# Has anyone been bitten by their mantis?



## Mitch65009 (May 1, 2019)

Hi there, i just had a quick question about mantids biting. It got me worried today when my mantis for the first time tried to bite me. Luckily, she was on my fingernail at the time and nothing happened. Just wondering how a bite would feel, and what i should look out for. If they are tempted to bite, would i be able to tell? or is it just random? Please let me know, thank you.


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## hysteresis (May 1, 2019)

Spikes on their raps can puncture skin. Large mantids. Hierodula. Rhombodera. etc.


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## Mitch65009 (May 1, 2019)

So their mouths can't puncture skin?


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## hysteresis (May 1, 2019)

I've never experienced it. But if they can gnaw through exoskeleton, if they hook up right they may break the skin.


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## River Dane (May 1, 2019)

I’ve heard of large species drawing blood before. Most of the time people say it’s because they mistook their finger for food and tried to eat it. I’ve also seen a mantis open it’s mandibles when I had to pick it up by the thorax to move him.

Another thing to note is sometimes a mantis will nibble at your finger because it’s thirsty. Sometimes they try to drink your sweat, and this behavior can easily be confused with aggressiveness. The first time a mantis tried to drink off of my hand, I had a mini heart attack, and it was just a wee nymph!


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## Mantis Lady (May 1, 2019)

Never been bitten here, but I have felt the spikes of their frontlegs. There is a lot of strength in their frontlegs.

This reminds me of a vid where a guy let his mantis biting/eating his finger (crazy) the mandibles goes very easy through skin. (and it did hurt of course)


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## Synapze (May 1, 2019)

Yes, but rarely. First remember... the mantis is not intentionally trying to hurt you or "being mean". The  grasping strength of the raptorials can be shocking and painful, and can break the skin. Our instincts tell us to "get it off fast!", but don't let the shock cause you to accidentally harm your mantis. Don't try to shake or brush it off. If the mantis grabs you and begins to bow its head to nibble, quickly grab a pencil (chopsticks are great for this) and place between the head and your skin. If the mantis doesn't release, a fine spritz of water will usually do the trick. The mandibles of some larger species can easily and quickly leave you bleeding. With smaller species you don't have anything to worry about. 

And of course, clean the wound thoroughly.

Tip: For large aggressive species, try to keep your fingers together and flat. A single finger is much more likely to get bitten.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 1, 2019)

They definitely can pierce skin,but like @Synapzesaid, it doesn't happen often.

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 1, 2019)

My femala H. venosa is savage at times. I always have something ready to intervene. Just remember that whatever tool you use will be difficult to remove from their grasp if they lock down. Plan accordingly.


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## Mitch65009 (May 1, 2019)

Oh boy, after reading this , im scared to hold my mantis now, lol.  What @River Dane said about the wanting water thing could have been the case with me though. My mantis bowed her head and tried to eat my finger nail, and as i tried to move her away from getting close to my skin, she got very defensive.


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## Granny's Mantis Mayhem (May 1, 2019)

I posted about this same topic when I first got a mantis in a FB forum. Due to the replies and there were many I was really scared for a bit to hold mine, still am to some extent but at this point, not one has tried to bite but I have had a few drink out of my hand and that was really adorable.


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## Graceface (May 1, 2019)

There is really nothing to be scared of, so I wouldn't worry about it. 

Facts: Mantid mandibles have the capability of breaking skin just as our teeth do. Mantids rarely attempt to harm a human. Large specimens have more of a capacity to cause harm, but, and I cannot stress this point enough, _the chances of being physically harmed by your mantis are so low it isn't worth worrying about. _

My cats accidentally hurt me on a weekly basis and that never stops me from sticking my face in their fluffy bellies or dangling a toy in front of them! 

