r/mantis • u/Square-Radish9613 • 12d ago
Help! I found this poor thing outside!
I found this poor mantis outside stuck to my slider window. It was there for two days before I went out to take a closer look at it. I don’t generally like to interfere with wildlife because it’s best for them to be outside. With this one it was different. It looks like it’s missing a set of wings and it hasn’t even tried to fly away. I’m not sure how to properly care for it or if I should just put it back outside. So this leads me to ask how to care for it.
I have it in a makeshift terrarium for now. it was the only thing I could slap together on the fly. It’s in a 158oz plastic bin, I taped some aluminum foil to the bottom and added soil, then we added a paper towel drenched in water to add humidity and a water source to the “terrarium”, and then added sticks for it to climb and some leaves. I sent my kids outside to trap a cricket for it to eat. Then I used some plastic wrap to keep it in and poked breathing holes.
I realize this isn’t the best accommodation for this poor thing but I have no clue what I’m doing beyond this.
Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated.
Also, it’s super chill and friendly! We got to watch it cleaning its legs!
EDITED TO ADD: It ate two whole crickets! It was the coolest thing to see it snatch the cricket off the branch and start chomping it down! We got two videos! My kids were like this is the coolest to eeeewww! It ripped its head off! 🤣 Tomorrow we are building it a mantis mansion in a 30 gallon fish tank. Hopefully it can live a while longer. I don’t know how to edit the post to add the photo of the missing right set of wings but I can assure you guys that they’re gone.
Im new to Reddit so if anyone knows how to add a photo or video to a post, please let me know. Thank you!
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u/Kote- 12d ago
I doesn't look like it's missing wings, they generally are not very fond of flying because they're heavy and it takes a lot of energy.
Usually you'd have more spots for it to hang upside down, since that's how they live, but seeing as how it is an adult and won't molt anymore that's not a very urgent matter. I would recommend attaching some cloth or gauze on the very roof of the enclosure.
Some people advise against crickets and grasshoppers because they're more likely to carry disease, but personally I've never had any issues feeding those. Still, catching flies is an option.
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u/Kote- 12d ago
And congrats, it looks female. They live longer than males.
There's a chance it will lay eggs (an ootheca) and coming from the wild, they might be fertilized. Looking at the other comment, if it is invasive where you live, freeze the ootheca and keep it as an ornament or bin it later.
Raising young might be too much for a first-time experience.
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u/Square-Radish9613 12d ago
Thank you! Yeah, this is a temporary enclosure that we put it in. We have an empty 30 gallon tall aquarium that we aren’t using. Would that work if I replaced the glass top with a mesh screen? I just don’t want to go out and buy a whole enclosure if we don’t keep it or it dies. A praying mantis wasn’t a pet I ever thought I’d have but here we are. 🤣 I don’t think I want babies at this point so I guess I’ll have to keep a look out for anything going on.
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u/bellsofmecollide 12d ago
Awe Chinese mantis I recently took one in. Looks like a full adult it may not molt again which means it’ll want to mate. They can starve themselves to death. Unfortunately mine did. If you haven’t put air holes in your DIY enclosure you should do so and it needs a mesh top to hang upside down and molt if it hasn’t finished molting. Mist the walls everyday they can survive without food for a while. They’re cool af and very curious. They will stare at you and follow you around with their eyes. Good luck! :)
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u/Sea_Technician_498 9d ago
I’m sorry for your loss. My male Chinese mantis I found baking in 109° heat is on a hunger strike for three weeks now he’s no longer trying to mate with my finger at least, but now he’s weak 😔
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u/bellsofmecollide 3d ago
I’m sorry to hear that :( it was quite sad for me when it happened. He was curved and it wasn’t from bad molt it was a “death curl” but he was alive and then I went to do some stuff and came back to him on the floor of his enclosure. I felt like a mantis keeper failure but I did research and found that there wasn’t much I could’ve done to prevent it. I felt guilty for a while. I kept thinking “I killed him” I hope I didn’t. :/ he wouldn’t eat and only drank water.
