Giant Asian Mantis — Fact Sheet

Hierodula membranacea · Giant Asian Mantis

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• One adult: at least 20 x 20 x 30 cm; house singly.
• Fine secure ventilation for nymphs; inspect doors and cable gaps.
• Internal height at least three body lengths and width at least two.
• Paper towel for quarantine; avoid waterlogged substrate.

🪨 Enclosure furniture

• Fully grippable mesh ceiling, thin branches, and leafy cover.
• Several unobstructed hanging points with a clear drop below.
• Remove loose prey when premolt refusal begins.

💡 Lighting

• UVB not required.
• Bright indirect light; 10-12-hour photoperiod.
• Avoid direct sun and close lamps that overheat the upper mesh.

🌡️ Temperature

• Upper warm point: 29-30°C

• Warm zone: 24-28°C

• Cool zone: 22-24°C

• Night: 20-24°C

• Measure at the animal’s hanging height; control any heat source with a thermostat.

💧 Humidity & water

• 50-70%; briefly 60-75% around molts, always with airflow.
• Mist a wall or leaves finely and let surfaces dry.
• No deep water; large droplets can trap tiny nymphs.

🪳 Diet

Feed routinely:

• Captive-bred flies, moths, roaches, locust nymphs, or suitable crickets.

In moderation:

• Crickets and beetle larvae only when promptly removed if uneaten.

Avoid:

• Wild insects, wasps, fireflies, oversized prey, vertebrate meat.

Supplements:

• None routinely; vary and gut-load feeder insects.

🩺 Health — warning signs

• Fall or entrapment during molt → poor grip, insufficient clearance, dehydration, or disturbance.
• Black injury or missing limb → prey attack, door injury, fall, or rough handling.
• Mold or mites → excess water, remains, and weak ventilation.
• Persistent refusal away from premolt → heat, dehydration, old age, unsuitable prey, or illness.

Consult an exotics veterinarian for extensive injury, persistent swelling, or unexplained decline.