Insects are different from humans and are looked upon as "gross" or "weird" by many, causing an irrational fear (trust me I know, I have it too lol). Mantids are such fascinating creatures that we are willing to overcome this stigma, but there is still a bit of trepidation in handling them, I notice. Just stay calm and take it slow. Your mantis means you no harm, and the more you get used to handling them, the less you will fear their built in weaponry and the more they will get used to being handled by you, too  

Just keep it up and don't fear the reaper lol


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## Mitch65009 (May 2, 2019)

Those are some very good points @Graceface and that did help a lot. I've held her many times before, she even sat on my hand as I played video games once, lol. I wasn't worried until then, but thank you for the help


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## Graceface (May 2, 2019)

Mitch65009 said:


> Oh boy, after reading this , im scared to hold my mantis now, lol.  What @River Dane said about the wanting water thing could have been the case with me though. My mantis bowed her head and tried to eat my finger nail, and as i tried to move her away from getting close to my skin, she got very defensive.


Unexpected and/or sudden movements will potentially frighten a mantis, and even cause a threat display in some species. Slow and steady always wins the race with handling mantids. 

It does sound like your mantis may have been thirsty. I like to let my Orchids drink off of my hand when they are willing. Its fun and it kinda tickles  They are always super gentle and I've never been pinched or even been concerned about such things. Another thing to consider is whether you are misting your mantis enough, so that he/she isn't going thirsty for as long (not sure what species you keep, but we have some great care sheets on the forum). 



Mitch65009 said:


> Those are some very good points @Graceface and that did help a lot. I've held her many times before, she even sat on my hand as I played video games once, lol. I wasn't worried until then, but thank you for the help


Sounds like you are doing alright with you mantis, if it hangs out with you playing video games! Keep up the good work and you have nothing to fear (except a case of Mantis fever lol)


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## hysteresis (May 2, 2019)

Little Mantis said:


> ... This reminds me of a vid where a guy let his mantis biting/eating his finger ...


YEH crazy.

That's a mega mantis. I have one.

Now i'll be thinking of this.


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## Mitch65009 (May 2, 2019)

Graceface said:


> Unexpected and/or sudden movements will potentially frighten a mantis, and even cause a threat display in some species. Slow and steady always wins the race with handling mantids.
> 
> It does sound like your mantis may have been thirsty. I like to let my Orchids drink off of my hand when they are willing. Its fun and it kinda tickles  They are always super gentle and I've never been pinched or even been concerned about such things. Another thing to consider is whether you are misting your mantis enough, so that he/she isn't going thirsty for as long (not sure what species you keep, but we have some great care sheets on the forum).
> 
> Sounds like you are doing alright with you mantis, if it hangs out with you playing video games! Keep up the good work and you have nothing to fear (except a case of Mantis fever lol)


Lol thanks! I've never thought about trying too feed her water from my hand. But I mist her once daily. I might post a picture later and see if anyone here knows the species of mantis she is, cause I'm not 100% sure, I just know that it's a pretty common species.


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## Graceface (May 2, 2019)

Mitch65009 said:


> Lol thanks! I've never thought about trying too feed her water from my hand. But I mist her once daily. I might post a picture later and see if anyone here knows the species of mantis she is, cause I'm not 100% sure, I just know that it's a pretty common species.


My Orchids are seemingly always thirsty, so it is easy to get them to drink water off pretty much any surface, lol

Everyone loves mantis pictures, so you should totally post a Pic! I'm rubbish at identifying species, but others are great at it, so give it a try


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## Mitch65009 (May 2, 2019)

Graceface said:


> My Orchids are seemingly always thirsty, so it is easy to get them to drink water off pretty much any surface, lol
> 
> Everyone loves mantis pictures, so you should totally post a Pic! I'm rubbish at identifying species, but others are great at it, so give it a try


Yeah I actually got a little video so here it is!

View attachment VID_20190502_145641.mp4


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## MantisGirl13 (May 2, 2019)

You have a really adorable mantis!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mitch65009 (May 2, 2019)

@MantisGirl13 thanks! Do you know what species she is?


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## hysteresis (May 2, 2019)

Maybe Hierodula venosa. 

Mine looked like this back then. She was actually i8 and not i5 i6 like I was told.


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## hysteresis (May 2, 2019)

Needs a good feed, BTW.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 2, 2019)

Mitch65009 said:


> @MantisGirl13 thanks! Do you know what species she is?


