Praying Mantis Care Guide

Praying Mantis Care Guide

Complete Care, Enclosure & Husbandry Guide

Praying mantises are fascinating predators known for their intelligence, camouflage, hunting behavior, and unique personalities. While many species are relatively easy to care for, proper enclosure design, ventilation, humidity, feeding, and molting conditions are essential for long-term success.

At House of MyNia, we believe in creating thoughtfully designed environments where both keeper and animal can thrive. This guide covers the foundational care requirements for most commonly kept praying mantis species.

Enclosure Requirements

Proper Enclosure Size

A mantis enclosure should always provide enough vertical space for climbing and molting.

Recommended Minimum Size:

  • Height: 3x the mantis’ body length
  • Width: 2x the mantis’ body length

Always account for the mantis’ full body length, even if the abdomen naturally curls upward.

Vertical height is especially important because mantises molt while hanging upside down.

Understanding Mantis Feet & Climbing Safety

One of the most overlooked aspects of praying mantis care is protecting their delicate tarsal claws—the tiny hooked structures located at the ends of their legs.

Source: https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/12542/

These hooks are essential for:

  • Climbing
  • Gripping surfaces
  • Hanging upside down
  • Successful molting

Mantises rely heavily on these structures to move securely throughout their enclosure. Some species can even climb glass due to differences in the morphology of these claws.

When damaged, mantises may experience:

  • Difficulty climbing
  • Slipping or falling
  • Failed molts
  • Long-term mobility issues

Why Metal Mesh Can Be Dangerous

Many commonly sold terrariums, including some glass enclosures with metal mesh lids, can unintentionally damage a mantis’ feet over time.

Fine metal mesh forces mantises to grip narrow, abrasive surfaces repeatedly, which may lead to:

  • Broken or worn tarsal claws
  • Difficulty hanging securely
  • Dangerous or failed molts

Recommended Alternative:

If using a mesh-topped enclosure, replacing metal mesh with one of the following is strongly recommended:

  • Plastic mesh
  • Tulle mesh
  • Cabinet liner

To see the products we recommend as alternatives, please click here. At House of MyNia, we prioritize enclosure functionality and animal safety over aesthetics alone.  

Ventilation

Proper airflow is critical for maintaining a healthy enclosure environment.

Poor ventilation can contribute to:

  • Mold growth
  • Bacterial buildup
  • Respiratory stress
  • Failed molts

Cross ventilation is highly recommended, especially for tropical species.

Temperature & Humidity

Requirements vary by species, but most commonly kept mantises thrive within the following ranges:

General Care Parameters:

  • Temperature: 72–82°F
  • Humidity: 40–80% depending on species

Tropical species generally require higher humidity, while desert and flower species may prefer drier conditions.

Light misting is typically sufficient for hydration and humidity maintenance.

Substrate Options

Substrate helps maintain humidity while simplifying enclosure maintenance.

Suitable Substrates:

  • Cocoa coir
  • Vermiculite
  • Perlite
  • Paper towel or tissue
  • Sphagnum moss

Simple setups are often best unless creating a planted or bioactive display enclosure.

Keep substrate lightly moist—not soaking wet.

Decoration & Enclosure Design

When designing a mantis enclosure, practicality should always come first.

Mantises do not require heavily decorated setups, and overcrowding can actually create hazards during molting.

Recommended Features:

  • Cork bark
  • Natural twigs and branches
  • Open climbing space
  • Secure hanging points near the top

Less clutter generally creates a safer environment.

Recommended Enclosures for Nymphs

Deli Cups

One of the best enclosures for mantis nymphs is a modified plastic deli cup.

Simple Setup:

  • Soft mesh ventilation
  • Single diagonal climbing twig
  • Basic substrate for humidity control

These setups are inexpensive, effective, and easy to maintain.

Live Food / Cricket Tubs

Plastic feeder tubs also make excellent enclosures with minor modifications.

They can be:

  • Modified with mesh ventilation
  • Positioned vertically for climbing height
  • Easily cleaned and maintained

These work especially well for:

  • Larger nymphs
  • Small adult species

Recommended Enclosures for Adults

Suitable adult enclosures include:

  • Screened Enclsoures
  • Plastic storage containers
  • Food-safe containers
  • Acrylic enclosures
  • Modified reptile enclsoures (change metal mesh to tulle) 

The most important features are:

  • Proper vertical space
  • Excellent ventilation
  • Safe climbing surfaces
  • Secure molting areas

Preventing “Eye Rub”

Mantises housed in clear enclosures may repeatedly attempt to walk through transparent walls, causing a condition commonly referred to as eye rub.

