Setting Up A Planted Mantis Tank! | Meet My Ghost Mantis Pets!

Here I talk about my new pets, the ghost mantis! These praying mantis are so incredible to watch. It has been an absolute joy keeping them! I have had them for around 2 weeks now with no issue.
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[@christinekobzeff]

Ok this is confirmation, the plant community is definitely my kind of people. We used to raise monarch butterflies inside our house (back when I was in the beauty/diy community) we loved them and even grew the caterpillars favorite food, tropical milkweed. Some viewers used to freak out, saying things like “eww get those bugs out of your house, why don’t you have kids instead.” 🤦‍♀️ But how I love plant people, down to earth vibes all the way. 🙌🌱🌵🥰

[@xjackelinx]

I’ve watched you since day 1. I vividly remember the makeup declutter and the only buying 10 list. I did it with you! 😇 And honestly, my favorite content has been all the plant videos! I feel like the plant community is filled with more love and kindness than the beauty community. I hope you and harli and the other amazing plant yters never stop 🖤

[@northeasthardytropicals541]

I couldn’t agree more. The plant community rocks 👍🏼 🌱 🦋

[@HarliG]

Wow! Fancy meeting you here. I’ve been watching your channel for years! Plants really are the best 🥰

[@HarliG]

Oh & bugs too 😋

[@HuskyStories]

Omg Christine Kobzeff 😍 this is soooo awesome all these channels I watch/listing to every night at work are connected. This community is so ♡ caring and kind. I love both channels and more. Im thinking about starting my own channel 🤔. I just moved into my very first house and I've already started filling the bedroom with plants ♡

[@parkerallen848]

They also have orchid mantis and they look like little flowers

[@3_up_moon]

Mantids *

[@aliarudolph9221]

yes but sellers usually put them in awful conditions and are abused because they’re so hard to come by so be careful!!!!

[@lydialou5269]

Alia Rudolph Fortunately in the uk they are quite easy to come by.. I have three soon to be four😁😁

[@spicybeans5872]

Orchid mantises are not a good beginner species, don’t encourage people to get them as their first species

[@lydialou5269]

Spicybeans I agree. Giant asians and ghost mantis are probably the best beginner species and they’re very cute. They were my first mantids. However, I’ve never had a problem with Orchids if you do your research and give them proper husbandry they aren’t too difficult.

[@luvjb15]

Heres some advice because I have 2 mantis's, we used to hand feed them because if you let the fruit flies go into the terrarium, the terrarium is so big your mantis's might not find them and the fruit flies will lay their eggs in the cage and it gets really gross.. plus i had 1 of my mantis pass away because it was eating a rotten fly that was dead for who knows how long... she had it in her hands when i found her..:( but idk that was just my experience! they are wonderful pets though! you made an amazing terrarium for them! super cute

[@spicybeans5872]

I keep mantises, it’s great that you’re getting into them! I do a few pieces of advice, though. I would not cohab mantises, especially once they get bigger. There’s an increasing risk of them attacking each other, especially if one molts before the other. The internet says that ghost mantises can be cohabbed, but I can tell you from both personal experience keeping mine and talking to other keepers that it is not a good idea. It may work if they constantly have food, but I have seen full ghost mantises still lunge at each other. The only other thing I saw which was a bit concerning is the lid to the tank. I couldn’t quite tell from the video, but if the mesh on the lid is metal, I’d recommend putting windowscreen mesh under it, because they can get their feet caught in metal. Overall, I really liked the video, the terrarium looks very nice, and I’m sure you’ll be a great mantis keeper. But I would recommend splitting them into two enclosures, in order to mitigate any risk of them attacking each other. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, but I can tell you as someone who’s tried to cohab ghost mantises that it can definitely end badly.

[@ashleecaraveo2831]

Ok, so I am not the only one worried about them living together once they are older. They are opportunistic and if given the opportunity will eat v. hunt right?

[@spicybeans5872]

@@ashleecaraveo2831 yeah, I mean they’re less aggressive than many other species of mantis so some people think they can be cohabitated, but there’s still a not insignificant risk of one going for the other one, even if they’re well fed.

[@rachelschuller6647]

I came to warm about the same thing. Please get these babies each their own habitats, otherwise you do risk them attacking each other.

