Invert General

Are there any fast growing terrestrial tarantulas that aren't complete assholes?

I want to get something that doesn't take half a decade to reach decent size but it seems that growing fast and eating a lot also means bad attitude.

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>>2389990
Far as I know, LPs are a mixed bag. They can either be fairly docile, as in vid related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i0IpU-1WEc

or they're super nervous and even defensive. All I know for sure is that they go from 1st instar to three inches in a year. if you do plan on getting one, I'd suggest talking with the breeder via email or phone to confirm the individual's temperament, and at that, you'll only get a definitive answer if the animal is at least a sub-adult.

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The colors have gotten a bit stronger now and their hunger is insatiable.

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>>2390091
those are some nice antennae

how long until you let them fuck?

gotta say I'm quite surprised at the species of mantis people have in these threads, there are one or two that are just getting into the hobby that have beginner species (which is great) but the rest of you seem to have the most sought after, crazy shit

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>>2390110
They just molted this week, so it'll be 2-3 more.

It's great how active these generals are, considering they didn't exist at all not too long ago.

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playing with a new optical setup. gonna be posting some pics of tarantulas again.
1.0 N. coloratovillosus

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>>2390180
1.0 B. vagans
also, some of these are kinda shitty pics*
(*disclaimer: all really shitty pics)

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>>2390187
0.0.1 D. faciatus
mad that i fucked up the focus

>>2390187
I think they're really nice, please keep posting them.

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>>2390191
thanks. i thought i took more than i did tho. this is the last one
1.0 N. coloratovillosus

>>2390195
Nice spiders anon. All of them are super cute.

>there are people that are actually afraid of these

I mean just look at them, they're adorable.

its been a while since my mantis molted, i think hes L3? i got him and another back in early may i believe.
also, can they eat waxworms form time to time?

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>>2390198
thanks. im super excited for this guy.
1.0 L. striatus

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>>2390237
and his bride to be
THICCC

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>>2390238

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>>2390238
she's a big girl

let's hope it goes well

>find pictures of bamboo filter shrimp, who sit in the filter outflow and wave their hands around to catch microscopic animals and plant parts for food
>build a perch
>set it up in the middle of the shrimp tank in front of a powerhead
>buy a bamboo shrimp
>for two weeks he just hides behind the filter, can't even see if he's eating
>looks healthy though, so he must be
>spot him behind the powerhead, feeding almost completely hidden
>a bit disappointed
>two weeks later
>see him proudly sitting on the perch, waving his arms around, looking glorious in red and white stripes, cherry shrimp crawling around and even on top of him
>one of the cherries loses his grip and gets blown away in the water stream, climbs right back up again
Moments like these are what makes it worthwhile.

>>2390247
never heard of these before, they look awesome

can they really just feed of particles in an aquarium? you'd think that with a filter and such there isn't much too feed on in there

>>2390246
im so hopeful for everything to go well. i have seen so few of this species in the hobby. it would be cool to help get them more established.

>>2390249
They're really lovely, though pretty shy. And yeah, they actually can. The filter is mostly just there to remove ammonia, not the tiny particles the shrimp eats. You have bacteria that grow on the sponge in the filter to convert ammonia into nitrate, the filter is just there to move a lot of water over the bacteria so they can do their thing. You'll want a lot of live plants in your tank, for the shrimp to perch on and to provide the particles the shrimp eat, but with a decently sized and established tank they can do well. If they're not getting enough food they'll start picking food from the substrate like other shrimp, but I haven't seen mine do that.

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>>2390238
FRES$H
B. albopilosum just post molt.
sexing it once i get the molt

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>>2390258
idk if i have posted these but here are some older pics
0.1 G. sp. northern gold (rosea, porteri whatever)

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>>2390261

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>>2390264
0.1 GBB

>>2390264
0.1 H. sp columbia large

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>>2390267
0.1 H. albostriatum

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>>2389925
About twenty minutes ago a dozen or so winged ants started crawling on my monitor. Just now the queen showed up. I wish I were ready to start an ant farm considering the limiting factor of a farm is sitting on my address bar. O well, I s'pose I'll take her outside.

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Anyone got a pet Millipede? What species?

I am considering a Archispirostreptus gigas. There are other species with cooler colors but I want a really big one. Are they pretty fun pets (as far as inverts go) or nah?

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>>2390383
I've got a few species.

A. gigas is a good beginner species, if you know what you are doing.
They are often out during the day too

I'm sure you know that most millipedes are buried deep in the substrate most of the time?

Also, tho the guy who asked about keeping his D. diadema together in a group (1.2)
I would advise against it, but if you want to house them together, I would use a 60cm cube or so. D. diadema is a pretty big species, and pregnant females can be assholes I'm told

>>2390403
Darn, do they really burrow a lot? I heard if you put enough climbing material in their tanks they will actually utilize it.

But I'm not too interested in an invert who hides most of the time.

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>>2390407
they do, but as said, A. gigas is often active during the day

I hope you know which/how much substrate they need? Because many people who buy them seem to not know anything about their care and then complain about their millipedes dying..

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oh fugg, here we go

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>>2390403
>I would advise against it, but if you want to house them together, I would use a 60cm cube or so. D. diadema is a pretty big species, and pregnant females can be assholes I'm told

Ok that confirms what I was thinking. I tried putting the two females together when I got them but they really didn't like each other, so I won't try that again. Apparently non pregnant females can be assholes too.

>>2390448
From the thumbnail I really thought you were holding an assassin and I was about to tell you that's not a good idea, then I opened the image and realized I actually fell for Batesian mimicry.
Nicely done, little roach.

>>2390403
>>2390448
>do they really burrow a lot?
>they do

Would you say they're introvertebrates?

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>>2390483
wings are now fully expanded and again, not a hint of iridescence yet

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>>2390517
also the M. violaceus are putting on some size as well

sorry for the shitty images, it's really hard to get any shots of them

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>>2390512
Get out.

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>>2390483
nice, keep me updated on these guys!

>>2390504
>Apparently non pregnant females can be assholes too.
well, that's rare, but one of my female E. bacillifer killed and ate a male
I always seperate whip spiders now, shortly after they reach "almost sexually mature" size, regardless of species
Wouldn't risk keeping them together, especially the ones that also catch pretty big prey, like Heterophrynus.

But I keep P. marginemaculatus in groups, and plan to keep it that way, because I heard that this species can be housed in groups.. We'll see how that goes..

>From the thumbnail I really thought you were holding an assassin
kek, I would never handle an assassin, I'm not completely retarded

that's why I love these assassin mimics, absolutely interesting case of batesian mimicri, as you said
They must think of themselves as the masters of disguise, because that's one of the only roach species which is out and about all day and night, and they love to climb

>>2390582
>nice, keep me updated on these guys!
Will do. Another interesting observation I just made: The wings of the female go from transparent to black/blue iridescence like the male and only then do they turn red. Very slowly too, it will take a few days for her to fully color up I think.

>They must think of themselves as the masters of disguise, because that's one of the only roach species which is out and about all day and night, and they love to climb
That's cool as fuck. The only roaches I have are dubias (for obvious reasons) but a roach that actually climbs around and shit? I kinda want some. What's the species and how many would you put in a 40x25x25 cm box? Or would a 40x33x16 be better (more area but less height)?

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>>2390601
>Very slowly too, it will take a few days for her to fully color up I think.
nice, so they color up about as slow as H. coronatus..
didn't know that

>What's the species
Paranauphoeta formosana

>how many would you put in a 40x25x25 cm box?
hard to guess, but you can keep at least 50 in there, I'm sure

>>2390512
kek

Any tarantula species you guys could recommend for a 25cm cube?

