Author Topic: What we do in the dark  (Read 2827 times)

Offline jknaus

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Re: What we do in the dark
« Reply #15 on: May 19, 2021, 12:42:11 AM »
That is so very cool. Love the night sky shots also.
James

Offline WD

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Re: What we do in the dark
« Reply #16 on: May 22, 2021, 10:23:39 PM »
The SA variant is quite aggressive and likes to eat our local species.  We feed all of ours pin head crickets that we buy at the local pet store.  Just chuck a couple in the enclosure to run around and the Mantis does what it does best.  Who knows how the SA mantis got here.

https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2013/11/27/3899216.htm?site=newsradio&

A lot of species have been introduced into Australia over the past 240 years or so (Rabbits, Foxes, Etc are a very damaging pest); Cain Toads were introduced to combat the Sugar Cain beetle that was introduced for...  I dunno... Anyway, the Cain Toads are horrible creatures that are poisonous to eat and so kill any animals that might catch them, and also eat other insects aside from the SCB indiscriminately. 

But I digress.

My Blue Tongue Skink also likes the odd Cricket, but prefers Meal Worms or garden snails.  We feed her mostly chopped veg though.

Cheers,

Hugh

Thanks Hugh, that explains a lot. I was aware of the rabbit, fox, and cane toad situation, but had not heard of the SA mantis. One must assume they came there on the cargo of some ship I suppose.

WD

Offline hrcoleman66

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Re: What we do in the dark
« Reply #17 on: May 23, 2021, 08:05:38 PM »
Sorry to have to report that Miss Mantis passed away yesterday.  She was slowing down and I was a little worried about her, but hoped she was just getting ready to lay eggs.  Unfortunately, it seemed she was not up to it.  She lived just over six moths which is about right for her species.  Just a shame she won’t have babies.
Idi, the female South African mantis did however lay eggs.  Her eggs will not be allowed to reach hatching though.  It’s certainly not good form to be breeding a pest species even in captivity.
Our first pair of spiny leaf insects have gone to a good home.  At least another twenty hatched and moulting successfully.

Cheers,

Hugh