Anyone know what this guy is?

[Aquattro]

If you get a full blow from her, you're gonna bleed!! My 3" mantis can smash acrylic tubing. If that one hit your fingernail, you'd probably lose the nail. On the bright side, you won't die! :D

[Delphinus]

Good grief, it they can smash acrylic, what's stopping them from smashing tank walls? Sounds like you don't want to put one of these guys in a tank with anything less than 3/8" wall thickness, maybe even more like 1/2" wall thickness minimum? (?!?)

[Aquattro]

Tony, a full grown mantis (12"+) has the impact of a 22 cal. at muzzle velocity. Which means they'd take off your finger very easily. It is recommended that they be housed in acrylic tanks when they're larger, because they can and have broken thru glass. Good idea not to tease one thru the glass!!
One of mine is a spearer variety and has smashed a small condo in a chunk of rock. The hole used to be the size of a pencil, about 3" deep. I could probably fit a couple of golf balls in there now.
Any one of mine can easily cut a hermit clean in half with a couple of smacks.
Darren's is probably three times the size of my largest. I wouldn't have my fingers anywhere near it.

[smokinreefer]

a few more pics...
night time shot...lights off...flash only

feeding...geez, these are hard pics to take...camera in one hand...bait in the other...

once i felt the mantis touching my fingers i just let go...

[Mak]

Tokinreefer, your just asking for it. [img]tongue.gif[/img]