>>2390624
how high can you fill it with soil?

>>2390627
About 7cm.

>>2390628
so a smaller/medium sized terrestrial species then

how experienced are you with tarantulas?

>>2390633
No tarantula experience. I've kept a lot of herps, insects, as well as whip spiders and Nephila, so I don't think it has to be restricted to a beginner species. Preferably a new world tarantula though.

>>2390637
Well in that case the list is almost endless, but I have a few favorites for which I'm gonna shill.

Euathlus sp. red/fire for a "cute" and very active species

Most other Euathlus species but they will hide a lot more and they grow VERY slow.

GBB (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) for interesting webbing behavior and a gorgeus animal.

Brachypelma albopilosum/smithi for a typical beginner species, though they could outgrow the 25x25cm cube eventually.

Grammostola pulchra for a THICC and elegant display species (that will cost you a lot of money), will also probably get too big eventually.

OBT (Pterinochilus murinus) if you want a new world species with attitude, but it might also outgrow that cube, and this one grows pretty fast.

But those are just a few suggestions based on what is commonly available, since I'm sure you don't want to search forever for some rare species only to be disappointed if you don't like it. You have many more options like, for example all the smaller Brachypelmas, Aphonopelmas and Grammostolas.

>>2390637
I'd throw a Hapalopus sp. columbia (large) in there. They're a bit skittish bit they're good webbers, may burrow. But are really attractive and will get a little more than 3 inches. Mine is always out.

>>2390448
I don't. How much would you put for A. Gigas? I've been googling it and nobody says anything about burrowing space.

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>>2390660
>>2390662
Thanks for the suggestions. I've already considered a GBB, but caresheets seem to recommend bigger tank sizes, especially in height. Think it'd outgrow it as well?

Cyriocosmus leetzi is also one that caught my attention. Do they need more substrate for burrowing or could it work?

>>2390637
Well I didn't want to suggest dwarf species but since >>2390662 already mentioned one I can suggest a few more if you don't mind smaller tarantulas.

Holothele, Cyriocosmus and Heterothele species are all great options.

For most of these you want a bit deeper soil though. You can still do that in your cube by making a (quite steep) slope towards the back so that there's about 15cm of soil in the last third.

>>2390664
>Think it'd outgrow it as well?

Eh, this is hard to answer. They will basically web up their entire enclosure, no matter how big you make it and then sit in that web. It's really up to you to decide if the spider has enough room to do all the..spider things it does. What it NEEDS is a hide (initially) that it can snugly fit under, a water bowl, some branches to attach the web to and a flat space to molt.

You can get a bit more height by reducing the soil, they don't really use it so 3cm or so will be fine. Also they will just put layer upon layer on that web, you could give them a 1m tall enclosure and they'd sit right under the top eventually anyway.

I'd suggest you get a juvenile, 4 to 5 cm legspan, which will be fine in that cube for at least a year, so you have time to think about upgrading.

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>>2390664
>Cyriocosmus leetzi is also one that caught my attention. Do they need more substrate for burrowing or could it work?

Just do the slope thing anon suggest, 10 to 15cm in the back is plenty. Also the Cyriocosmus species are definitely pet holes. You'll only see them outside their tunnels at night, but they dig a lot and make very intricate tunnel systems.

During the day, well, pic related.

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I just saw my A. geniculata with a drop of liquid hanging from its mouth. Tried to get to my phone to get a pic but it was gone.

What was that? Should I be worried?

Does anyone have experience with snails/slugs? I live in the US so no giant african snails, but im really thinking about getting one and putting it in a little terrarium with some moss and such.

>>2390680
Snails and slugs shit SO MUCH. You have no idea how much they shit until you've had them, and it stinks, and it comes out of their shell, and depending on what you feed them it turns all kinds of fucked up colors. I fed mine carrots and it shat ORANGE.

Are tarantula slings difficult to care for? I kind of want one. I have experience with baby reptiles but not inverts.

>>2390680
No, but I do know that many species, especially slugs, are not actually pure herbivores. Many actually prey specifically on other snails, so be aware of the diet of the specific species you're gonna catch and keep.

>>2390726
Depends on the species, I'd say about 60 to 70% are super, super low maintenance and very, very easy to care for. A few need a bit more attention than a literal pet rock, and then there are some more demanding species.

Easy to care for doesn't equal beginner species for tarantulas though, there are quite a few that have very easy husbandry but that aren't good for beginner, mostly because of speed, venom and temperament.

Read through these: https://tomsbigspiders.wordpress.com/beginner-guides/

specifically: https://tomsbigspiders.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/the-best-tarantula-species-for-beginners/

and ask any questions you have left here.

>>2390679
give us a pic, luv.

Hopefully it's not nematodes

>>2390735
I didn't get one, I wrote that in my post.

I caught her doing it a second time though, and I read some reports of people seeing the same thing. Apparently it's nothing to worry about but no one really knows why they do it.

>>2390729
I dont really have any native snail species, I've actually never seen a snail or a slug in my state. Can you get snails online? I see a bunch of sites saying they'll ship you some, but I heard it was illegal.

>>2390731
I am pretty set on a G. pulchra. I don't mind slow growth rate but I don't want something super delicate or high-maintenance if it'll take awhile to reach adulthood. I don't plan to handle the T much at all. So, speed/temper/venom is not an issue for me.

Thanks for the links.

>>2390749
>I dont really have any native snail species, I've actually never seen a snail or a slug in my state.

That is...almost impossible, unless you're past the arctic circle or you're in antarctica.

>>2390726
Slugs seem to love dog kibble in my experience.

>>2390764
Im assuming its just pesticides that keeps them away, plus its usually pretty dry here so maybe thats also a factor?

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>>2390090
>>2390091
Do you live in the US? If so where did you get that cutie?

I plan on getting my first mantis in a month or so, but it seems like US websites almost never sell anything other than the Chinese mantis.

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>>2390802
Nah sorry, I'm from Europe.

mantidkingdom.com appears to have Gongylus in stock, and panterrapets.com Stagomantis and Gongylus too.

mantisplace.com seems to have a bunch of different species in stock but those prices are ridiculous for the most part. 75$ for an orchid nymph and 55$ for a B. mendica is way too much.

I guess in the US you're better off searching for private breeders/going to expos.

>>2390726
My first Ts were slings. Just do your research and they're ezpz. Especially if you get some of the more hardy species

>>2390664
D. diamentinesis would be great as well. Blue/green And orange/red. They are a dwarf species and they web up a good bit.

Also, N. incei is a nice dwarf species that webs a ton and if you get the gold color form they are stunning.
Always busy from what I have read.

>>2390664
I tend to give my GBBs more room than they "need" they are a skittish species and without extra room they can be prone to bolting

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>>2390831
Yeah, I looked at mantisplace.com, but also found the prices to be a bit absurd.

It seems like UK/Europe is the place to be for buying mantids online. Oh well.

Do you or any other anons have tips for owning my first mantid? I've read lots of useful guides already, but I'd love any tips or advice that might not be obvious.

>>2390831
Could you recommend me some good european websites that ship to Switzerland ?

I've been interested in mantids for a while now and as I got my own appartment now I'm thinking of keeping a few.

>>2390934
mantidenundmehr.de is great. Ordered multiple times and it always arrived within 2 days here in Austria.

mantidendealer.de also has a nice selection, but I haven't ordered from there yet.

>>2390910
Well, at least mantidkingdom is breeding B. mendica, they even have a wait list. So you CAN get that species in the US.

Not sure I'd recommend that species to a beginner though. To be honest, as a first mantis a chinese mantis is totally fine, you can always get something else when you've got a bit more experience. They don't live that long anyway. Of course there are other beginner species as well, in case you don't want a Tenodera. Try getting a Hierodula, Sphodromantis or Phyllocrania.

