I'm curious if anyone here has had a praying mantis as a pet?
When I was very little, one of my brothers had a praying mantis. I just remember it hating me. It always flew at me and would chase me around the screened in porch while I screamed bloody murder!
Once I grew up, I did come to like the little creatures and even bought some from a mail order company to try to keep other insects around our yard down. I don't know what happened to all of them though. They quickly disappeared and I was very disappointed that not even one stuck around where I could see it, or have it make any difference to the rest of the insect population.
I imagine they would make an interesting pet if someone knew how to keep them housed and fed well.
As a pet no, my kids would find them occasionally bring them in to show me. They'd hold for a bit, then let them go. They always wanted to find a pair mating, so they watch the female bite the head of the male. LOL, oh but girls will be girls.
dashboard, yes, a praying mantis is an insect. They can be kept as pets. My brother had one, but I really don't remember for how long he kept it, where he housed it or what he fed it. The only thing I recall is the dang thing chasing me around the porch. It would even use it's little arms & hands to box me in the head when it would catch me! I hated those things when I was little! LOL!
Pocs, that's funny about your kids hoping to see the female bite the head off of her lover!
I don't keep them in the house but I do try to take care of the praying mantis that live in my yard and garden. It wasn't so long ago that they were endangered (They may still be) and you could get fined for killing one. So I try to take care of them. They're amazing creatures, like the Venus flytrap of the insect world.
Oh my gosh - seriously?!?! They were on the endangered species list?! Where abouts is this in the world? How much is the fine for killing one, do you remember? Very interesting!
I remember one time I saw a huge one outside my store, just sitting on the pavement. I was afraid the landscaper would kill it, so I took it inside for awhile. Then when I was about to go home for the evening I put it back outside in some bushes.
I remember buying a Venus flytrap shortly after getting married. It was a really cool plant! I couldn't keep it alive for very long though. I was sad when it died.
(08-15-2012, 07:18 AM)laurasav Wrote: Oh my gosh - seriously?!?! They were on the endangered species list?! Where abouts is this in the world? How much is the fine for killing one, do you remember? Very interesting!
I remember one time I saw a huge one outside my store, just sitting on the pavement. I was afraid the landscaper would kill it, so I took it inside for awhile. Then when I was about to go home for the evening I put it back outside in some bushes.
I remember buying a Venus flytrap shortly after getting married. It was a really cool plant! I couldn't keep it alive for very long though. I was sad when it died.
I'm not sure about where you are but about 15 years ago (And that's just my best estimate, don't quote me on it) they were endangered on the East Coast of the United States. I think the fine for killing one was five thousand dollars, but again, my memory isn't so great about specific things so don't quote me on anything.
Wow, I never knew that, writer! I'm in Michigan - born & raised, and still here! I wonder if that was a national thing with them being endangered, or just over there on the East coast? I would think it would be very difficult to figure out if anybody killed these Praying Mantis though - I can't imagine Praying Mantis police being posted in everyone's neighborhoods, keeping an eye on any errant souls out to destroy these insects! haha
But hopefully this cool species is safe & off the endangered list now. They really are pretty fascinating!
I had never seen a Praying Mantis other than pictures, or on TV. One morning while I was on my school bus route, I stopped to pick up a little boy, in a plastic dish with a lid he had one he had just caught at the bus stop. I looked at it, thought it was neat~ I didn't even know they were around here.
Later that day I was getting my bus that I used mid day ready to go. I went to the back door to check the buzzer, and there was another Praying Mantis in the bus on the floor by the back door. I thought it was pretty neat seeing two of them in the same day. I haven't seen another since.
I have praying mantis and walking sticks in my yard in the summer. They are both interesting to watch. I had not seen a walking stick for many years and year before last I had two. And last summer there were maybe a dozen. So maybe my two bred and produced baby "sticks." I have not seen either yet this year, but it is still early in the summer.
I've just ordered a griffin mantis nymph. I know a lot of people who keep them as pets and they are wonderful! you just have to do your research and make sure you know how to care for them.
I am not sure I would keep a praying mantis as a pet. This is not out of prejudice but is borne out of their aggressive predisposition. The front limbs are serrated and when one playfully rubs them with a blade of grass, they react menacingly. Might be I am being biased. I would love to learn more about praying mantis. My favourite insect pet would be a ladybird.
My brothers and my friends used to hunt for those when we were kids. I really don't know what they do once they've found one but I suspect they eventually let the creature go. I used to think all insects are into plants but not the praying mantis. The female eats its mate after the ritual so it's kind of like carnivorous. It eats other insects as well. Keeping one as a pet would have you chasing insects for its food so it's actually a hassle. They're more useful to the ecosystem than being kept in a box.
(04-10-2016, 05:24 AM)remnant Wrote: I am not sure I would keep a praying mantis as a pet. This is not out of prejudice but is borne out of their aggressive predisposition. The front limbs are serrated and when one playfully rubs them with a blade of grass, they react menacingly. Might be I am being biased. I would love to learn more about praying mantis. My favourite insect pet would be a ladybird.
