| Species | Invertebrate |
|---|---|
| Origin | Southeast Asia |
| Size Category | Small |
| Scientific Name | Hierodula membranacea |
| Category | Mantis |
| Original Purpose | Display/Companion |
| Husbandry Difficulty | Beginner |
| Social Needs | Very Low |
| Weight Range | 0.005–0.012 kg |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | 1–2 years |
| Juvenile Stage Ends | 4 months |
| Senior Age Threshold | 1 years |
| Exercise Needs | Low - ambush predator; occasional climbing and hunting activity |
|---|---|
| Grooming | None - mist enclosure for drinking; remove prey remains |
| Annual Exam Focus | Body condition, wing development (adults), limb integrity, abdomen fullness |
| Routine Care | Maintain 75-85°F; 50-70% humidity; mist daily for drinking; feed every 2-3 days; spot clean |
| Condition | Onset Stage | Risk | Hereditary | Screening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mismolt (stuck shed) | juvenile | high | No | N/A |
| Dehydration | adult | high | No | N/A |
| Black Death (bacterial) | adult | medium | No | N/A |
| Parasitic Flies (Tachinidae) | adult | low | No | N/A |
| Impaction | adult | low | No | N/A |
| Limb Loss (during molt) | juvenile | medium | No | N/A |
| Risk Level | Medium |
|---|---|
| Ideal BCS | 3/9 |
| Visual Cues | Abdomen should be full but not overly distended; can see slight segmentation; not bloated |
| Daily Activity | 3 minutes |
| Caloric Notes | Feed every 2-3 days; prey should be 1/3 to 1/2 mantis body length; reduce if abdomen very swollen |
| Litter Size | 50–300 |
|---|---|
| Dystocia Risk | Low |
| CHIC Required Tests | N/A |
| Recommended DNA Tests | N/A |
| Neonatal Weight | 0.01–0.02 g |
|---|---|
| Growth Notes | Molt through 7-9 instars; each molt increases size significantly; adult in 4-6 months; short-lived as adults |
| Vaccine/Health Schedule | No vaccines; maintain humidity for successful molts; quarantine wild-caught |
| Temperature | 24-29°C (75-85°F); warm environment essential |
|---|---|
| Humidity | 50-70%; mist daily; mesh lid for ventilation; climbing branches essential |
| UVB Requirement | Not required; 12h light cycle; ambient room lighting sufficient |
| Diet | Flying insects preferred (flies, moths); crickets, roaches; prey should be active and appropriately sized |
| Common Issues | Mismolts (most common cause of death), dehydration, bacterial infections, parasites from wild prey |
| Anxiety Proneness | Very Low |
|---|---|
| Top Triggers | Sudden movements, vibrations, lack of perching surfaces, low humidity before molt |
| Separation Anxiety Risk | None |
| Calming Interventions | Vertical climbing surfaces, proper humidity, consistent feeding schedule, minimal handling |
| Enrichment Needs | Varied perching heights, live prey for hunting stimulation, fake plants, cross-ventilation |
| Cognitive Dysfunction Risk | Very Low |
| Sociability Score | 1/10 |
| Locomotion | Slow stalking, rapid strike, climbing vertical surfaces, swaying (leaf mimicry) |
|---|---|
| Social | Strictly solitary - highly cannibalistic; females eat males after/during mating |
| Comfort | Hanging upside down from branch/mesh; raptorial arms folded in prayer position; alert head tracking |
| Stress/Displacement | Threat display (wings spread showing eyespots), deimatic display, rapid flight, refusing food |
| Breed-Specific | Classic large mantis; excellent hunters; head tracking of movement; short lifespan; easy to breed; voracious appetite |
| Types | Wing rustling during threat display; no true vocalizations |
|---|---|
| Frequency Range | N/A |
| Tendency | Very Low |
| Primary Modality | Primarily visual (head tracking, color); chemical (pheromones for mating) |
| Tail/Body Signals | No tail; abdomen curling indicates stress or egg development (females); cerci sense air movement |
| Top Problems | Striking at fingers/movement near enclosure, refusing food pre-molt, escape when lid opened |
|---|---|
| Medical Etiology | Lethargy from infection; black spots (bacterial); inability to grip (dehydration) |
| Fear/Anxiety Etiology | Deimatic display (wings spread), rapid flight, playing dead, striking defensively |
| Frustration Etiology | Pacing enclosure, repeated strikes at glass, attempting to fly into walls |
| Learned Behavior | Tracks keeper movement; associates opening lid with food; basic spatial memory for perch locations |
| Cognitive Dysfunction | Limited but notable; excellent visual processing; spatial awareness; prey recognition learning |
| AI-Trainable Signals | Head tracking speed (interest/hunger), abdomen fullness, wing position, raptorial arm posture |
|---|---|
| Context-Dependent Vocalizations | Threat display vs mating display - sex and presence of conspecific differentiates; pre-molt lethargy vs illness |
| Interspecies Communication | Tracks human movement with interest; may strike at fingers; individual boldness varies; some tolerate handling |