>It seems like UK/Europe is the place to be for buying mantids online. Oh well.
Don't want to sound like an ass, but yeah, the selection seems rather poor in the US. Maybe you have lots of local breeders though? Getting your animals from them would even be preferable to a shop. Have you looked into local classifieds yet? Or are there any conventions near you (reptile shows usually have inverts as well)?

> I've read lots of useful guides already, but I'd love any tips or advice that might not be obvious.
Oh boy. Most "guides" you get when you just search for "mantis care guide" are utter crap and written by idiots with no experience.

I can give you the tl;dr version of actual mantis care for beginner species if you want.

>>2390947
I can vouch for mantidendealer.de
Great packaging, very nice guys all around and there are usually freebies if you order more than 10 or so animals.

>>2390983
>>2390947
Oh btw, I can also vouch for mantidenundmehr.de
I didn't want this to come off like only one of those sites is good.

I've met Katharina Wüst on several expos and talked at length with her. She's very knowledgeable and really cares for her animals. The care sheets on her site are some of the best on the internet as well.

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>>2390987
Got a link? we can add them to our meager resources.

>>2391068
http://www.mantidsandmore.com/en/mantids/species-selection.html

Most of it is in german sadly, the only translated stuff are the short care sheets that are really more for people that already know what they're doing. She has some great general advice as well but all of those except the sexing one are untranslated.

Maybe I'll write a short general guide, with some "inspiration" from the stuff she has already written for this general.

>>2390225
i would also like to know about wax worms

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>>2390947
>>2390983
Can confirm that mantidendealer and mantidenundmehr are pretty good!

I orderd several times from both, mostly Fly pupae tho..
But I've also ordered some Mantids

As someone already said, it always arrived within 2 days (I'm from Austria)
perfect packging in both shops

>>2390802
Forgot to say, start with an easy to keep species

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Female after ~30 hours.

The red is starting to come through but you can still see the initial black/blue color. She looks purple to the naked eye which does not really come through on camera, or at least on this shitty one. Size is almost exactly 3cm. Pretty sure she'll get a lot fatter once the eggs start developing.

>>2390225
Did the other one molt? What temperature are you keeping them at?

>>2391291
And yes, they can eat waxworms. Probably better not to feed too many though, all the holometabola larva are basically just tons of fat.

>>2389925
>Or anything without a backbone
I don't think I should be talking about middle-aged republicans on /an/.

>>2391401
Looking splendid! Don't they go into panic mode when you try to handle them?

>>2391554
>Looking splendid!
I see what you did there, and not they don't really panic. They are fast and very curious but they don't panic when you pick them up at all.

>>2391419
Only annoying faggots try to inject politics into subjects that have nothing to do with them. You're not clever and nobody likes you.

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I bought an extatosoma tiaratum nymph a few weeks ago and was told it was male, looks like I got goofed and she a girl. How many eggs should I be expecting and how often do they lay?

>>2391818
Once they get going they'll drop a few eggs a day, so quite a bunch.

>>2391818
about 20 – 25 eggs per female and week, according to this: http://www.phasmatodea.com/web/guest/extatosoma-tiaratum-innisfail

>>2391825
Oh, right, we should totally add that site to the OP btw, it's basically a phasmid bible in digital form.

This is the link to the general care guides: http://www.phasmatodea.com/web/guest/allgemeines

And here are detailed caresheets for over 200 species: http://www.phasmatodea.com/de/web/guest/221

>>2391830
And while we're at it www.theraphosidae.be/en should go into the OP as well. It has some very well researched and extensive articles on tarantulas and some really good care sheets as well. Not many species yet because it's new but they're still adding new ones.

Best cheap substrate for a chinese mantis terrarium for a noob?

>>2391872
paper towels

>>2390091
So kawaii.

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Got some orthoporus ornatus at a reptile expo today

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>>2390110
Yea, it's a shame that it's illegal to keep exotic species here in straya, and the most impressive species you can probably get here are H.Majusculas

>>2392121
It's a shame but I think quite necessary. You have a unique ecosystem and many cool critters, but it needs protecting. Not that it's not already pretty fucked up.

You have some cool stuff over there too though, mabye not in the mantis department but for example Phalacrognathus muelleri.

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>tfw you realize you have $500+ worth of mantis all sitting together in the same enclosure
>when there are reports of people online saying they potentially eat each other
nervous sweating.jpg

Nah bullshit. Those reports also come from the same people that think they're difficult.

Also a pair together makes a complete rainbow, which I think is kinda cute.

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Freshly molted P. horrida look spicy.

>>2392121
Archimantis are also Australian. Apparently some of the species can get really big. Haven't even seen those being kept outside Australia.

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>>2389925

Mantis pets are the best because they like watching YouTube videos with me, and will watch me play video games.

https://youtu.be/DWhWqsZnnsQ

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>>2389925
Does anyone know what can of grasshopper this is? Thanks

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>>2392537
Neobarrettia spinosa. Commonly knows as red eyed devil or giant texas katydid.

>>2392541
Thanks man

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>>2390660


>OBT (Pterinochilus murinus) if you want a new world species with attitude, but it might also outgrow that cube, and this one grows pretty fast.

Excuse me what. OBT's are an old world species with pretty potent venom and extreme speed. I'm not against bigginers owning them, but they should know what they're getting into first.

>>2392550
He already said he doesn't want to handle the spider and that's not why he's getting one. They're very hardy and they make it very clear they don't want to be bothered. Also they look nice and have interesting behavior, a great first spider if you're not a child or an idiot.

The whole "a beginner tarantula is a species that you can handle" thing comes from people getting into the hobby that want to feel badass or look cool in front of their friends for owning a spider. If you're not like that and just get a tarantula because you actually are interested in the animal you should have no problem with an OBT.

I just assume the anon that asked is not one of those people, as he already was able to find this thread and asked intelligent questions.

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>>2392599
Anon who asked the initial questions here. I don't care about handling at all. It can be a full time pet rock if it wishes to do so. I'm pretty set on Hapalopus now, though I'm not sure if I should go for a sling or one that's bigger, like about half the size of an adult. If I were to get a sling, could I immediately put it in the cube or would it be better to keep it in one of those cups for a while? Any downsides of slings besides size/unidentified gender?

>>2392634
>If I were to get a sling, could I immediately put it in the cube or would it be better to keep it in one of those cups for a while?

Better to put it in a much smaller vial. You need to more attention to a sling than a juvenile or adult. In that cube you'll never see it so you can't tell if it's eating and doing well, you will also have a much harder time feeding it as you can't really control where your feeders go. Think of the vials as basically entire burrows for the sling, with no "outside" part (which they don't really use anyway), don't treat them like real enclosures. That should help selecting an appropriate size.

>Any downsides of slings besides size/unidentified gender?
Some have different requirements and lifestyles than the adults, for example some go from being arboreal to terrestrial or even burrowing. Also all slings are more prone to overheating and desiccation. Not really the case for Hapalopus though, same lifestyle and requirements for slings and adults, with slings you just can't get away with making the mistake of letting the substrate dry out.

>>2391405
the other passed suddenly. i came home and it was just lying on the ground barely moving. could have been a bad molt?

>>2392599
I would agree, I specifically said I'm not against new hobbiests owning them. I simply stated that it is not a new world species and that a bite from one isn't simply comparable to a bee sting.
I own one, and I'd agree that you'd have to do something pretty foolish to get bit. But
accidents happen and he should know what he's getting into

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wild spider randomly decided to lay it's eggs on the wall right above my bed

there's no such thing as a dangerous spider in my country so I'll see what happens

>>2392685
Looks like a running crabbo spider so it's completely harmless. I don't blame you if you don't want your room full of spiderlings so you can move the sac if you want but they'll disperse eventually either way.

