Mumsnet Talk

Does anyone here have a Praying Mantis?
Can I ask few questions please?

The short answer is no, but I know someone with knowledge in that area, what do you want to know?

I see that some people have them as pet, is it considered cruel?

Depends what you mean by cruel. I've got stick insects, would love to keep mantids one day and I've done a bit of reading about them. They need live prey, I think they eat fruit flies; some people might consider that cruel I guess, but then some people are against keeping any animals in captivity. They can be bred in captivity so they are not taken from the wild if that's a consideration.

From what I've read they are fairly simple to look after but I went with stick insects in the end because I wanted something low cost. Mantids need a heater and they are more picky about humidity. As long as you house and feed them properly and don't let them be handled by someone who might hurt them then I wouldn't say it was cruel.

That's what I'm worried about: feeding them.
I've being reading about them but still didn't find out where to get their food and how to keep it alive
Also I have this spare tank:
http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/juwel/juwel-korall-aquariums/juwel-korall-60-tropical-aquarium.html?source=aw&utm_source=AffiliateWindow&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=78888&awc=3110_1360094077_446df4089d1c1de3c26b1f7f3a2aebb8
and I would like to put a bug in them. I suspect it's going to be to small for mantides or stick insects, but maybe ok for 1 or 2 snails?
I'm considered stick insects and buying proper housing for them, but I like mantides too.

Sorry, the link's not working- how big is the tank? There are lots of small inverts that can eat plants or fruit. How about beetles?

There are loads of different kinds of stick insects too, I have giant ones but you can get ones that only get a couple of inches long. They need taller tanks rather than long ones but I used to keep mine in a fish tank turned on its end.

Land snails get enormous, I'm not sure how much space they would need.

[[ http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/juwel/juwel-korall-aquariums/juwel-korall-60-tropical-aquarium.html?source=aw&utm_source=AffiliateWindow&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=78888&awc=3110_1360094077_446df4089d1c1de3c26b1f7f3a2aebb8]]

Round bowl, diameter 28cm - H25.5, W28.7, D28.7
I now I will have to cover the top with mesh

[[ http://www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/juwel/juwel-korall-aquariums/juwel-korall-60-tropical-aquarium.html?source=aw&utm_source=AffiliateWindow&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=78888&awc=3110_1360094077_446df4089d1c1de3c26b1f7f3a2aebb8]]

[[ www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium-supplies/aquariums/juwel/juwel-korall-aquariums/juwel-korall-60-tropical-aquarium.html?source=aw&utm_source=AffiliateWindow&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=78888&awc=3110_1360094077_446df4089d1c1de3c26b1f7f3a2aebb8]]

link above tottaly wrong

[[ www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/FISH+BOWL.htm]]

[[ www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/searchTerms/FISH+BOWL.htm]]

oh forget it
I hate my tablet

S'OK, I got it

I'm sure you could keep some inverts in there. The guideline for stick insects (and I think for mantids too) is for the enclosure to be 3 times the height of the length of the insect. When they moult they hang down from the mesh at the top so they need the space to stretch out.

Not sure on beetles, it depends on the species. Some are bigger than others.

I wouldn't have thought that would be big enough for snails.

You could keep triops in there.

This is a really good guide for turning a fish bowl into a stick insect enclosure.

oh Triops are cute
I didn't know them
Will research later