[@acloudyninja6791]

Was guna come on here and say the exact same thing, I keep several different species of mantid,(ghost, violin, cat eyed) all which they say can be housed together, they can and if you have plenty of food than the chances of fights are small but they are still known to strike and attack eachother which can wound or severely injure the other mantid. If you care for them separate them😩. And if the top of the tank is metal mesh (which in your video it looked like it) they can loose there tibial spines on that meta mesh which will affect there ability to climb, mantids are a lot of fun to keep but it’s always best to put there safety first before you go and buy one

[@Flypidge]

I have been researching these as would like to get a male and female, they are supposedly the only mantis species that will co exist with one another although no guarantees.

[@Lenbel2010]

I thought you sounded a bit tipsy...and then I realized that I had the speed set on 0.75 because I was following a crochet tutorial earlier. Bha-ha-ha!!! I couldn't believe that you were making a video after drinking way too much!!

[@Twinkletoesss27]

Hahaha I just tried it out and that’s hilarious 😂😂

[@trumpster635]

Lol!!

[@user-mp5ey8xn6b]

Keep them out of direct sunlight

[@SlightlyVenomous]

Mantis keeper and breeder here! so happy to see the mantis love spreading around the interwebs! if you or anyone else needs any mantis help I’m always happy to help! ❤️❤️

[@hunterniven16]

Ohh I'm from Ontario, Canada! I've been looking for the ghost but can't find any, where abouts do you ship if so. ☺

[@SlightlyVenomous]

@@hunterniven16 I’m located in the US, but I highly recommend joining the “mantis keepers” group on Facebook and ask there if anyone in canada has mantis available!

[@user-bm6gx8km1t]

Im also mantis keeper, I collect mantis I find outside. I have kept em for quite a while but I do wonder, what months do they start to hatch?

[@edp7096]

I have an enclosed terrarium and would like to keep an mantis in there. I plan keeping it closed for long periods at a time but wasn’t sure if the plants would provide enough oxygen for the mantis to be kept alive. Any info would be appreciated.

[@SlightlyVenomous]

@@edp7096 is it airtight? Lack of ventilation may become an issue for the mantis

[@BouncerBen]

They look great! You should put a fine mesh layer between the leca and the substrate - it all from compacting. Also put carbon mixed with the coco to purify the water - both will help stop it getting stagnant 👍🏼

[@am2155]

9:28 omg they were boxing! They even protected their little alien eyes!

[@liquidtvafternoons5315]

They were trying to eat each other..

[@thesalviniadude3882]

@@liquidtvafternoons5315 ghost mantises are one of the few mantises that wont eat eachother

[@liquidtvafternoons5315]

@@thesalviniadude3882 nope, that's a lie; they're just not very good hunters but they can and do cannibalize

[@silverc.8105]

I love when they do there lil dancy dance

[@spicybeans5872]

Also, I have a tip which I believe a few other people already mentioned. You can introduce invertebrates like springtails and isopods (pill bugs) into the tank as both a supplemental food source, and a clean up crew. They will break down any dead plant matter while avoiding living plants, and also will decompose the wade the mantises produce. They also (especially isopods) add more visual interest in my opinion.

[@aerialtaprootanalysis6117]

they're so cute, I love how alien-like they look.

[@AirWarrior97395]

You should look into making the enclosure bioactive by putting in isopods and springtails that way you dont have to change the substrate every couple of months. They will break down the mantis poop and will help the plants grow. It will be like making a mini ecosystem

[@denny4551]

A year late to the party- but that's exactly what I did. I also breed flightless fruitflies and houseflies. I glued a suction cup to a condiment cup and stuck it inside... I refill it with fruitfly food every one in a while. After my mantids outgrow fruitflies I'll put fly pupae in the cup instead of ff food.

[@AirWarrior97395]

@@denny4551 same lmao, a year later and I'm keeping more invertebrates now.

[@HelloJungleRoom]

If anyone would have mantis as pets, it would be Harli 😅 they’re so cute tho! Can’t wait to see updates

[@fignewton0000]

Omg the Crystal's in the terrarium are an awesome touch. Plus when you said at 12:27 about them drinking the little water droplets from the leaves was like :3 the imagery alone is beyond cute

[@km51820]

What are the crystals for or just decorations?

