Cryptic Mantis - Sibylla pretiosa - Inverted World
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Cryptic Mantis - Sibylla pretiosa
Origin: Southern Africa
Status: Captive Bred
Size: As adults approx. 5cm to 6cm (sold as i3+)
An easy to keep species mantis with a very unusual appearance. Adults have green, leaf-like wings which stand out against it's mottled brown body.
Housing: These mantises need an arboreal enclosure with plenty of twigs and plants to hang from. Ideally you would be looking for an 18 x 18 x 25cm enclosure for an adult and it must be front opening as you will find they will often hang from the roof of the enclosure. It is best to attach a mesh to the roof of the enclosure to allow the mantis as much room as possible to moult.
Substrate: It is best to use coco-coir and sphagnum moss or similar. The substrate should be misted regularly to help keep the enclosure humid.
Environment: These mantises can live in temperatures between 18° – 30°C, we keep ours at room temperature. The enclosure should be misted regularly with tepid water to maintain a humidity of 60 – 80%.
Feeding: Mantises are ambush predators, typically eating flying insects. Nymphs up to, and including L4, should be fed fruit flies with L5 and upwards eating green bottles, house flies and small to medium sized red runners. Feeding frequency very much depends on the mantis. Nymphs are quite voracious, but they start to eat less frequent as they mature. As with all mantises, it is best to observe the size of their abdomen, if it starts to appear flat, then they will need feeding. Ensure that all uneaten food is removed. An EntoScapes Feeding Port would be perfect for easier feeding.