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>>2392685
>>2392739
I'm gonna warn you now

I once let a bunch of pic related proliferate on my back porch

After a week there were two or three

After a month there were 6 or so

After two months there were two or three dozen of them infesting every corner of my back porch

They were pretty but made it impossible to navigate my backyard. I had to kill them all by whacking them with a big stick. I said sorry after brutally murdering each one if it makes a difference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC_Fdy9hOl4&feature=youtu.be

>>2392773
Webbing day is coming soon, you can just walk around your yard and step on them. I do not condone this, these things are huge, clunky and easy to scoop up and move.

OP here

Any good mantid resources we can put up?

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Thirsty thirsty.

>>2392939
Wash that out.

>>2392946
right-o. Just did.

Odd. Seems I have a "bowl- filler" on my hands. She seems to love filling it with dirt and what have you. This would be the second time this week I've rinsed it out.

>>2392954
Try the bottom of a soda bottle, keep the edges raised and cut a dip in front for access. Melt edges down.
Might take a bunch of tries to get it right, but you can just set a bowl and a water bottle with a hole in the top next to the tank to speed up changes. Dump water in bowl, squirt water at lid, replace and fill. Once a day is fine, it doesn't even matter much, I just get bothered by dirty animal water.

>>2392537

That seems like the most ineffective way to hunt. You just kind of trundle over to whatever and then put it in your mouth...

>>2392935
http://www.mantisonline.eu/index.php?lan=en

Bit weird to navigate but has good info. Navigate by clicking top/left/right tabs. Switch C/F and inch/cm in the top right.

General info is here: http://www.mantisonline.eu/index.php?lan=en&show=general

Care sheets are here: http://www.mantisonline.eu/index.php?lan=en&show=species&content={%22subshow%22:%22species_mantids%22,%22level_right%22:%22list%22,%22level_left%22:%22all%22}

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>tfw I took the best pic ever of a 6-spotted Tiger Beetle yesterday

I have this as my wallpaper on a 3 feet wide screen, fug.

is it possible to keep a tarantula under my bed, in a proper enclosure of course. i dont wanna freak my mom out when she sees it. it wont mind the dark will it?

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I'm fucking dying in this heat but at least she's enjoying it.

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>>2393144
Also that camo works suprisingly well.

>>2393075
Awesome dude. I wish I had tiger beetles around here, but no luck.

>>2393134
It needs a day night cycle my dude, constant darkness will fuck it up.

Why not just talk to your mom openly about getting one? I'm sure if you get all the misconceptions out of the way and tell her how little effort and cost it actually is she won't be against it.

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That was fast. 5 Days after the molt she started emitting pheromones. Powerfed her during the weekend and now he hopped on without hesitation.

>>2393144
>>2393145
Neat. Has she laid any ooths yet?

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>>2393152
Yes, two. Third is on the way, she thicc af

>5 Days after the molt
Wat. How horny are these things?

Then again the Metallyticus males have been hype as fuck for the past two days as well. Starting at pretty much exactly 5 PM they start getting very active and jump and fly all over the place. Don't think the female is ready yet though.

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>>2393171
>Yes, two. Third is on the way, she thicc af
Woah, she's been quite busy. Do you plan on raising as many nymphs as possible? Apparently they get cannibalistic very early on.

My second Rhombodera female is now adult as well, even got a little bit bigger than her sister. Male's still subadult though, should hopefully molt this week.

>Then again the Metallyticus males have been hype as fuck for the past two days as well. Starting at pretty much exactly 5 PM they start getting very active and jump and fly all over the place.
They must be a joy to watch. Seeing them fly around so casually looks cute.

>>2389925
I set a goal to find a mantis in the wild this summer. Unfortunately I live in a country where mantids are kinda rare. I did some researched and I think I should search in a bushy area. Any tips where should I look?

>>2393147
disagree.
even in nature they are in a hole during the day and come out at night. they dont need a day/ night cycle.
some argue that G. rosea have a special need for the cycle but aside from that they dont need light ever. some argue that constant darkenss is better.

>>2393134
dont hide stuff from your mom. its her house. if you want a spider and she isnt on board, get independent.

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Here is my crayfish.

>>2393235
germany?

>>2393273
Czech Republic

My two Madagascar hissing cockroaches (Betty and crocker) had like 35 babies recently and I can't keep them all, can't just release em all either. What should I do?

>>2393260
a friendo, what species?

>>2393318
Got any other pet you could feed them to? You could ask a pet store or look for takers online. Or just cull them.

>>2393323
I've got a chameleon so ill just feed em to her i guess yeah, but before i do that ill ask some stores tho thanks dude. I'm too attached to just kill em outright

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>>2393233
>Do you plan on raising as many nymphs as possible? Apparently they get cannibalistic very early on.
They are. I'll try to get rid of them as fast as possible. I have someone that will give me 2 or 3 € per L2.

>My second Rhombodera female is now adult as well, even got a little bit bigger than her sister. Male's still subadult though, should hopefully molt this week.
Good luck. I'd love a Rhombodera but I don't have the space for that at the moment. I'm considering getting one after the Plistospilota though. Or a Heterochaeta, I'm not sure which one but definitely one of the two. THICC or THINN that is the question.

>They must be a joy to watch. Seeing them fly around so casually looks cute.
They are quite fantastic. They have quickly become my favorite species out of all the ones I've kept so far. Initially I got them because of the colors but now I love them for their behavior too. They just seem so aware of their surroundings.

Female is done coloring now as well.

>>2393328
They legit are probably the best food you could give it though desu
Not only because roaches are just very nutritious in general but also because you (probably) give them and their parents much, much better food than feeders usually get.

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gonna post some nice finds from this weekend. Im not familiar with our local Michigan species so this is kind of an ID request as well?

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>>2393509
same spider, different angle. she just dropped this sac last night haha

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>>2393511
same sp. i think. different spider. dorsal

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>>2393512
>>2393512

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>>2393515
cute lil orchard orb weaver

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>>2393517

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>>2393521
some SP. crab spider. im thinking male?

>>2393524
Those palps are awful slender. If male it has spider equivalent of feminine benis

>>2393531
Do you think there are lonely spider weebs that drop their spermatophores to female looking spiders with big bulbs? Or that they think it's only gay if the bulbs touch?

>>2392121
Native Australian bugs and spooders aren't crazy enough for you?

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>>2393544
holy shit

>>2393531
Maybe you're right. I don't know much about them (yet) but i was assuming male based on the coloration compared to females of some of the species we have here

How prone are inverts to inbreeding? Say, if there was some rare new tarantula species discovered and a breeder manages to get hold of a pair, would he be able to establish a long-term captive population or would they succumb to the inbreeding after few generations?

>>2393572
Inbreeding generally is not a problem with most inverts. Some species do seem to suffer heavily from it but for most others it's a non-issue.

For example the almost completely extinct Dryococelus australis was saved by breeding a single pair of them back in 2001.

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Well, my clumsy-ass self managed to trip and drop my mantis again, this time while it was molting. Didn't think it was even near time for it to molt, but shit. Why did my life have to become so uprooted as I started doing this?

Here's the damages after triage. It was hanging out of its skin by the thread when I picked it up. It had one kinked rear leg and pretty bad bowing on both rear legs, but I got it to stretch out and have been lightly spraying it with water for an hour now. I think he'll make it.

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>>2393321
I think it's a marmorkrebs but it's hard to tell.