[@fignewton0000]

I dont think harli is into crystals like that. They're probably just decor

[@martystevens2313]

I'm concerned that the enclosure is too big for them at this size for the amount of food wandering around. There are too many places for the fruit flies to hide. In order for them to catch prey, it needs to be in striking distance (from their arms). They dont chase their prey, they stand and wait for it to come close. I raised baby mantis' from arbico one summer (released them just after hatching) and had one that lived in my entry way garden the entire summer. When late October came around, I brought her in before the first frost and kept her in a terrarium. Fed her crickets from Petco ( which broke my heart honestly). She lived until march. She laid a sterile egg case up in the corner of the terrarium which was amazing to watch. It took hours. Eventually she got old and rickety. Her wings got lacy (holes between the veins) and she lost a leg. In the end I had to hand feed her and couldn't kill crickets myself, so I fed her thawed bloodworms (frozen cubes from petco). I had to hold her and place the bloodworm right at her mouth parts with tweezers, and she would gobble them up. Very cool insect, but the feeding live prey was enough for me to never want to do it again :) I would check with the friend that gave them to you for advice at this young stage.

[@allyesteban26]

i love how you seem genuinely happy to take care of them~

[@alannagorne6998]

You’re off IG 😭😭😭😭😭 I miss your stories and you!!!! You helped me become a better plant mom ❤️ I hope you are okay. Take care.

[@jacebohlman3198]

Alanna Gorne yea what happened?!? I just realized she wasn’t on there

[@genesiswoodforde7745]

Oh my gosh I know me too I don’t know what’s going on I hope she’s OK

[@chantelleclark4135]

Legit came here just to figure out why her account was down! I NEED MORE FUN/INFORMATIVE IG FRIENDS!!!

[@katycrandall5410]

What is her Instagram account name?

[@jacebohlman3198]

@@katycrandall5410 Harlig

[@diannenaworensky6698]

What an unusual pet. They are so cool. A few years ago I had a big green Praying Mantis that was living on my hedge row. I would go out and harvest yard bugs and bring them to it. A big storm came and I never saw it again. Different from the Panther Chameleons that I had before. 🦎🦎🦎

[@cassieebear22]

Praying that you find the strength to push through the negativity you are facing... You are so loved and supported by so many people in your community, even others try to put you down. 💕💕💕💕💕

[@freya-louise6669]

I love mantis there so pretty wish they lived longer

[@purplegreen6878]

How long do they live

[@colleendubois-kaisin2338]

@@purplegreen6878 depends on the species and the sex of the insect but around 10-12 months, some longer some not. But so fun to keep as pets !

[@halez1407]

@@colleendubois-kaisin2338 oh sad!! You would get attached then they die! 😢

[@freya-louise6669]

@@purplegreen6878 ghost mantis live about 8months

[@lightningonoceans]

Hey! Just wanted to let you know your video inspired me to buy a pet praying mantis! I just got it last week from Mantis Dojo. Love it!! Thank you so much!!

[@Mitchthatstoner]

You should put something super skinny and sticky by the light, n the other side, they probably prefer the mesh bc it’s the easiest thing to hang upside down off of. Like yea leaves are skinny but that metal mesh is super small they probably wrap around n feel secure.

[@AGirlCalledPumpkin]

I'm all here for the unusual pet club🙋🏼‍♀️

[@steveboutcher80]

Hi Harli G. I have been keeping mantids for 30 years. The species you have looks like: Phyllocrania paradoxa a.k.a the Ghost Mantis. They are a wonderful species. I have raised and bred the ghost mantis many times. From my experience, I would advise keeping them in a far smaller cage. The height should deffinately be at least 3 times the length of the mantids, but when you use something as large as you are using, the mantids will struggle to find their prey. You will have to drop large amounts of fruit flies in the cage at every single feeding in order to increase the chance that the mantis will find them. This isn't very cost-effective either. Ghost mantis are not a species that likes to pursue it's prey. They tend to just sit tight and wait for food to come close enough. In such a large cage, this may take a very long time and the mantis may not get as much food as it needs. Yes, your enclosure looks very nice. However, I would advise keeping them in smaller cages until they are adult/sub-adult. I have generally used deli-cups for most species (kept individually), until the nymphs are large/adult, then I move them into a nicer display cage. What may be aesthetically pleasing for the keeper isn't always what is optimal for the mantis. Ghost mantis like a humidity of about 65-75% but I think the mesh on your lid will give too much ventilation and lead to a drier enclosure. If you don't want to change the enclosure, then I would also advise covering the ventilation by about half in order to keep the humidity up. Anyway, enjoy these wonderful creatures and good luck.

