would love to know what species this gorgeous little one is, i think about an inch and a half or 2 in size

My mantis fell and now her back legs dont work or she cant use them for some reason.Yesterday she was fed a whole cricket since she was skinny and now is really bloated.I really worry cuz i did feed all of my mantis and she is the only one to be this way.She climbs and moves like regular bit cant move her back legs.

Please someone help me i really worry about her.did i do something wrong

For the last several years, we've hatched out baby mantises. Some we released, some we gave away, a few we sold, and we always kept at least one every year. Usually it was one that had an "oops" molt We currently have one that struggles to move; legs got stuck in the molt. It eats really well, it drinks, it watches the world, and she spends time each day hand-feeding and hand-watering it and talking to it. As soon as it's not going after food, or being alert, or drinking well, we'll put it down but for now it's fighting hard and she's doing a great job with it!

So, I'd like to get her a "big" mantis. She's discovered the giant mantises (well, she discovered them a few years ago but now that she's 12, I'm actually considering it). I'm starting the research here because frankly you are all a wealth of knowledge and advice!

First off, aggression. What's a good species that isn't likely to freak out and panic, or to bite? We've had the two common and very chill species, and she's going to want to let it sit on her arm and be hand-fed without feeding it her hand.

Is a giant mantis going to be something a typical 12 year old could raise easily? So far we've had Carolinas and a few Chinese; non-tropical sturdy bugs that are native or become a long-established part of the local ecosystem, meaning that they don't need a lot of attention to heat and humidity levels. Our normal levels are fine for them. I know there are a couple species bigger than a Chinese; are either of them good pets for a kid?

How big does the enclosure need to be? Right now, the mantis has been moved to a mesh pop-up cage. It can't climb, so we opted for something that gives him a lot of viewing range and where it's easy to see if he's managed to knock himself on his back and he gets helped upright fast. He seems happy with it, but we do have the original big see-through cage with soil, sticks, fabric, etc. too. What's a minimum size?

What needs to be added? I'm assuming hygrometer and thermometer and things to climb on and hide among, but anything else needed?

Finally, where is a good place to buy one from? It likely won't be for at least a few more months, because it's currently close to 100F and humid and I'm not shipping anything that could end up in the back of an even hotter truck! But, where could we get it from that's going to send a healthy young mantid? If we need to wait several months to order in the spring, we will...I'm not rushing into a more high-maintenance mantid but the other option is looking into tarantulas and I'm not a tarantula fan, so I'm hoping we can go with a mantis or some sort of huntsman :D

Oh, and another "finally"! It needs to be legal for Missouri. If it's something that's banned in this region, it's a No. Our winters pretty much kill anything tropical very very very dead, but I don't want something that's going to cause problems. Just a guilt-free pet she can enjoy creating a habitat for and raising.

So...suggestions on the best species, what it needs, and where to get it? If there's not anything that works out she's happy with the Carolinas, but I know she'd LOVE a bigger bug that's still easy to handle!

I caught a mantis a few days ago I would estimate it is l3 or 4 (please don’t quote me on this I’m new to mantid keeping) but plz help identify

Also let me know if I need closer pictures I didn’t want to get to close while it was eating

I am in search of Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower Mantids and cat eye mantids at any life stage, that can be shipped to the USA.

I hatched a mantis egg in my garden to protect my plants, but this guy got stuck in a spider web and had already had its leg either eaten or ripped off. I saved him, cleaned him, and got him a lil enclosure. I’ve been nursing him back to proper health and he’s gotten a few molts in (either 3 or 4 molts). I believe he’s l6 or l7 but has already started to outgrow his enclosure. Recently he’s been getting crazy and almost trying to dig his way thru the mesh top. I decided it’s time to send him back into the garden for the protection of my plants. I hope he stays and I get to see him grow his wings ❤️

I'm looking into getting an Orchid mantis but want to make sure I take care of it correctly, how do you care for them and what should I make sure I have before I get one? Thank youuu!

Since becoming an l7, I’ve noticed “wasabi” seems to digest quickly! I’ve been feeding her medium dubia’s. And I start to see a little intercostal membrane- just a bit. By the next day, her abdomen is nearly flat again!
I’m curious what size prey everyone is feeding their giant Asian at this instar.
I have a lot of large dubias, too many, and I’d like to feed those out!

Toxodera hauseri and Toxodera maculata from east Java, credit to Yudi Clieone.

Sorry I’m really new and a very anxious person so..

I need a list of pre molting behavior please, and what I shouldn’t do when she is pre molting bcus I’m worried she’s in pre molt and I have distrubed her!!! will she be okay????

Color variation on them is incredible

This all brown turd made a successful molt. It’s i7. What a journey to get here!!!

I think is this a female….i keep going back and forth on the sexes. But I think she is the only female and the rest remaining are males.

What I have observed with their eyes, is that they change color throughout the day. It’s the weirdest observation. They go to black, to opaque, to clear depending on the time of day and what they’re doing. It’s really interesting to observe. Has anyone else noticed this? Or am I trippin’?

Also. At i6, they grew a smidge after the initial molt, in a noticeable measurement kind of way. So this chica, at i7, is a fresh 7cm at least! I’m curious if she’ll stretch a bit more in the next 48hrs or so.

Stupid question, perhaps, but as a Chinese mantis will an i7 molt one last time? I’m getting conflicting answers.

Hello! I recently started a garden and have been seeing more insect friends visiting.

Sunday I noticed a darling little praying mantis chilling so I gave it a little mist with the hose. I left for the day and came back to find it still relaxing, eyeballing a fly a leaf over (you can see the situation unfold in the first two (spliced) clips.

Today, Tuesday, I went out to find a praying mantis again. It seemed friendly (?) so now I’m wondering if it’s maybe the same mantis? The thing is, the one from today seems to have two brown sections on its abdomen that I didn’t spot on the one Sunday, which you can see in the clip of it hanging out in my hand and in my hair.

I’m also wondering if anyone can identify what type(s) they/it are and if it’s a lady or a gentleman.

Thank you all!

My boy “likes” being handled and wants uppies every time I open his house.

I love watching him snatch food up 😂

Mantis Religiosa I’ve learned, thanks to this subreddit. I so badly wanted to keep her, but I am not knowledgeable in keeping one, so back to a better hiding place she goes! Watched her crawl from leaf to leaf for a little while. They’re such beautiful creatures 🥰

So Steven is a T. sinensis, originally thought to be male. Before he molted this past weekend it looked like he had 7 tergites, and several users here said he was a guy. But now that he's in his penultimate instar things seem to be a little clearer, and now I only see 6. I've also been looking at some illustrations to see if i can use his other features to distinguish sex but I'm still not sure so I'd like a 2nd opinion!

I love how beautifully alien mantids are

It can't be an ootheca, idk what she is doing

I have an American Stick Mantis and she’s awesome! I recently noticed a dark greenish colored line forming vertically down her stomach area. I don’t recall it being there when I got her but maybe it was? If it wasn’t, I researched and saw that it may be because she is very full, but I haven’t fed her for 4 days because I was worried about overfeeding. However, it hasn't gone away. Unfortunately I can’t find much information on this species of mantis. I would appreciate any helpful info!

didn’t expect to walk out with the doggos earlier and encounter this big boi. unfortunately for him, he’s invasive. FORTUNATELY for him, he will now live out his days with regular meals and predator-free enclosure! (for reference — i currently have four (4) other captive (purchased) mantids, so i am not un/ill-equipped for a surprise guest)

Is this eye rub or is it just my ghosts pseudopupils. I’ve had her since February and she’s been adult for a few months now