The best beginner mantis to buy are members of the genus Hierodula, such as the giant Asian mantis, along with Sphrodomantis sp, the giant African mantis. Other easy-care species include the spiny flower mantis, peacock mantis, and twig mantis. Orchid mantis are easy to care for, but are not recommended as absolute beginner mantis, as they hail from tropical regions and require a little more warmth and humidity than others.
It’s recommended to feed praying mantis nymphs on D. Hydeii fruit flies. Only the smallest species, such as Egyptian pygmy mantis nymphs or certain flower mantises will need D. Melanogaster, a smaller species of fruit fly.
As your praying mantis grows, aim to feed it live food around 1/3rd the size of its body length. Some species, such as ghost mantis, may prefer livefood around the size of its head, while species like Sphrodomantis sp. can take larger prey often their own size. See what your mantis prefers!
Yes, it’s safe to buy mantis from us. We ship mantis all over the the UK and N,I via ‘Royal Mail Next-Day Before 1pm Guaranteed’ service, ensuring your pet mantis spend only minimal time in transit. We’ll send out a shipping confirmation email when they’re on the way. If there are any issues and your animals arrive ill or deceased, we offer refunds for injuries and illnesses within a 7 day window after arrival.*
The wait is over! It’s time to unbox your new pet praying mantis from its temporary transit container and get it into its home. Ensure you’ve prepared your pet’s setup ahead of time – you’ll want to get it settled in as soon as possible. Unbox your mantis in an open space, ensuring it can’t dart away anywhere. Then, use a soft brush to gently coax the animal into its new setup. As mantis nymphs are small, you may want to first purchase a rearing enclosure from our selection to grow your nymph for just a few months before rehousing it into its adult terrarium.
After your mantis nymph has settled in to its new home, you can add in some food such as fruit flies, gently mist the enclosure’s walls, and leave your mantis to de-stress and eat.
Yes, praying mantis are easy pets to care for, particularly the beginner species. While they aren’t particularly active pets that need to explore, they’ll need an enclosure around 3x as tall as their body length to ensure they have the space to molt. This enclosure must have some form of mesh or fabric top so your pet can grip well when molting. Fill the enclosure with a moisture-retaining substrate such as coco-coir, and add plenty of sticks and plants for your pet to climb around on and hide within. Daily misting of the enclosure allows your mantis a regular drink, and feed every 2-3 days.
Yes, mantis rank high on our list of pet invertebrates. They’re highly interactive pets that can be handled, and cannot sting, or bite like other pets on our store. Adult mantis can even be allowed to free-roam (supervision is advised) on plants or decor while you go about your business.
In most cases, no. The majority of species will cannibalise one another if kept together. Species known to be ‘communal’ will also attack others in their habitat if they are not exceptionally well cared for, and often seem to attack one another simply because they can.
If you want to try keeping mantises together, we recommend keeping young ghost mantis nymphs together as they mature, making sure they have constant access to live food. Separate females upon maturity, as mature female praying mantis of any species have very large appetites, and are easily agitated.