[@kaylabodyk4846]

I love the addition of the crystals in the terrarium! Such a good idea to add extra visual interest 😁

[@HalloweenMischief]

You can get the stuff to make your own flightless fruit fly cultures at Josh's Frogs. I did that back when I had dart frogs. It's super easy and you won't have to hit up the pet store for the little cups of them. They're super cute!

[@katieb5567]

Omg I'd love to have frogs haha

[@HalloweenMischief]

@@katieb5567 They were a ton of fun to watch. :)

[@taylorsmith8460]

I definitely recommend this or just ordering your feeders online! Much cheaper and comes straight to your door with heat packs!

[@hellapainyo]

We stan someone who gives way more space than necessary to their pets

[@fogelbar]

My friends ghost mantis did eat one another. She fed them and then one molted and ate the other one. Be careful, they will attack each other even though they’re communal.

[@Lea-ze2rj]

I saw the title and immediately got excited!! My fave plant youtuber also got mantises :D I love these little aliens so much, I had a ghost this year too. I think you're doing a great job with the enclosure, but from what I've read (mostly on the mantis reddit) they advise against using steel mesh as this can damage their paws when they try to hang from them and they always try to hang when they want to mold :) also because the enclosure is so big, make sure to add enough pray for them as the pray might be too good at hiding etc. love your videos!!

[@user-bm6gx8km1t]

I've had a mantis that lived a little over a year, loved that boi. I kept him in a large enclosure outside housed with others but I have lots of precautions to prevent fighting. It's amazing keeping mantis! I hand raised all the ones I have 😃 sadly they don't have the ability to "learn", I would've loved to teach them tricks and stuff.

[@asuncions0815]

Thank you so much for the planty content! I love coming home from a long day of work and watching your videos and forgetting about all the stresses of life. I was so excited when I discovered you lived in Utah cause I live here too and it was so awesome to see how your plants thrived and encouraged me to grow my collection. That and thanks to you I discovered J&J nursery my life was never the same after that. I’m sorry people out there are so quick to put you down and I hope you and your family are doing well!!

[@faithbeautymua8899]

You should do a mantis update I’d love to see them again haha so cute 🥰

[@bethanyspencer9625]

I hope you are ok Harli! We are all missing u, you’re amazing at what you do!

[@kellieblood7928]

I’ve been patiently waiting for this video since you showed them on IG! They’re so weird! I love them though. Now I want one lol

[@aquacat_]

Wooo I love this! I'm a freshwater fishkeeper, and proper tank size is a huge debate in our community. With fish, a larger tank can help prevent aggression issues. Hopefully it's similar with these mantises! One thing's for sure.. you built them a freaking kingdom!

[@liquidtvafternoons5315]

I'm gonna be honest this is a HORRIBLE setup. I hope she did change it eventually, but if not these mantids are probably dead. They're aggressive and WILL eat eachother, no mantis spec can live together (it's like putting 2 male bettas together) Theres no mesh for them to hang from , and it would be almost impossible for them to find food in this especially since ghosts are terrible hunters

[@taylorsmith8460]

I have a bearded dragon and she eats different types of bugs and after a few months, the gross parts of the bug handling became just part of my regular routine ☺️

[@yvonneuriarte2429]

I had a bearded dragon a few years ago. He was on of the coolest reptiles that we had. I got him a harness and he was able to go out into my flower bed in the backyard he loved being out there in the Sun.

[@gijsballer557]

I had a terrarium with stick insects. One escaped just before I sold them. She lives in my Monstera now for almost a year. The Monstera grows fast enough to keep up with the foraging. Sometimes, she's gone for a few days, probably exploring the room, but she will always return.