>>2393589
He'll make it but not holding small alive things more than a foot in the air is standard. You have no excuse, hopefully you can fix it.

>>2393623
>not holding small alive things more than a foot in the air is standard
I'm not crab crawling from the car to where I'm carrying them, so being higher than a foot over the ground is bound to happen. The thing I don't have an excuse is is not noticing that one was midway through molting.

I thought it was a safe day for my mantises as the last one of the litter just finished hardening up from the (now)previous molt.

>>2393589
>again
do you not carry mantids in containers? i would think something so delicate that can also fly and likes to jump should be carefully transported

>>2393533
Your integers suggest there are. Probably trap(door) spiders

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>>2393531
i found this male in some leaf litter i picked up in the same area. maybe the same species? I realized the 2 females may be different sp.

i put him in with both to see how it would go, with one neither were receptive, the larger female he was very interested in and i believe attempted insertion (flat upside down on her back)
female dorsal shots incoming

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>>2393736
not receptive

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>>2393736
for the life of me i could not get this girl in focus. im rocking about 50mm of lense tubes and am not using any lighting aside from lense flash so i cant see shit before the picture is taken lol.

the male wanted her bad and she was a little flighty

>>2393736
Interesting! I wonder if they weren't receptive because maybe they are a molt or two from maturity, or if he just doesn't meet their standards

>>2393671
?
I tripped while carrying its container, how would it jump mid molt? Why would anyone knowingly give it reason to jump mid molt? I screwed up by tripping, but that's hardly a choice when you need to move them.

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>>2393736
>>2393739
>hfw

Anyone have any replacement lid ideas for critter keepers? Everytime I open the thing my T gets spooped and runs for her hide. It's such a pain in the ass to open

>>2394093
You could file down the tabs where it is held on. Though unless you're trying to handle or something there is really no issue with a spider running to it's . Just don't open the lid and you can see it

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What kind of spider is this?
I'm in Mexico

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>>2394122
Brachypelma albiceps I think

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>>2394122
>ded

you find it like that?

>>2394130
thank you!

>>2394150
yes ;__;

>>2394122
Big fat wad of spide

>>2394103
It's more for feeding than anything else. Dubia are annoying little shits.

>>2394161
You can still preserve it, it was a pretty spide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwIiKXfnOjc

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Hey all.

I usually post in herp.

Anyhow I got this queen shortly after thinking I missed the initial flights. I saw a male and let him go then searched for a few hours for a queen. No luck. Then sitting on my steps suddenly a wingless queen with scars wandered by right next to me.

I couldn't believe my luck after a few years of looking.

She is a Camponatus, black carpenter ant but I am not 100% sure what type because of being in Washington.

Anyhow I put her into a test tube setup and put her in my underwear drawer. Decided to take a shower and peek at her and she had a happy surprise for me.

Now for the long wait before any hatch out and she has enough workers to go into a terrarium and nest.

>>2394291
Sweet, keep us updated, we have a few ant people in here I think.

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>>2389925
I posted this before with no replies.
I want to know what kind of beetle is this.
If it helps, I found it in Veracruz, Mexico

New discord link
https://discord.gg/g59mdCa

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>>2394584
Good stuff. Will make sure to put in next OP

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>>2394581
Strategus aloeus seems to match up.

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Behold the dragon mantis.

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>>2394716

I mean, wtf is up with this.

>>2394651
Yes it was, thank you very much

>>2394717
PASSWORD IS PORUGA

>>2394291
She's likely C. modoc if you're in Washington. Probably solid black, with a shiny gaster and slightly red legs.

>>2394717
It doesn't even look real on video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZJqR6LZMK0

So why do we not have these in the hobby yet?

Anybody here ever keep shrimp?

I'm looking at expanding my invert collection to the water, and Red Cherry Shrimp look like a good way to start

>>2394990
The aquarium general would probably be a better place to ask, they keep a lot of them. Most people in here have tarantula or mantids. Aquatic inverts do seem cool though.

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Looks like my A. geniculata is gonna molt soon. Closed off both entrances to her hide and hasn't opened them for the last few days either.

She's a juvenile, like 7 cm legspan. How long do you guys think until she molts and emerges again?

>>2394998
I'm mostly just interested in if the invert guys here have any.

I'm fairly confident I have the resources to do it already.

>>2395004
Different anon here, I want some too. Done my research and everything and I'm probably gonna get some soon when I save up some more money. I'm on a tight budget at the moment.

Why is everything aquarium related so damn expensive?

>>2394904
>So why do we not have these in the hobby yet?
They die very quickly in captivity. Don't think anyone ever managed to raise nymphs into adulthood, let alone breeding.

>>2395001
>She's a juvenile, like 7 cm legspan. How long do you guys think until she molts and emerges again?
Probably any time between 1 week and 2 months. But they're fast growers so I don't think it'd take too long.

>>2395022 I was just surprised because she ate just the day before closing it off.

I guess I shouldn't be, this spider jumps on anything that moves. She'd probably eat until she explodes if I gave her enough. I'm just used to spiders that stop eating a good while before getting ready to molt.

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>>2395014
they are extreme highland species
it is believed that the altitude change damagas their respiratory system

>>2394291
Good looking queen. I've got a pair of Tapinoma chilling in tubes right now, although only one has laid anything - I think the other might not have been fertilized, but she's only been in a tube for a week, so she could still just be butthurt.

I gotta start working on the outworld soonish, as the first queen already has a dozen or so eggs.

I'd provide pics, but the species is so damn tiny I can't get anything definitive with what I've got.

>>2395197

Yeah I have only my shitty camera phone. You'd need a good camera to capture smaller species.

Luckily since Camp. Take so long to be ready for a move I have plenty of time to get an omninest and work on my out world.

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>>2395246
Oh yeah, you've got literal months to play with, which is a shame because they're such a neat species. What are you thinking in the way of a formicarium? I'm eyeballing one of the AntsCanada hybrid nests, as I like the design's being specific to family, and that they have a hydration system that's easy to manage.

Out here in CA, I should be spoiled for choice on nuptial flights, but I've only found those two queens in two months of searching. It's starting to get a bit ridiculous - I've not seen hide nor hair of any camponotus, which should be everywhere around me, and even diggin' down south cali has not netted me any of the harvester ant species (which I'd really like).

I have one photo, for what it's worth (not much). 17mm tubes, for scale. This is the only one who's actually managed to lay anything.

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>>2395392
And that's the wrong photo. Genius me.

>>2395392

Nice and well since antscanada is actually what got me into deciding to keep ants I figured I'd get the omninest or hybrid.

Camp. Seem like they can take upto 2 years or so before they area fully ready (depending on how fast she lays and hibernation in the winter). I'm just glad I don't have to worry about feeding her. I am stupid though... I didn't do enough water behind the cotton. So I may have to try to get her to move her brood over to a new tube with a light.

I got lucky since I couldn't find one the past few years. She literally wondered by my hand on the steps when I was smoking. Couldn't believe my luck haha.

>>2395393

And yeah she is tiny but you should have a colony and explosion way before I do. I probably won't see bigger numbers until 3.

As for terrariums. I am a reptile keeper so I have lots of tanks in general but I may just buy and decorate one of theirs like I do a full live or semi live setup for my reptiles.

I wonder though if I gave them enough food options if they would leave my cleaner isopods alone though. Then I wouldnt have to worry about garbage or dead cleanup.

>>2395450
From my experience nothing really likes isopods, at least as far as inverts are concerned. Adults that is, not sure about babies.

And even if they eat them, you might have to clean garbage but at least you supplemented their diet, right?

