How to Keep a Praying Mantis As a Pet
Find a praying mantis., Make it a home., Create the right environment., Feed it., Spray the inside of the cage with water about once a day so that the praying mantis has water to drink.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find a praying mantis.
There are several different ways to acquire a praying mantis.
You can either buy an egg case from a gardening center or find one in your garden.
If you want to find one in your garden you will have to look pretty hard since they are usually camouflaged very well.
During the summer however, males are often attracted to lights at night. -
Step 2: Make it a home.
The container for holding the praying mantis must not be too big for it to find its prey and at the same time, it must not be too small for it will become too cramped.
The length of the container should be 3-4 times the length of the praying mantis and the height should be at least 2 times its length.
The reason for this is so that the praying mantis can have enough room to stalk its prey yet not too big or else the praying mantis won't be able to find its prey. , A good environment is necessary for a praying mantis to live.
Punch holes at the top of the lid or container so that it will be able to breathe.
There should be a few plants in the cage the same color as the insect so that it can blend in, yet the cage should not be overcrowded.
The bottom of the container should be filled with about a half-inch of soil, preferably sand.
Make sure that the cage isn't too humid.
If the sides of the cage get foggy add a few more holes on top or on the sides. , Food is an essential part of keeping a praying mantis as a pet.
It can be fed small fruit flies, pinhead crickets, etc.
As the praying mantis grows, it can be fed bottle-cap flies, bees, small spiders, etc.
If the praying mantis is hatched from an egg case, keep it in the same cage as the rest of the praying mantises and they can eat each other off.
While this may sound cruel, it is the easiest way to keep the strongest praying mantises and it is the easiest way to feed them as it is very hard to find small enough food for the baby praying mantises. , The praying mantises will go up to the side of the cage and lap up the water.
If you place an open container of water in the cage, then the praying mantises could fall in it and drown. -
Step 3: Create the right environment.
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Step 4: Feed it.
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Step 5: Spray the inside of the cage with water about once a day so that the praying mantis has water to drink.
Detailed Guide
There are several different ways to acquire a praying mantis.
You can either buy an egg case from a gardening center or find one in your garden.
If you want to find one in your garden you will have to look pretty hard since they are usually camouflaged very well.
During the summer however, males are often attracted to lights at night.
The container for holding the praying mantis must not be too big for it to find its prey and at the same time, it must not be too small for it will become too cramped.
The length of the container should be 3-4 times the length of the praying mantis and the height should be at least 2 times its length.
The reason for this is so that the praying mantis can have enough room to stalk its prey yet not too big or else the praying mantis won't be able to find its prey. , A good environment is necessary for a praying mantis to live.
Punch holes at the top of the lid or container so that it will be able to breathe.
There should be a few plants in the cage the same color as the insect so that it can blend in, yet the cage should not be overcrowded.
The bottom of the container should be filled with about a half-inch of soil, preferably sand.
Make sure that the cage isn't too humid.
If the sides of the cage get foggy add a few more holes on top or on the sides. , Food is an essential part of keeping a praying mantis as a pet.
It can be fed small fruit flies, pinhead crickets, etc.
As the praying mantis grows, it can be fed bottle-cap flies, bees, small spiders, etc.
If the praying mantis is hatched from an egg case, keep it in the same cage as the rest of the praying mantises and they can eat each other off.
While this may sound cruel, it is the easiest way to keep the strongest praying mantises and it is the easiest way to feed them as it is very hard to find small enough food for the baby praying mantises. , The praying mantises will go up to the side of the cage and lap up the water.
If you place an open container of water in the cage, then the praying mantises could fall in it and drown.
About the Author
Martha White
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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