Difficulty: Beginner
Size: males up to 3” (7.5cm); females up to 3.5” (9cm)
Lifespan: males up to a year; females up to 1.5 years
Recommended enclosure size by instar:
– 1i-3i: 2/8oz deli cup (2×2″/5×5cm)
– 4i-6i: 5.5/16oz deli cup (3×3″/8×8cm)
– 7i-adult: Minimum around 8×8×8″ (12×12×12cm)
Humidity: 50-70%, mist every other day or so for hydration
Temperature: 77-86°F (25-30°C); can be kept at room temperature but they do better when a little warmer
Feeding:
– 1i-2i: D. melanogaster or D. hydei fruit flies
– 3i-5i: D. hydei fruit flies, house flies, small crickets/roaches
– 6i-adult: blue bottle flies, medium crickets, medium roaches, wax worms/moths, mealworms (as treats only)
Breeding:
Wait until at least 5 weeks after the final molt for the female and at least 3 weeks for the male. It is best to wait until the female begins calling.
Females are extremely aggressive towards the male, and the males will often be very timid when introduced to a female. Feed the female very well before attempting and make sure she is ready. Allow the male to get settled in a net cage before introducing the female, then give food to the female to distract her.
Incubate ooths in the same conditions as the mantises are kept. They can take 6-12 weeks to hatch and hatch 60-100 nymphs.
Notes: As adults, the females can be very aggressive, both to other mantises and humans. Take caution with handling as them grabbing skin with their raptors can be painful, although they are unlikely to break skin
Other Resources: