Organic Captive Born/BredShop with confidence from the very same invertebrates supplied to stores, rescues and zoos!1 live Mantis L4 or L5 (1" - 1 1-4")
Shipped in a 16oz deli cup with a perch, moss, and enough food for the journey.
These captive born/bred mantid juveniles have molted at least three times, are healthy, and about two to three months old. (Newly hatched nymphs are called L1. Once they have molted once they are called L2. This continues until the Mantids are adults, and can take anywhere from 7 - 9 molts.) They have been raised on fruit flies fed exclusively Reptanicals' Fruit Fly Feast, ensuring optimum health and nutrition for our mantids. They are currently eating Golden Hydei (with the odd tiny mealworm treat here or there - raised on Reptanicals' Feeder Feast)
European mantids will readily walk on a hand and make excellent pets, teaching tools for kids, unique feeder insects, or use for pest control. These large, (when adult) intelligent insects happily watch people, pets, and general activity around them and make great, unique office companions too!
Mantis religiosa - European Praying Mantis
Difficulty: Beginner
Housing: Alone- Vented plastic storage bin (32oz min) or glass terrarium.
Enclosure should provide ample space for mantis to move and should be at
least 3x taller and wider than the mantis’ body length.
Food Preferences: Hydei Fruit Flies, mealworms, waxworms, small crickets,
gut load your mantis’ feeders with Reptanicals' Feeder Feast and Reptanicals' Fruit Fly Feast
Temp Requirements: approx. 65 Degrees to 85 Degrees. Extreme cold and heat can be lethal
Breeding: Easy - with proper care, but feed females EXTREMELY well before mating or they may cannibalize their mate.
Substrate: Coconut coir, peat moss, or Reptanicals' Bug Bedding, slightly moist with moss on one side
Humidity: slightly humid. (Mist just one side of the enclosure, with large drinkable drops, to create a moisture gradient) Add moss to make a drinking area and to help maintain humidity for molting.
Enrichment: Provide Manzanita branches (or other hard woods that won’t rot) for climbs and be sure to include a lid or other area where the mantid can hang upside down to molt.
NOTE: We suggest a bio-active set up with both springtails and isopods to keep your mantid enclosure clean and to eat molts and leftover food. (Mantids are messy eaters!) Isopods reduce mold, feces, decaying matter, and improve substrate health! All while providing a calcium rich, nutritious snack for your critters to enjoy any time they wish.
Feed your mantis as needed every other day. If you notice red bands on the sides of its belly – it is full – no need to feed today!
***Need a complete set-up for your Mantis? Look for our "Complete Bio-active Mantis Kit" listing that includes a 32oz enclosure cup, vented cloth molting lid, Reptanicals Super Substrate, deluxe Manzanita perch and straight Manzanita perch, moss, PLUS springtails and isopods for a complete bio-active set-up!
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Don't miss out on our additional Reptanicals products!
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Shipping: All live Mantids are shipped Monday-Wednesday via Priority Mail. Express 1-Day Shipping may be chosen at checkout for a fee.
Orders placed on or after Wednesday at noon will ship the following Monday to avoid spending the weekend at the post office or on a truck. Someone must be present to accept package delivery.
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Cold Temps: All orders are extremely well insulated. If your area is experiencing temperatures below 45*F, for LAG you must request "HOLD at Post Office" in message to seller box at checkout.
Hot Temps: Cold packs are included free of charge. For temps exceeding 95*F: LAG you must request "HOLD at Post Office" in message to seller box at checkout.
If temperatures exceed 100*F, we reserve the right to delay shipping until cooler temperatures resume.