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What is /invert/'s favorite place to buy mantids? I am not really looking for a specific type. Just want to buy from somewhere reputable. I live in the US.

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>>2395450
I really liked the look of the omninest at first, but the high price coupled with the reviews I'm seeing mentioning how the acrylic flexes with age, allowing ants to get into things like the sponge reservoir, have been pushing me towards the hybrid nests.
And yeah, I'll have them in a formicarium before the year is out, certainly - Tapinoma are horny little bastards. It's the interim period that worries me the most, where there aren't enough workers to move them into the formicarium, but enough to necessitate a steady food supply. I'll probably just put the tube in the outworld and feed them there, in the mean time.

I did like the idea of putting them into a terrarium and just letting them dig to their hearts content, but my space is limited, as I live in what could accurately be called a refurbished tool shed.

>>2395456

Yeah I thought so and my reptile shop carries them for vivariums so I know I can get them easily.

>>2395471

Yeah I mainly considered the hybrid best as well. At least now I know why it is probably a better choice.

I wanted to get cork bark and adhere it to the side of a big vivarium to get them to tunnel and see it but the adhesion and toxicity would be an issue. I can't just screw it into the tank. Even if I predrilled holes it would crack the glass and I don't want to do a plexiglass build.

I think maybe assuming all goes well when they colony is set to expand and if I get to the point of a second terrarium I may try something more complex like that.

Be cool to see them chew and spit out the wood bits and build a nest in the soft bark.

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>>2393049
Sweet. I'll make sure to put it in the next OP

>>2395467

Mantid Kingdom
Mantis Place
Bugs in Cyberspace
PanteraPets

Those are all great places I trust.

Mantis are seasonal, so what's available is always changing. If you haven't raised a mantis before, I suggest starting with a giant Asian or a ghost mantis.

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>>2389925
My strawberry hermit crabs are all molting right now as I got a larger tank (20 gal), I was thinking of adding some new ones in, but I don't want any more strawberries. Would the crabs of different species get along? or would they get territorial/fight?

>>2394640
I want one of these

>>2395392
If it's Camponotus, then it'll likely be nearly a year before they're ready for a formicarium.

Also, if you're in California, you should be swimming in queens this time of year.

>>2395450
>>2395456
If your isopods are pill bugs (Armadillidium spp.), the adults will likely be fine with ants. Their ability to roll into a ball makes them too tough for most ants to prey on. Their babies will not be so safe, although most isopods breed so prolifically that it they might not be an issue.

>>2395596
>you should be swimming in queens this time of year.
I know I SHOULD be, but for the life of me I cant find any other than the two. I live in an area with a mix of climates, being coastal, valley and mountainous, so you'd think I really would be swimming in the little bastards, but it's been nearly empty.

Doesn't help that I live next to a lovely state park I'm not legally allowed to collect from.

>>2395607
The best hunting time is generally going to be the crack of dawn after a rainy day. Minimal wind is also helpful. Most of the species in your area are probably going to be quick to dig. Look for founding chambers in the ground.

>>2395596

My queen is Camponatus and it does look like c. modoc.

And yeah my iso would be pillbugs. The shop has several species that come in so maybe a mix or a tougher exo one would be best.

I figure I'll set them up way beforehand and have adults already cycling before I introduce the ants.

>>2395625
I may be wrong, but I believe the two common pill bugs you'll have in your area will be A. vulgare and A. nasatum. Of the two, I'd recommend A. nasatum. In my experience they tend to breed faster.

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Hello friends, wondering if anyone can help identify a spood that landed on my face while I was in bed.
I live in Alberta Canada if that helps with the identification. I didn't kill him just left him by the window. His name is Curtis

>>2395661
It's difficult from just that image. Can we get a photo of his face?

>>2395661
It's a gnaphosid. I've never seen markings like that but it's probably Sergiolus montanus or something in that genus because they can vary a lot.

>>2395646
>breeding tater bugs

Fuck you guys, don't release them things. They're extremely bad this year, 2 million in a half football field sized yard, and destroying tons of vegetables.

>>2395730
>>2395730
I googled what a tater bug is.

The pill isopods they're talking about are not "tater bugs".

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>>2395620
Thanks, I'll try that next time we get some rain (which is a problem in itself these days).

>>2395784
Oh, my bad, the hate is real for me.

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Just molted, absolutely fabulous. I think this is the biggest one yet.

The two adults that were in the group of 15 that I bought are a good bit smaller than the ones that molt to adulthood in my care for some reason.

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>>2395963
nice

yes, I've also noticed a size difference in the adults, so I think that's normal

how long does it take for a chinese mantis to molt? mine has been on l4 for about a month now without molting. i feed it every 2-3 days if that matters

>>2396033
For as menacing as they look, I can't help but think it's actually a weirdly fragile build.
I really like to look and Amblyps

>>2396161
it's not weirdly fragile, it's logically fragile. the legs are so tiny and spindly and ungainly with that heavy body, it's like a crane fly.

>>2396175
>>2396161
They're actually pretty heavily armored, the walking legs aren't that fragile at all. The modified first pair is still super fragile of course.

>>2395549
Different anon, but also someone who wants to get their first mantis...

I'd love a giant Asian mantis. Is there anything I should know before I get one?

I plan on starting with an XL Kritter Keeper before upgrading to a larger glass tank. Should I get a different kind of mantis since it is only 12" tall? I know they need a good amount of height to molt.


What would be a good food for a young mantis between nymph and adult stage?

Thank you for any and all info!

Why isn't my hissing cockroach molting or doing anything at all? I mean she moves if I poke her but other than that she just kinda clings to the wall of her cage. I've had her for a few months now and I'm starting to get worried. She's small and skittish so I thought she would molt some more and I had a heating pad under her cage because I thought it was because she was cold and I was misting her cage too but I took it away because it started melting the plastic.

>>2396347
Also she doesn't really eat. She ate a piece of an orange once when I first got her and some tofu a while later but I never see her eat and I never see her food depleted.

>>2396336
No real reason to waste money on a critter keeper, doesn't have the right dimensions for a mantis anyway. Go to any local store and search for clear plastic boxes, then find some fiberglassfly screen to add ventilation.

At what size are you getting it anyway?

Enclosures should be roughly 2x the size of the mantis in width and depth and 3x (better 4x) the height, so get something appropriate and move onto the next bigger one when it becomes necessary. I usually do a progression 4 sizes throughout their lifes. You probably won't need the first one, as you shouldn't get a mantis that small and you already have the last one planned out with the glass terrarium, so you need 2 more containers.

Also you've probably read in caresheets that you don't need additional heat and should feed with crickets. Both of those are wrong and will kill your mantis. Unless your room has 80F during the day you'll need a small lamp for heat, and you can feed almost anything BUT crickets, preferably flies but roaches and locusts are also ok. Many smaller feeders are also better than one big meal, it keeps the mantis active and reduces the chance of overfeeding.

>>2396356
Forgot to add, I can show some examples of a DIY mantis box, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow, I'm going to bed now.

>>2396356
Thank you for the thorough response. I appreciate it.

I'm curious what you mean about the plastic boxes, so I'd love if you could post that tomorrow. I check theae generals almost daily.

I do plan on getting a heat lamp since it's usually only 70F in my apartment. Any recommendations on brands? I'm also curious about getting multiple to create a day/night cycle. Is that a worthy investment?

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>>2396375
>I do plan on getting a heat lamp
>Any recommendations on brands
None. You don't need ANYTHING special to keep a mantis, let alone anything with a brand. What you want is the cheapest adjustable halogen desk lamp you can find, something like in the picture. Also get a pack of 10W halogen bulbs in advance, cause these fail all the time.

