Are Praying Mantises Good Pets?

Do praying mantis make good pets?

There’s no denying that praying mantis are fascinating animals, but do they make good pets?  The answer is really that it depends on what you want from a pet. In this article we’ll look at both the good things about keeping praying mantis as pets, as well as the downsides you should consider before getting …

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Praying Mantis Cages & Housing

Praying mantis are still quite an unusual pet, so you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that you local pet store is unlikely to sell specialist praying mantis cages. Instead, the praying mantis keeper must be willing to think creatively, and to reuse other containers to create a suitable cage for their mantids. In this article, …

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Is It Safe to Hold a Praying Mantis?

Wondering if it's safe to hold a praying mantis?

If you’ve been lucky enough to watch a praying mantis going about it’s day then an obvious question is: “is it safe to hold a praying mantis?”. In this article we’re going to answer that exact question, and go into some specific do’s and don’ts.  Before we get into the nitty gritty details the quick …

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Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa) Care Sheet

The Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa) is a stunning species, broadly distributed across Africa and Madagascar. The name itself means “leaf head”, and it’s hardly difficult to see why. These cryptic praying mantids do an amazing job of avoiding predators by resembling plants. Not only is there an unusual leaf-like projection on the top of the …

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Keeping Praying Mantis as Pets (Praying Mantis Care Sheet)

The African praying mantis - Sphodromantis

Praying mantis are some of the most fascinating invertebrates to look after. With their moving neck and huge bug eyes, not to mention their specially-adapted front legs, mantis look almost like aliens from outer space. Fortunately keeping praying mantis as pets needn’t be difficult when you follow a few simple rules. Introduction to Keeping Praying …

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Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) Care Sheet

The orchid mantis is one of the world’s most beautiful – and recognisable – praying mantids. Famed for their unique flower-like appearance, the adult mantids vary in colour between a pure white through to rich pinks and purples. With their rounded abdomens, spiked heads and petal-like protrusions on the legs it is little wonder that …

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Why Do Mantis Eat Their Mates?

Why do female praying mantids often eat the males?

Praying mantis for famous for getting eaten while reproducing – but why do mantis eat their mates? The Surprising Benefits of Getting Eaten When viewed through the lense of humans, getting eaten by your mate seems like a pretty barbaric practise. I mean, imagine how you’d feel if your mom ate your dad!  For insects, …

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Removing Praying Mantis Eggs

If you’ve ever bred praying mantis then you’ll no doubt have seen their egg cases or oothecae as they’re often referred to. Female praying mantis lay numerous eggs together in one single neat little package, then produce a “shaving-foam” type of substance which they cover the eggs in. After a short while this “foam” dries …

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Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) Care Sheet

Tenodera sinensis is one of the more widespread species of praying mantis. Originally from Asia (hence the common name of “Chinese Mantis”) they have been introduced to other parts of the world. Most notably this species was believed to have been introduced to the USA by a plantsman in the 1890s. It is now widespread, …

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Do Praying Mantis Bite?

Praying mantis make fascinating and generally easy-to-keep pets but one common question asked is about how safe it is to handle these fascinating insects. The first point to appreciate is that mantids have incomplete metamorphosis which means the younger praying mantis look much like the adults (unlike a butterfly which has complete metamorphosis where the …

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Praying Mantis: How To Feed

Praying mantis are carnivorous insects that need a diet of live animals of a suitable size. Whilst praying mantis have been observed in the past catching and eating small birds, lizards and mammals almost their entire diet is typically made up of life insects so when it comes to praying mantis and how to feed …

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