Looks like a Sphodromantis sp. due to the head shape and white spots on the raptorial arm. Where did you get her?

- MantisGirl13


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## Mitch65009 (May 3, 2019)

MantisGirl13 said:


> Looks like a Sphodromantis sp. due to the head shape and white spots on the raptorial arm. Where did you get her?
> 
> - MantisGirl13


I think your right. I got her at the place I work. Big Al's, you probably haven't heard of it, but it's an aquarium place that sells reptiles and other stuff.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 3, 2019)

Ok. Sorry I can't tell you what species of Sphodromantis!

- MantisGirl13


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## Mitch65009 (May 3, 2019)

@MantisGirl13 that's okay! Thanks for your help


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## MantisGirl13 (May 3, 2019)

Mitch65009 said:


> @MantisGirl13 that's okay! Thanks for your help


Glad I can help!

- MantisGirl13


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## Thrillhouse (May 15, 2019)

Mantis mouths aren't like the mouths of mammals. They don't have teeth or fangs for biting.

Instead, they have a little trash compactor mouth and delicate little mandibles to help the food into it. You're too big, too large a surface, and can move away too easily for them to actually bite into you. The only way a mantis could actually manage to bite you is if you wilfully tricked it into latching on, and then held really still as it struggled to actually manage to break the skin. 

It's just not really possible. They can definitely pinch you with their raptorials. But biting into you isn't going to be likely outside of the absolute largest species, and even then, you'd have to hold still for a while for them to manage it.


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## Digger (May 15, 2019)

In all the years and species I've kept, only once have I had an incident.  Here's my original post from June, 2013.  She grabbed my thinking I was prey.  In years following, the consensus is to gently squeeze their abdomen.

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Ponder has been outside on a potted Impatience for the last few days to enjoy the Kenya-like 90 deg days.

This evening I put my hand out, as usual, to coax her on to take her in for the night. She grabbed onto my index finger

as if it were prey and began digging her mandibles into me. I was stunned by this and quickly realized she was causing

pain. REAL pain! She had her raptors clamped tight into the finger with head down on the skin grinding as hard as she

could. I went into the kitchen (yelling at her to stop --- she paid no attention) and splashed water on her. No dice. I couldn't

pry her raptors out of me - they would have broken or torn off. So I grabbed a kitchen sponge and worked it in between her

mandibles and my finger. She buried her head in the sponge and bit that for a couple of minutes. Then she finally let go (although

I kept dousing her with water). Boy does that finger hurt. She's got a grip like a vice !

Any ideas why this attack? I'm guessing she was dehydrated and needed water? I sprayed her several times during the day (it's

been very hot) and she's well fed.

Also - if this happens in the future - any remedies you've found to get them to release without causing harm?

Cheers,

Digger


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## MantisGirl13 (May 15, 2019)

@Digger Ponder was beautiful! 



Thrillhouse said:


> It's just﻿﻿ not really possible. They can definitely pinch you with their raptorials. But biting into you isn't going to be likely outside of the absolute largest species, and even then, you'd have to hold still for a while for them to manage it.


Believe me when I say that it is no problem for them to bite skin. They can draw blood easily. This is coming from experience! Boy did that female G. African like the taste of flesh!

- MantisGirl13


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## hysteresis (May 15, 2019)

I'm afraid of my venosa. 

HAHAHA.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 15, 2019)

hysteresis said:


> I'm afraid of my venosa.
> 
> HAHAHA.


I get the feeling! Their bites hurt!!!

- MantisGirl13


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## Foxhill (May 16, 2019)

I had my Orchid jump on my face once when I was inspecting her but it didnt hurt it just freaked me out haha


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## MantisGirl13 (May 16, 2019)

Foxhill said:


> I had my Orchid jump on my face once when I was inspecting her but it didnt hurt it just freaked me out haha


Try getting an L1 ghost lost in your hair! That's a panic reaction!