You put that above your enclosure of choice (top should be flyscreen) and adjust the height until the top is as hot as the upper range of temps indicated in care sheets, something around 80-85 for most mantids. That way you not only have light and heat but also a temperature gradient from the top to the bottom, so the mantis can choose its ideal temperature itself.


>I'm also curious about getting multiple to create a day/night cycle. Is that a worthy investment?
You don't need multiple unless you're keeping a species that really wants it hot and you're heating up a large enclosure. And then I'd recommend using one of those clamp on lamps instead that accept 35/50W bulbs.

All you need for a day/night cycle is a cheap digital timer, which you need anyway, I'm sure you don't want to turn on that lamp at 8AM every morning.

One of the most fun things about this hobby is DIYing stuff and not relying on overpriced branded products. You can do almost any invert keeping for really, really cheap if you get a bit crafty.

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>>2396394
and by digital timer I mean one of these of course

lamp should be like $20, timer like $15, some replacement bulbs $5

that's probably still cheaper than buying a single "specialty" heat lamp

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>>2396394

I get the reptile moon bulbs. They put out heat without all the light.

I use feeder crickets depending on the species. A Chinese is fine with crickets, they're the hardiest species in the world. But many species are much more temperamental, and blue/greenbottle flies are the better option.

I just would make sure the crickets are from a qualified breeder to keep them free of parasites.

how viable is it to become a bug breeder in a cold country like canada? would I have to pay through the nose for temperature and humidity control systems?

>>2396556

Room temperature and a heat lamp is all you need. If you want to keep them in a garage then, yeah probably.

>>2396559
i guess i'll start small then. Thanks.

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I live in NJ and came across this...

Is it what i think it is?

>>2396655
brown recluse

>>2396656
Shit I knew it. I fucking called it.

oshshitwaddafug 2 weeks early?

it said 7 weeks online, 7

they hatched after 5 aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

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>>2396686
and I even forgot my image

gotta go buy Drosophila quick

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>>2396689
got my Drosophila and now I find this!

Today is a good day.

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>>2396783
nice!
another female?

>>2396800
Yes, only one subadult female left now. Should molt in two days, if she keeps her schedule.

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For the guy that wanted some examples of DIY mantis enclosures.

You can use almost anything, as long as it's the right size. The top should be mesh and, depending on how moist your particular species needs it the sides as well.

Ignore the interior of the boxes that actually have something in them, those are for spiders.

>>2396965
How do you open them if theyre turned upright like that?

>>2397009
Carefully.

>>2396394
Cool. I already have a desk lamp so that works perfectly.

>>2396552
I love the idea of that bulb, because I do prefer having a day time night time cycle.

>>2396965
I really like the one in the middle that's like a perfect cube. Is that large enough for a mantis? If so, where did you get it? Thanks for posting anon.

>>2396552
That makes...absolutely no sense for a mantis. Why would you want to provide a diurnal animals with heat but not light? Those are for nocturnal animals. A mantis doesn't need heat at night. In fact quite the opposite. They appreciate a night time drop in temperature. That's why every decent caresheet has a day and a night temperature.

You don't like, put a lamp above your mantis and leave it on for 24 hours, right?

>>2397103
Well, all of these are large enough for a mantis of the right size. That's a BraPlast box, 5.8L. I don't know if you can get those in the US.

You wanted a Tenodera sinensis, right? Those get quite big, so for the last 2 molts or so you'll need something bigger, but until then it's big enough.

>>2397117
I've read that mantids need the height of an enclosure that's 3x their body length for when they molt. I'm trying to find something that's 15"(38cm) tall for that reason. Does that sound right?

>>2397141
Yup, sounds right. I like to actually go a bit above 3x, in case the mantis chooses a stupid spot to molt.

The 15" height sounds good though, but be aware that you won't need a box that big until your mantis is almost fully grown.

I mean you can still put it in that box when it's much smaller but feeding it will be more difficult in an oversized box.
You will either have to "manually" feed it and make sure it eats the prey you put in, or you'll have to throw in a whole bunch, because it likely won't find just 1 or 2 feeders in a box that's too big. And that can be very dangerous.
If you throw in like 10, and the mantis doesn't eat them all, they'll stick around and they might eat your mantis when it molts. Unless you use flies, those are harmless, but have fun doing maintenance on a box with 20 flies inside.

Using an appropriately sized box is is much less of a hassle.

At which stage is the one you want to get anyway?

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And now they're all done. Wew.

3 adult pairs and not a single problem with any of them since L4.

It's kind of scary to imagine how much money is actually sitting in that terrarium.

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om nom nom

My beetle grubs keep dying, any tips?

>>>2397467

>>2397473
Definitely seems like some sort of fungal infection.

I'd completely switch out the substrate,give the grubs a good scrubbing with warm water and thoroughly clean the box they were in.

Actually, have they molted while you had them? You said you use the same substrate, but you got them from under a tree stump. They probably eat what most grubs eat, the fungi inside rotting wood. Do they have any rotting wood pieces to even feed on? They might be starving.

>>2397491
The substrate is entirely made of wood, and I keep some chunks in there too for good measure.

As for scrubbing out the tank I've done that a few times, didn't think to bathe the grubs though. I'll have to give that a try.

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These guys are appearing in my compost, I think they breed in it. Also adults seem to like rotten fruit.

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Cetonia aurata, right?

>>2397509
>>2397512
Yes.

And they not only like rotten fruit. Give them a banana and watch em go.

>>2397509
>>2397512
>>2397516
looks more like Protaetia aeruginosa than C. aurata

>>2397532
Not really possible to say from those pictures actually. Don't get fooled by the coloration, that's very variable.

Apparently C. aurata has a little round nub between the coxae of the middle legs, while Protaetia have it flat and wide.

So if you want to know for sure grab one and look at that.

>>2397534
>>2397532
Thanks anons, I'll grab one when I come back.

>>2397160
>You will either have to "manually" feed it and make sure it eats the prey you put in, or you'll have to throw in a whole bunch, because it likely won't find just 1 or 2 feeders in a box that's too big.
I was planning on feeding it by hand about half the time and letting it hunt about half the time. Is this a bad idea? I'd like to be able to show them to guests when they come over, so I plan on having a good relationship if possible. Other than that I've been looking into feeder insects and I'm hoping to give as much variety as possible. I've read that silk worms are great as well as moths. I would prefer to not have a fly culture as my gf is really nervous about it. I think she would also freak out with roaches. Is there an insect I can feed it on a regular basis other than flies as my go to?

>If you throw in like 10, and the mantis doesn't eat them all, they'll stick around and they might eat your mantis when it molts.
I've read about that. I know a lot of people don't like crickets for that reason. Are there any other bugs other than flies that would be harmless? As I was saying earlier I think the silk worms would be fine.

>At which stage is the one you want to get anyway?
Well, most of the online stores sell them at L2 or L3, so 99% chance that's how old they'll be. I don't plan on trying to raise nymphs until maybe a year or two from now. Once I have more experience.

>>2397592
>Is this a bad idea?
No, should be alright. Again, this is only a problem if you want to put it in the big enclosure right away, where you can't easily take out feeders that escaped.
If you put it into something nicely decorated you simply don't know if there's still a crickets or something inside. That is ok for an adult mantis (since it won't molt anymore) but for juveniles it's always a risk. That's why most people put their juveniles into very barebone boxes, with only a stick to climb on and some kitchen paper as substrate. You can very easily check that box and do maintenance on it.

>I plan on having a good relationship if possible
You can't have a relationship with a mantis. They won't recognize you. Most species are generally pretty chill though, so handling shouldn't be a problem anyway. They also get more relaxed the bigger they get.

