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HOUSING:
You should house your mantis in an enclosure approximately 2 to 3 times its length. For example if you had a 3” mantis, you should use an enclosure approximately 9”x9”x9”. You should ensure that you allow at least 2.5 to 3 times its length clearance from the top of the enclosure to the nearest obstruction(ie. foliage, sticks, decorations) for proper molting. Proper enclosure sizing is important to assist in feeding as well. If your enclosure is to large for you mantis it may have difficulty finding its food.(ie. L1 nymph in a large terrarium). Some mantis are communal and you may keep them together in one enclosure. However, many species are not and will readily feast on one another so be sure to separate them if you are unsure. If you have multiple mantis they can be kept in individual smaller containers and placed in an aquarium tank. This makes it easier to control the humidity and temperature. If using a tank, place a hydrometer and thermometer in the tank to monitor the conditions. Your enclosures should be well ventilated to prevent fungal infections and molding of your substrate. You can use a paper towel in the bottom of the container for substrate, or I like Sphagam Moss. You can also include sticks or foliage for your mantis to hide and hang from. Humidity can be added by spraying daily with water, or you could use a humidifier. If additional heat is needed, you can use a heat lamp or other terrarium heater. See the Mantis Suppies section for products.
FEEDING:
As nymphs I suggest using D. Hydei or D. Melanogaster fruit flies. The D. Melanogaster are smaller, some species require this smaller prey, check your individual species. Most can handle the larger D. Hydei. As the mantis matures, you can transition to other insects. I prefer house or blue bottle flies, but they can be fed other insects like crickets, moths, roaches, and mealworms. When feeding flies you can put the fly container in the refrigerator for a few minutes to slow them down, this makes the process much easier.
MOLTING:
As your mantis grows, it will have to shed its exoskeleton. They will typically stop eating for a couple of days, but will strike at prey that comes close to it to scare it off. I would recommend removing any feeders from the enclosure at this time. It is also very important to maintain proper humidity as they molt. Do not disturb the mantis while molting, and be careful not to bump or shake the container. I would suggest not picking the enclosure up while molting. If the mantis should fall befor his new “skin” has hardened it could damage or kill them. After molting, allow them to “dry” for a while, and wait about a day before continuing your feeding regimen.
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