[@jamiehou9448]

are you going to introduce any decomposers to make the enclosure bioactive? It'd be free fertilizer for the plants and you'll be off poop scoop duty!

[@3_up_moon]

What poop scoop duty?

[@jamiehou9448]

@@3_up_moon without the help of decomposers, mantid poop isnt going to go away by itself.

[@3_up_moon]

@@jamiehou9448 have you ever kept an insect as a pet?

[@lindseygonzales7302]

Springtails and isopods work well

[@3_up_moon]

@@lindseygonzales7302 there's not enough (waste) for them to eat and you end up just having a colony of isopods and spring tails you have to care for. Exactly how much do you people think a bug (mantid) poops?

[@imhumb1265]

OMG that was such an experience, I love that you got these! I can’t wait to watch them grow 🖤☺️ I just picked up a plastic bin to start my propagation box inspired by you!

[@Ben-fc8wg]

They look like their dancing at 0:15 🤣 you should have put some music behind it 😂

[@nuttmegsonuttz884]

Ghost mantis dance video!

[@dianavallone8644]

This really brightened up my day. So. Freaking. Cool.

[@BBbub1]

I love mantises i have a few of my own - just a tip for once they get larger they will need a vertical terrarium as they like to be high off the ground. Luckily the tank you have can be flipped on the side and just need to silicon a piece of acrylic across the new base to so you can put substrate in there. Love the video!!

[@AirWarrior97395]

You should put a mesh between the leca balls and the coconut coir so they dont mix. SerpaDesign recently made a video of him making an enclosure for his ghost mantis.

[@nataliec.9524]

Such a cool video! I’ve never seen these before and they’re so cute. I love how they dance lol! I know you said they don’t enjoy the decorations but you definitely do and I would too. Great job on the tank!

[@leahwalker9868]

This is so awesomely cool! You’ve got more balls than me though! As cute as they are, it’s a no go for me, 😂. I will continue to live vicariously through you. Thanks for sharing!

[@monicahumphries2223]

I would and could literally watch you doing plant stuff all day; watering, repotting, buying pots and plants, unboxing - ALL OF IT. You’re so easily to watch and loveable!

[@diegocisneros1776]

This is a good tip the higher temperature the mantis and their food are the faster their reproduction rate will be, so I recommend keeping them at a cool 72 degrees f because I've had my food die in about of week because of the high temperatures in my room.

[@MeredithMynroseUniversalHealer]

I planted some plants awhile back when i had an outdoor balcony and i had such many cutes praying manthis popping on my computer!

[@thejadeculture9567]

Omg I keep saying again and again I LOVE your videos. Your personality is the BEST, you’ve quickly become my favorite KZbinr, and now I want some mantis pets!!

[@annafaretty]

okay this makes me want to have a little tank for plants even without the mantis like its so cute!!! cant wait for updates 🥺

[@zahryndavis388]

Can we PLEASE Have a tutorial on the clay Pots. They're so cute😊

[@catcorbin9140]

Yes! I love this. I would love to see you get a betta and have a planted aquarium too😇

[@tudyknight6466]

Omg! I wouldn’t find them inside that tank! Such a luxurious mantis 😊

[@TheJupiter002]

Some Mantis species are more carnivorous than others. If you go towards the giant ones, like the Giant Asian Mantis (Hierodula), I would not keep them together. I had 8 of them when I started as a newbie. Put them together and now I have 5 left, saw the other 3 getting eaten and it's no fun to watch 😭 (although I gave them a lot of food..). One of them has been living on my Alocasia Zebrina and I 'manually' feed it. It has been on the plant since Instar 4 and hasn't left it so far 🌱🥰 You convinced me to get a Ghost Mantis next! Good luck with yours, xx

[@kathrynkramer8345]

I had never heard of ghost mantis or keeping them as pets and NOW I want some!

[@kawasaki1653]

There are certain fish that exhibit the leaf behavior too, for example, a juvenile dragon wrasse's swimming pattern resembles that of a leaf or seaweed to elude predators before it undergoes a radical morph to an adult dragon wrasse Cool critters you got there

[@0carinaofthyme]

I have a small homestead and when we do fall cleanup we save prayer mantis egg sacks and move them to safer locations. Pest control in the spring. We had a science project and kept one in an terrarium setup to see how the baby hatched and grew then released them on the property.

