Species: 

Deroplatys desiccata Distribution: Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, Java.Natrual

Habitat: 

Tropical Rainforest.

Captive Housing:

General rule of 3 x the length of the mantid for height and 2 x the length for width, small nymphs (1st - 3rd instar) do well in 1/2 pint plastic cups with mesh/netting top, moving onto pint cups, sweet jars or other similar sized containers as it grows, insure container has adequate ventilation.Furnish the base of the container with a moisture retaining substrate such as Vermiculite, peat/vermiculite mix or best yet ordinary kitchen roll. A single twig placed diagonally is the furnishing your mantid will need to get from bottom of the container to the top, if you have more room fake/live plants can be added but the general rule is not to overcrowd the container with furnishings as they can impede moulting and cause more harm than good in the way of the mantid being caught by the funishings while moulting. In most cases the mantid will spend most of its time at the highest point of the enclousure (the roof) from which it will moult hence the importance of a mesh/net top to aid the mantid in getting a good foothold.It's best not to keep the mantid in too large a container as these are ambush predators and will generally wait for the food to come to them, large enclousures will decrease the frequency of predator coming into contact with the prey.

Temperature: 

24-30oC daytime. A night time drop of a few degrees is considered beneficial for the mantid. The warmer the mantid is kept the higher its metabolism, this coupled with increased feeding will cause the mantid to grow quicker than at a cooler temperature with less feeding. 

Humidity: 

Around 70% humidity, ensure substrate is slightly damp at all times, mist when needed generally every/everyother day depending on temperature higher temperature = more frequent mistings.Although these are rainforest species do not over do it with the humidity, as over humid environments can give rise to increased fungal and bacterial conditions, always ensure they have adequate ventilition coupled with the humidity.

Feeding: 

Fruitflies (Drosphilia hydei) from 1st instar, increase the size of prey as the mantid grows. As they grow D. desiccata start to have a preference for crawling type foods although they will take bluebottle flies and locust, but roaches seem to be the preferred choice. 

Moulting:

Mantids grow by shedding (ecdysis) their skin, a newly hatched nymph is known as 1st instar and after each subsquent moult moves up an instar. Signs of an imminent moult are a period of inactivity, fasting, adopting a moulting postion and in sub-adult nymphs the swelling of the wingbuds, normally one or all of these signs will be noticed but they can at times take us by surprise.Ensure any uneaten food is removed especially locusts, crickets and roaches as the mantid can be vunerable when nearing, during and after a moult, either by knocking the mantid midmoult or the mantid becoming the prey itself.

"Tolerance" Factor:

Are quite tolerant towards each other, even at higher instars as long as food is plentiful, however splitting the sexes is preferable. It is not recommended to keep this species communally if you only have a small number of nymphs.

Adult Size:

Females 80-95 mmMales 75-85 mmBreeding: Adult Females: Larger and bulkier than males, wing tips end at tip of abdomen.Adult Males: Slender, wing tips extend about 10mm past tip of abdomen.Mating: Sexual maturity generally 5-6 weeks after reaching adulthood, they can be mated earlier but the chances of unsuccessful matings and the female attacking the male are significantly increased.

Laying: 

Females will in most cases start lay their 1st ootheca after 6 weeks of being adult, with intervals of between 2-4 weeks for each subsequent ooth dependant on frequency of feeding and temperature.6-7 oothca can be laid during the females adult lifetime.

Incubation: 

Approx 6 weeks (temperature dependent) mist incubation container lightly every/every other day, do not allow to dry out.Hatching: Approx 40-70 nymphs (Have heard reports of 100, the most I've had hatch from a single ooth has been 67 nymphs). 1st instars (hatchlings) approx 12 mm in size, they will not need feeding till 3 days after hatching but will benefit from a daily light mist with warm water to allow them to drink, they will take D. hydei fruitflies as 1st instars. Very low hatchling/1st instar mortality rates.Additional Note: Probably the easiest of the Deroplatys species in regards to raising and breeding, although some experience with mantids is recommended before taking on this species.