom of the container the ooth is in and spray it every day or every other day. Around 4-6 weeks later (the incubation period varies with each species), the ooth will hatch 20-250 nymphs. The nymph hatch number depends upon the size of the ooth and the species.

Nymph care When your ootheca hatches, it can produce 20-250 nymphs depending on the species and or size of the ootheca. Nymphs have a high mortality rate, so expect many losses within the first few days of hatching. The first day upon hatching, the nymphs will not take any food. Keep them in a container together unless you want to painstakingly separate them into small, individual containers. Keeping them together will single out the stronger nymphs and they will cannibalize down until they reach a number you can manage (that is when you should separate them. I usually separate them within a week or two regardless of the number of nymphs I have left). The container you keep them in should have enough room for each nymph to freely move around. One wall of the container and the bottom should have a paper towel draped over it to absorb the water you mist into the enclosure. Do not mist any other sides of the container except the sides with the paper towels on them. Mist the nymphs every day or every other day. After a day or two has passed from the original date of hatching, you can introduce prey for them. I usually dump 30-50 fruit flies (varies with the number of nymphs - use common sense on this one) into the cage. They can be either d. melanogaster or d. hydei. Use d. melanogaster for nymphs of smaller species as they are less aggressive. Dump this amount of fruit flies in for the nymphs every other day or if there are no longer any live flies in the container.