Praying mantises are fascinating, intelligent, and surprisingly easy-to-care-for insects when you understand their needs. If you’re thinking about keeping a mantis as a pet, this ultimate guide will walk you through everything you need to know — from choosing a species to feeding, molting, housing, and long-term care.
This is the only beginner guide you’ll need.
Table of Contents
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What Is a Praying Mantis?
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Are Praying Mantises Good Pets?
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Best Praying Mantis Species for Beginners
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Setting Up the Perfect Mantis Habitat
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Temperature and Humidity Requirements
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What Do Praying Mantises Eat?
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Feeding Schedule by Life Stage
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Molting: What It Is and How to Handle It
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Handling Your Mantis Safely
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Common Health Problems
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Lifespan of a Praying Mantis
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Can You Keep Multiple Mantises Together?
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Breeding Basics (Optional)
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Common Beginner Mistakes
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Final Care Checklist
1. What Is a Praying Mantis?
A praying mantis is a carnivorous insect known for its triangular head, large compound eyes, and powerful raptorial front legs used for catching prey. There are over 2,000 species worldwide, varying in size, color, and behavior.
Mantises are ambush predators. They sit still and strike with lightning speed when prey approaches.
2. Are Praying Mantises Good Pets?
Yes — for the right person.
They are:
✔ Low maintenance
✔ Quiet
✔ Require small space
✔ Fascinating to observe
✔ Affordable to care for
However, they are not interactive pets like dogs or cats. They are display and observation pets.
If you enjoy exotic insects and watching natural behavior, mantises are excellent pets.
3. Best Praying Mantis Species for Beginners
If you are new, choose hardy and adaptable species:
• Chinese Mantis
• Giant Asian Mantis
• Ghost Mantis
• African Mantis
Beginner-friendly species are:
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Easy to feed
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Tolerant of humidity changes
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Larger and easier to handle
Avoid delicate orchid mantises until experienced.
4. Setting Up the Perfect Mantis Habitat
Your mantis enclosure must provide:
✔ Vertical climbing space
✔ Proper ventilation
✔ Hanging surface for molting
Enclosure Size Rule
Height should be at least 3 times the mantis’s body length.
Width should be 2 times body length.
Example:
If mantis is 3 inches long → enclosure should be 9 inches tall.
Enclosure Types
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Mesh cages
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Plastic terrariums
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Glass tanks with ventilation
Avoid airtight containers.
Substrate Options
Substrate helps control humidity:
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Coco fiber
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Paper towel (easy cleaning)
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Moss
Keep substrate slightly moist but not wet.
5. Temperature and Humidity Requirements
Most beginner species prefer:
Temperature: 72–85°F (22–29°C)
Humidity: 40–70% depending on species
Light misting once daily is usually enough.
Important: Never soak the enclosure.
Use a small thermometer and hygrometer for accuracy.
6. What Do Praying Mantises Eat?
Mantises are strict carnivores.
They eat live insects such as:
• Fruit flies (for babies)
• House flies
• Crickets
• Small roaches
• Moths
Prey size rule:
Food should not be larger than the mantis’s abdomen.
Never feed wild-caught insects from pesticide areas.
7. Feeding Schedule by Life Stage
L1–L3 (Baby Mantises)
Feed daily
Small fruit flies
Juvenile
Feed every 1–2 days
Small crickets or flies
Adult
Feed every 2–3 days
Larger insects
Signs of hunger:
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Active hunting posture
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Thin abdomen
Signs of overfeeding:
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Very swollen abdomen
Balance is key.
8. Molting: What It Is and How to Handle It
Molting is when a mantis sheds its exoskeleton to grow.
This is the most dangerous time in its life.
Signs of Upcoming Molt:
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Refuses food
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Hangs upside down
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Becomes inactive
During Molt:
DO NOT touch
DO NOT feed
DO NOT disturb
Ensure:
✔ Proper humidity
✔ Clear hanging space
A bad molt can cause deformities or death.
After molting, wait 24 hours before feeding.
9. Handling Your Mantis Safely
Mantises are generally calm.
To handle:
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Let mantis walk onto your hand
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Move slowly
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Avoid grabbing
They may strike if threatened but rarely bite humans.
If stressed, they may spread wings or raise arms.
Limit handling to reduce stress.
10. Common Health Problems
Bad Molts
Usually caused by low humidity or lack of vertical space.
Refusing Food
Often pre-molt stage.
Black Spots or Lethargy
Possible bacterial infection or old age.
Keep enclosure clean and remove uneaten prey.
11. Lifespan of a Praying Mantis
Most mantises live:
6–12 months
Some species live slightly longer in optimal conditions.
Males usually live shorter lives than females.
After reaching adulthood, lifespan is typically a few months.
12. Can You Keep Multiple Mantises Together?
No.
Mantises are cannibalistic.
Even siblings may eat each other.
Each mantis must have its own enclosure.
13. Breeding Basics (Optional)
Breeding requires:
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Mature male and female
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Large enclosure
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Careful supervision
Females may eat males after mating.
After mating, female lays egg case (ootheca).
Eggs hatch in 4–8 weeks depending on species and temperature.
Breeding is advanced care and not recommended for beginners.
14. Common Beginner Mistakes
❌ Overfeeding
❌ Over-misting
❌ Small enclosure
❌ Disturbing during molt
❌ Using pesticide-exposed feeder insects
❌ Keeping two mantises together
Avoiding these mistakes greatly increases survival.
15. Final Mantis Care Checklist
Before getting a mantis, confirm:
✔ Proper enclosure
✔ Thermometer & hygrometer
✔ Reliable live food source
✔ Daily misting routine
✔ Vertical hanging space
✔ Understanding of molting process
If you can check all boxes — you’re ready.
Conclusion
Praying mantises are incredible, low-maintenance insect pets that provide a unique window into the natural world. With proper habitat setup, correct feeding, and careful attention during molting, they can thrive in captivity.
By following this ultimate mantis care guide, you give your pet the best chance at a healthy and successful life.
If you’re just starting out, begin with a beginner-friendly species and focus on mastering the basics before exploring advanced breeding or exotic varieties.
Caring for a mantis is not complicated — but it does require knowledge and consistency.