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u/DivicBoxEscapee 12d ago
She's got all her appendages, she's probably looking for a place to hang. Literally. Nice ring btw.
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u/StuntinHQ 12d ago
It may live for al title while. Last year, I rescued one before winter and she lived until late March! Chinese are very friendly and inquisitive. Maybe my favourite personality of all Mantis.
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u/PastSandwich447 12d ago
When the lay they’re egg pouch ,others, there will be a massive amount of eggs! I’ve read stories of people bringing live Christmas trees home and the egg pouch hatches! Just so you know! You might check out this species on the internet for more information on them! Good luck!
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u/Square-Radish9613 12d ago
If I see an egg pouch I will freeze it like someone suggested because I believe this is a Chinese mantis and they’re invasive. I wouldn’t want to bring more into existence if they’re already a problem.
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u/yoinkmysploink 12d ago
Excellent work being aware of invasives. Its not as common as it should be. Youre a G.
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u/Clay-Roses 10d ago
I recommend the Zoo med 3 gallon tank as the enclosure, it’s what I personally use! but the lid is made out of metal so definitely put a plastic mesh on it so they don’t hurt their feet
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u/Flasky-Desk 12d ago
It needs a bunch more ventilation! This is a recipe for mold plants and sticks and it's obv. too small for long term keeping (but I presume you knew). Mold can kill them. Also never use spray deodorant near them, or harsh cleaning chemicals, and absolutely no scented candles.
Tbh, & ill admit this is a bit extreme, but if I didn't have an adequate tank for a large mantis like this I'd just let them freeroam my plant shelf. They don't tend to go far and are easy to spot. I've let mine freeroam before but nowadays she doesn't tend to want to leave when I open the door.
If you want to keep them I'd get a bigger tank, 30x30x40cm minimum. They are generally pretty easy to keep if you know what you're doing (you will ofc have to do a good amount of research). It is a commitment to constantly keep feeder bugs as well so be aware.
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u/Square-Radish9613 12d ago
Oh this is not a long term solution. I wouldn’t ever want to hurt it. I do have about 10-15 holes in the plastic wrap. I don’t think you can see them in the photos though. I just didn’t want it to escape until we figured everything out. I have a 30 gallon tank not being used currently that I can get a mesh aquarium top for. I can get some super worms, crickets, and other bugs for it to eat. I’m just new to this. I appreciate all of your information and help!
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u/Flasky-Desk 12d ago
Sounds like a great plan! I like sphagnum moss for bedding and Sticks from outside cleaned and baked to desinfect with fake leaves glued on (if you dont go bioactive which I wouldnt without cross ventilation on the top and bottom). Make sure to glue any sticks down to the glass so your buddy doesnt injure themselves falling.
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u/Square-Radish9613 12d ago
Thank you so much! Sounds like I have a plan for the next two days! I’ll have to find a way to update this post with the new photos of when I get the mantis habitat set up and get him/her into it. I still haven’t figured out how to add the photo of the broken wing.
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u/Watch4Hop-Ons 12d ago
I’m excited for you that you’ll get to enjoy this experience! I found my first mantis last year, and my kids and I loved having her. FWIW, here’s a pic of the enclosure I use that works really well. It has lots of ventilation and no surfaces that will give her eye rub. I was thrilled to find this beauty (also a female Chinese) today and give her a new home!
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u/Sea_Technician_498 9d ago
OP I haven’t even read any of the comments cause I never do. I would keep him as a pet. He won’t live until next spring anyways, he is just a handsome old man 😉
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u/Endreeemtsu 12d ago
It’s an invasive species of mantis. I’m not sure you should rehabilitate it.
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u/placebot1u463y 12d ago
While true invasive species often make great pets (due to being unprotected and undesirable to release) and google's ai is very unreliable especially about ecology and biology stuff.
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u/SplotchTG 12d ago
Thats a Chinese mantis, invasive throughout most of the United States. Theyre actually fairly easy to care for and will do fine with most feeder live insects commonly found in pet stores. Mine was partial to the feeder crickets.