This may appear as:

  • Dark spots on the eyes
  • Surface damage
  • Severe irritation over time

Providing textured climbing surfaces and reducing excessive clear barriers may help reduce this behavior.

Feeding

Praying mantises are opportunistic predators and should be fed appropriately sized live prey. We feed our babies daily but our adults get feed weekly. As they age, you will want to reduce the frequency of feeding and increase the amount of food. 

Common Feeder Options:

  • Fruit flies (for nymphs)
  • House flies
  • Blue bottle flies
  • Roaches
  • Small crickets
  • Moths

Feeding Rule:

Prey should generally not exceed the width of the mantis’ abdomen.

Avoid overfeeding, especially before molts.

Important Feeder Insect Disclaimer

At House of MyNia, we strongly recommend sourcing feeder insects from trusted breeders or reputable specialty suppliers whenever possible.

Many hobbyists within the exotic pet community have reported concerns regarding feeder insects purchased from certain large chain or “big box” pet stores, including claims of potential parasites, pesticides, or contaminants that may negatively affect sensitive species such as:

  • Praying mantises
  • Jumping spiders
  • Tarantulas
  • Reptiles
  • Other invertebrates

While we cannot independently verify all of these claims, we believe it is always best to prioritize caution and quality when it comes to the health of your animals.

We recommend:

  • Purchasing feeders from reputable sources
  • Avoiding unhealthy or poorly maintained feeders
  • Properly caring for feeder insects prior to use

Hydration

Praying Mantis generally drink water droplets from enclosure walls, webbing, or decorations. We recommend daily misting using filtered, purified, or reverse osmosis water. If you can afford one, we highly recommend Waterdrop systems. We use these for all of our plants and animals. However, you can use a filtered system like Pur or Brita or you can buy bottled or reverse osmosis water from the store. We do not recommend distilled water due to the lack of minerals. We also highly recommend avoiding tap water unless you use a water conditioner to remove chlorine, etc. Please note that water conditioners do not remove all contaminants like Chloramine so this is the reason why we recommend using the other types of waters listed above. However, if it is not a viable option for you and you must use tap water, then please use a water conditioner. We also use an inexpensive automatic misting system with our enclosures which makes it easy to keep them hydrated on schedule. To purchase this automatic misting system or any of the other recommended products above, click here.

Hydration Tips:

  • Lightly mist the enclosure as needed
  • Avoid soaking the enclosure
  • Allow proper airflow between misting

NEVER place large open water dishes inside their enclosures and never leave standing water. It is important not to use advertised drinking fountains either as these can harbor bacteria and unless cleaning them daily, could put your animal at risk. 

Molting

Molting is one of the most delicate and important stages of a mantis’ life.

Before molting, mantises may:

  • Refuse food
  • Become inactive
  • Hang upside down for long periods

During Molting:

Never disturb a mantis while molting.

Successful molts require:

  • Proper humidity
  • Secure hanging surfaces
  • Safe climbing materials
  • Adequate enclosure height

Many molting complications are caused by:

  • Poor ventilation
  • Unsafe mesh
  • Insufficient humidity
  • Inadequate hanging space

Cleaning & Maintenance

Routine maintenance helps prevent bacteria, mold, and unhealthy enclosure conditions.

Recommended Maintenance:

  • Remove uneaten prey promptly
  • Spot clean waste regularly
  • Replace substrate as needed
  • Monitor humidity and airflow

Handling

Mantises can be interactive and surprisingly personable, but handling should always be minimal and gentle.

Best Practices:

  • Allow the mantis to walk onto your hand voluntarily
  • Move slowly and calmly
  • Avoid handling during premolt or after molting

Never squeeze or forcibly grab a mantis.

Cohabitation Warning

Praying mantises should generally be housed individually.

Many species are:

  • Territorial
  • Opportunistic predators
  • Cannibalistic

Housing multiple mantises together can result in injury or death.

Final Thoughts

Safe enclosure design and proper husbandry are some of the most important factors in successful mantis keeping. Providing proper ventilation, safe climbing surfaces, humidity, and secure molting areas dramatically improves:

  • Mobility
  • Feeding response
  • Molting success
  • Long-term health

At House of MyNia, we believe enclosure functionality should always come before aesthetics. Thoughtfully designed habitats create safer, healthier environments where both keeper and animal can truly thrive.

If you ever have questions regarding mantis care, setup recommendations, or husbandry support, we are always happy to help.