[@starzanhorse4758]

I’m a bug guy, among other things. Might change your description of exoskeleton critters growing. 👌 molting ? That is what birds do. Spiders, insects, crustacean, shed ! 👍

[@clairesanightmare]

They are so so cool🤩🤩🤩🤩 I love that they love the mesh screen to climb on instead of all the prime decor you bought them😂😂🙄 I wonder if the screen is easy for them to grip with their alien hands🤔🤔 maybe you could add more pieces of mesh throughout their home and see if they gravitate towards it?? Either way those ladies are gonna love their new home and owner!!💜💜💜

[@gogumarshmallow]

thanks for sharing :) those ghosts mantis will never know how lucky they are!

[@toria3282]

super cute but you shouldn’t cohab. they will eat eachother. also, put a piece of mesh between the substrate and the drainage layer. the dirt and leca will mix and it’ll be a mess eventually. also make sure to get a plant light for plant growth of plants will not thrive and likely die.

[@TheWackoGreenAlien]

I've only started in on the plant hobby and I am also a massive reptile,arachnid and insect lover. Hopeyour mantis are doing good, one thing I will say is that mantis tend to need a lot of cross ventilation so a mesh enclosure may be a bit better but we all do things different. Hope you enjoy those little ones because theyre so cool!

[@genesiswoodforde7745]

girlie i hope you’re ok. I noticed you were not in Instagram no more. i’m here for your

[@kellyvanhooser6084]

I've always wanted a mantis as a pet!! You should do a care video (like how you do for plant types lol). Like addressing questions such as... How much they cost. Where yours came from. How expensive and difficult they are to take care of. Their most favorable environment. Will their diet change (from fruit flies) as they get older? And other questions of course!

[@Ylimeable777]

Literally the little "butt" wiggles are the cutest thing ever!

[@ursamajorleague]

omg yes, keep the mantis content coming! Hope you're doing well, Harli

[@nickgemerek6820]

Someone I knew took care of native mantis at an aquarium and she would put little bits of all natural honey on their claws for them to lick off. Something about the pollen and minerals in there that is good for them? They were much larger insects though but could be something worth looking into more!

[@vanessacee4154]

Very cool, Harli! You could get a tub of each springtails and isopod (little pillbugs) for the tank to help process decaying plant material. The isopod would also serve as an occasional prey item that they can hunt.

[@sandyg8794]

Hi Harli! OMGolly they are so cute! I've never heard of them before. I hope you will keep us up to date on them. In several comments orchid mantis were mentioned, so I had to look them up. They're really beautiful! I checked out the ghost mantis, too. They would be fun to have, but I wish they lived longer. Thank you so much for sharing these oh so cute mantis!

[@cdecola]

What adorable little insects you have there! Those two are definitely gonna be gorgeous when they reach adulthood. I have a male Ghost Mantis and his is absolutely adorable! You're gonna have so much fun. Advice I have for you is to remove your mantises from that enclosure you made when feeding. Put them in a separate container with minimal decor, if any, when feeding. As nice as that tank is, it will make for a more difficult time to see the prey. Otherwise, beautiful setup. I'm sure they will be quite happy there.

[@joannebruce5835]

They are the cutest pets ever. I am so jealous.

[@saramfrye]

It looks so nice! Awesome reference before I put together my vivarium this week :)

[@starzanhorse4758]

As far as mantids go, you are right that they are one of the few that normally don’t eat each other! If ya only have 2, I wouldn’t risk it👍

[@chrixthegreat]

Cool. I have adopted a jumping spider I found on my potted banana plant. It still lives there. I just feed it from time to time and handle it a bit so it gets used to me. Next year I will hunt myself some mantises to let loose on my plants. Was going to do that this year but did not have the time. Going to get the Chinese Mantis. It is not native so it is the only one I can legally take from the wild.

[@flowers0fpeace]

This was so interesting! Never even thought about a praying mantis and now i want one...or two ☺️. They’re so cute!!