>I've read that silk worms are great as well as moths.
I wouldn't feed silkworms as a main diet, or any kind of larval form. They're usually full of fat. Moths are great, as well as butterflies. Anything that flies or flutters really, they love that. Not many nutrients in those but it really triggers their hunting instinct.

>cont.

>>2397636
>would prefer to not have a fly culture
You don't need to have a culture. Oh god, imagine the smell from trying to culture bluebottles. The small ones (Drosophila) come in little premade cultures and are bred to be flightless. You can culture these yourself, but if you don't feel like doing that you can just freeze them once there no longer are adults hatching and buy a new one. They cost like $5 and last for a month. The big flies (green bottle/blue bottle flies) you buy as maggots/pupas, which will pupate and then hatch/just hatch respectively after a few days. You can put the pupas into the fridge to slow their development and only take out as many as you need each day, they will hatch a few minutes after taking them out. A pack is like $2 and should also last weeks. Oh and you can order all of this stuff online if you don't have a pet store near you.

>Is there an insect I can feed it on a regular basis other than flies as my go to?
Nothing that you could easily get or culture, as far as I know.

>Are there any other bugs other than flies that would be harmless?
Nope, everything with biting mouthparts can, well, bite.

>most of the online stores sell them at L2 or L3, so 99% chance that's how old they'll be.
In that case I wouldn't just buy one of them but several. Young mantids just..die sometimes. No one really knows why but the smaller they are the more you should get. I'd say get 3 L3s to be on the safe side, especially since these are your first.

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One of my Metallyticus females just caught a Thermobia, fucking RIPPED IT IN HALF and the proceeded to alternately feed on the left and right half.

>mfw

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>>2397659

>>2396159
Anyone? Im kinda worried for my little guy

>>2397697
At that size it should be about around a month, so he should be due any week now.

What temps are you keeping him at?

>>2397706
Ah finally. Good to hear. My room stays around 72, highest 80 if i turn off the ac

>>2397742
Yeah, sounds about right. At 72 it will take a bit longer, as their metabolism slows down a bit. He'll start ignoring food and then molt in a week or so.

>>2397761
Good to know. Thanks a lot anon

>>2397117

My house has light. Why would I need more light?

The lamp keeps my mantis at a constant 80-85 degrees.

I live in Utah, so the temperature outside can range from sub zero to over a hundred in the span of a couple months, and because we have desert nights, it will drop below 70, which could be fatal.

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Does anyone here need Gongylus males?
Because I currently have far too many for the few females I have (2:11)
Why is it always like this for me?

Pic is one of the females

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I just found this thing. Anyone know what is it?

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>>2398239
More picture, my cat was chewing on it.
At first i thought it was a fancy bait or something.

It still alive btw but don't know how long it gonna last

>>2398239
Pyrops candelaria, lantern fly

>>2398243
Thank you!

>>2398171
Because it's still quite dark in your house, unless the enclosure gets direct sunshine.

Also it looks nice, at least if you have a glass or acrylic enclosure.

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My extatosoma tiaratum's tail is growing in kind of lopsided. Can anybody with experience tell me if this is normal?

The shapes on the ends of her tail seem to fold in on the left side.

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>>2398436
looks like the lobes are just a bit bent, no need to worry. This can happen when she bumps into things while molting, or when himidity is is a bit too low.

but as said, nothing to worry about.


One of the fat baby P. goesii molted, didn't expect them to molt this soon, but Oh well, I'm not complaining

>>2398457
Okay thanks friendo

>>2398481
For now, until she starts laying eggs

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>>2398458
no problem, m8

>>2398483
I thought this was the extra THICC edition, why you postin THINN

>>2398457
Was it you that asked about the P. sazimai slings a few threads ago?

Now that I've had them for a bit longer I can say a few more things about them. They eat really, really well, and take down even quite large prey. They seem to like it really wet and sit in their little holes pretty much all day, but they do come out at night. Also they eat a lot and grow fast.

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>>2398643
yep, that was me
thanks for the info, they sound interesting!

I thought, after over 10 years of keeping inverts, I might as well try tarantulas, even tho they never really appealed to me..
Still thinking about which species to get

also, I'm gonna try and mate pic related in about one or two weeks, hopefully all goes well..

>>2398654
I'd recommend getting a juvenile as well as some slings, just so you have something to look at while you wait for them to grow.

I'd suggest you get a Nhandu, Acanthoscurria or Pamphobeteus juvie. Not expensive, very easy to keep, always out, always hungry, grow fast, are pretty and usually not recommended to beginners because, boy, do these spiders have attitude. But since you know what you're doing I think these would be great for you.

The usual beginner species are the ones that you can handle, because they're more laid back, which honestly makes them a bit boring in my opinion. To someone that already has experience and doesn't want to touch anything these are great though, because they jump on anything that moves and they just seem to know they're supposed to be big and scary spiders, which makes them great display species. Juveniles might still be a bit shy though, but that goes away as they grow.

Careful not to overfeed though, because they will eat, and eat, and eat. It's like their stomach is a portal to another dimension.

Here are some great caresheets (click the icon on the left and scroll): http://www.theraphosidae.be/en

That site should totally be in the next OP too

>>2391401
what is that? She is gorgeous

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>>2398756
A mantis. Metallyticus splendidus, aka the "iridescent bark mantis" to be more specific.

>>2398767
shit, where do you get these?

>>2398810
Probably nowhere if you're in the US.

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>>2398767
Always wanted to go hunt for fighting jumping spiders there.

This one it's on a friend collection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_VhcS9xUBo

Wonderful creatures.

>tfw some shitty routing error from your provider prevents you from uploading a new video for two fucking days

Seems they finally fixed it though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja3U8tSFMI8

What do you guys think?

>>2397639
>You can put the pupas into the fridge to slow their development and only take out as many as you need each day, they will hatch a few minutes after taking them out.
Are they sealed in something solid? I'd be worried about them getting into food. Another thing is do they ever hatch inside the fridge or is it only after you take them out and they experience the room temperature?

>I'd say get 3 L3s to be on the safe side, especially since these are your first.
But what if they eat each other? Cannibalism is sad...
I think I'd rather deal with them dying and then trying again. I can handle them being fairly fragile.

>>2397639
>>2398849
I guess to prevent cannibalism I could get a cage that has a divider or something like that. Do you recommend any particular set up for having both mantids next to each other?

>>2398849
>Are they sealed in something solid?
They are in these little plastic boxes, and they love to squeeze out of anything. Putting the box in a freezer bag stops that though.

>Another thing is do they ever hatch inside the fridge or is it only after you take them out and they experience the room temperature?
They will eventually also hatch in the fridge, I think. But that would take months, I've never had it happen.

>But what if they eat each other? Cannibalism is sad...
You keep them separate of course. Some species can be kept together, but T. sinensis is not one of them. That's another reason we put them into small boxes.

>I can handle them being fairly fragile.
Most of those deaths happen at L1 or L2, rarely at L3.
L4 or older should be completely fine, especially with T. sinensis, those are robust as fuck. Just try to get one at that age and there should be no problem at all.

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Wut dis?

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>>2398511

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>>2399042
Some species of Eremiaphila, desert mantis.

>>2399042
>II shall call him... Mini-mantis

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>tfw both me and society aren't edgy enough to breed and raise insects specifically for fighting each other to the death.
>tfw there will never be breeds of insects specifically adapted for gladiator matches.
>tfw an IRL meta will never develop that people constantly develop inventive ways to succeed.

I feel really bad for having this feel and I probably should, but goddamn it sounds interesting.

>>2399051
bug fights are a pretty big thing in Japan

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>>2399043
kek

we have our next OP imagine I think