Lol :lol: 

- MantisGirl13


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## Foxhill (May 16, 2019)

ooh         hahaha


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## mantisfan101 (May 24, 2019)

I had a Polyspilota aerugionsa mistaken my finger for the E. Posticus. It felt like two tint beedles digging theough my skin...


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## MantisGirl13 (May 24, 2019)

mantisfan101 said:


> I had a Polyspilota aerugionsa mistaken my finger for the E. Posticus. It felt like two tint beedles digging theough my skin...


Ouch! (Do you mind if I ask how you know what two tiny beetles digging through your skin feels like?)

- MantisGirl13


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## Jaywo (May 24, 2019)

I never did but my little kid tried to hold one of my big females while I was in another room and my big female was not having it. Unfortunately, my kid picked the most aggressive, super old and cranky one out of the bunch.

Little fingers, stilled shock, screaming and some blood ensued.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 24, 2019)

Jaywo said:


> I never did but my little kid tried to hold one of my big females while I was in another room and my big female was not having it. Unfortunately, my kid picked the most aggressive, super old and cranky one out of the bunch.
> 
> Little fingers, stilled shock, screaming and some blood ensued.


Was the mantis ok?

- MantisGirl13


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## Synapze (May 24, 2019)

MantisGirl13 said:


> Was the mantis﻿ ok?


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## mantisfan101 (May 24, 2019)

MantisGirl13 said:


> Ouch! (Do you mind if I ask how you know what two tiny beetles digging through your skin feels like?)
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Autocorrect strikes again! Tiny needles, not beetles! But I WAS bitten by a lucanus placidus male...his mandibles sunk into my skin and literally locked underneath it so I had this beetles that was stuck on my finger for a few minutes...the only way to get him off was to spray him with water and put a stick underneath him so he’d bite that instead.


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## MantisGirl13 (May 25, 2019)

mantisfan101 said:


> Autocorrect strikes again! Tiny needles, not beetles! But I WAS bitten by a lucanus placidus male...his mandibles sunk into my skin and literally locked underneath it so I had this beetles that was stuck on my finger for a few minutes...the only way to get him off was to spray him with water and put a stick underneath him so he’d bite that instead.


Lol 

- MantisGirl13


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## Jaywo (May 26, 2019)

MantisGirl13 said:


> Was the mantis ok?
> 
> - MantisGirl13


Oh yeah, the Mantis was fine. All my kids know that they should just stay still and not make some crazy violent act when regarding the mantids. My kid however, will not come near a mantis past L5. lol


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## hysteresis (May 26, 2019)

My wife's oldest daughter backs away, shoulders hunched, the minute I crack open a 32oz. 

She's almost 25!


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## Mantis Lady (May 27, 2019)

hysteresis said:


> My wife's oldest daughter backs away, shoulders hunched, the minute I crack open a 32oz.
> 
> She's almost 25!


Lol and a mantis isn't harmful for humans. It is not a wasp


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## Mitch65009 (May 27, 2019)

Reading this stuff really freaks me out from holding any of my mantids. Lol. My venosa struck at me, and I haven't held her since!


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## The Mantis Menagerie (Jun 1, 2019)

I had an adult male _T_. _sinensis_ bite me once. I was sitting with it on my hand, and it just started nibbling.


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## hysteresis (Jun 1, 2019)

I open cups in a mesh cube if I need to and there are flies in the cups. So I decided to throw my trash disposal in the cube (my venosa). When she was done with the flies, I went to retrieve her and she beat me the snot outta me the whole time getting out!


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## MantisGirl13 (Jun 1, 2019)

hysteresis said:


> I open cups in a mesh cube if I need to and there are flies in the cups. So I decided to throw my trash disposal in the cube (my venosa). When she was done with the flies, I went to retrieve her and she beat me the snot outta me the whole time getting out!


Lol and ouch.

- MantisGirl13


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## Mantis Lady (Jun 2, 2019)

hysteresis said:


> I open cups in a mesh cube if I need to and there are flies in the cups. So I decided to throw my trash disposal in the cube (my venosa). When she was done with the flies, I went to retrieve her and she beat me the snot outta me the whole time getting out!


hahaha, Your venosa is mean too you


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