[@rogerkerns4445]

Having a large enclosure when they are very young is hard to confirm if they are eating. Big enclosures make it very hard for them to catch prey. Just make sure you put plenty of hugs for them to eat

[@rogerkerns4445]

People use 32oz deli cups while they are growing because it’s easy to clean and monitor what they eat

[@AnikaRae10]

So cute! Can’t wait to follow along on their journey! 😍😍

[@michaelaallanson4971]

I was going to get some Mantis this week but I'm not a fan of keeping flies as their food. So I opted for a spade footed toad instead. But I'd definitely have mantis in the future when I could have a dedicated room to odd peta

[@karlar534]

Omg they look so cool and delicate. Awesomeness

[@morganmyatt1457]

Omg I’ve always wanted pet mantis! I used to work at an insectarium and they were always my favorites! I used to keep them as pets as a kid too it was one of the highlights of my childhood

[@visigothsloth4819]

FYI: To mantis wanters.... You need an enclosure that is much smaller than this. MOST Importantly you need to make sure it has a front or side opening... they will ALWAYS be on the ceiling, and if you move them when they are molting, they can die.

[@Holly-Pocket]

I feel like I can see where this is going... that tank is now the Mantis Nursery where you beef them up. Then you unleash them in the orb. Soon, you see a mealybug and let them out into the house. In a year... meet Harli: mantis breeder-slash-trainer.

[@colleendubois-kaisin2338]

When i saw your story on insta i was super exited ! Your videos are one of the reasons i got into plants & i got 2 mantises for christmas from my bf. I loved your video ! & i just wanted to give one tip since and that is to really really see that they are fed properly in such a big tank. Especially a ghost mantis, they like to wait for the pray to come really nearby for them to catch it so in such a big tank that can be a little tricky for them wehen they are in L2-L4. But i love your tank and it’s gonna be so cool when everything grows in ! Love it 🤩

[@chloekrause5984]

Wow!!! How awesome! Those ladies are spunky! I love it!

[@BBbub1]

Also the sphagnum moss across the base will make allow the live food to hide and the mantises won’t be able to find it so make sure to take extra care when feeding them to ensure they eat

[@plantune2003]

When she doesn't put a mesh barrier 😭😭😭

[@terryh9684]

Ghost mantis 😍 will probably be my next mantis.I have a giant dead leaf and all ready looking 👍🏻😂😂😂😂

[@user-bm6gx8km1t]

Love this! I keep mantis as pets, I LOVE THEM. I really want a ghost mantis but sadly I only keep the ones I find outside.

[@jackreinstein1717]

I would not put them in the big tank until they are a lot bigger because they are so small and the cage is so big that they will die of starvation if they can’t find food, so personally I would keep them in the little one until they are bigger. Also baby mantis need to eat a lot more often then bigger ones. If you put them in the big cage then the fly’s have so many places to hide where the many ice can’t find them.

[@colleenanne4032]

Sooo cute!!! Thank you for this fun share!

[@katycrandall5410]

Tell Ryan my dad had the book Rich dad poor dad, and I’m going to be reading it soon! :) my dad said he loved this book and everyone should be required to read it :)

[@lenapuschel]

are you gonna clean out the whole thing from time to time or are you gonna add decomposers to eat the poop? as long as they're so little you won't really notice it but when they get bigger you will need to clean the poops out so it doesn't start to mold in there!

[@cheyennemoran1937]

Harli I really recommend SerpaDesign here on YT! He even just recently did a mantis enclosure 😊 Super educational and makes BEAUTIFUL terrariums (and other glass box enclosures haha)

[@BouncerBen]

I commented this on Harli’s last video showing the mantids and she hearted it but I don’t think she did look him up 😂

[@cathlohrentz]

This isn’t the content I’d ever expect to see in my subscription box, but wow, I loved it 💕 I’ve never considered keeping insects as pets before - it’s super cute!

[@alicedozier4795]

Omg I’m getting caught up on all my plant peeps and I just so love your little Alien praying-mantis 😂 love this video so much there so cute😍😍

[@thatpersonoverthere6663]

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! They are so cute!! I love these little guys, they're fascinating

[@lindsayrios6694]

I would definitely check out tarantula Kat she has awesome videos about having praying mantises and other critters!

[@curlyheron]

This is the best. Glad to see you shedding a positive light on our insect friends!

[@SmartyPlantsStore]

Love their little dance!

[@jessi330]

They look so cool! I want blue feigning death beetles.