# Alternative Foods for Ghost Mantises



## iain5 (Jun 23, 2008)

I'm currently raising 8 ghost mantises (male and female) which are all around pre-subadult or subadult. Since I've had them, I've fed them M. hydei, house flies, and bluebottles as they have grown up and they have done very well on those foods, however, I really hate raising and caring for flies. I have an adult female Giant Sheild Mantis and 3 Giant Asian nymphs who all wolf down crickets and anything else I catch very well and I find crickets to be much easier and more locally available. I think I've heard that crickets are bad for ghosts, but I've seen other posts where people said they feed their ghosts crickets all the time. Would it be ok to do that? Also, what about mealworms, waxworms, and all the other various feeder insects that pet stores in the US are likely to carry?

Thanks people, advice is appreciated as always!


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 23, 2008)

I feed mine both, I don't see any problem with it!


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## The_Asa (Jun 25, 2008)

My ghosts didn't care for them, but would eat all the moths I could catch.


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## Rick (Jun 26, 2008)

The_Asa said:


> My ghosts didn't care for them, but would eat all the moths I could catch.


Then sounds like they did care for them. You can feed them anything you want. Some say they prefer flying insects but mantids are opportunistic feeders.


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## The_Asa (Jun 26, 2008)

Rick said:


> Then sounds like they did care for them. You can feed them anything you want. Some say they prefer flying insects but mantids are opportunistic feeders.


 :huh:


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## idolomantis (Jun 26, 2008)

anything flying  

(exept birds.... duhh)


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## iain5 (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Since it is summer I should be able to catch plenty of moths for the next 3 months or so, but I will also try them on smaller crickets since they're just so much easier to keep.


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## jason_mazzy (Aug 13, 2008)

I suggest U buy some crickets form armostrong cricket company. 15-18 per 1000 incl. shipping. raise them urself on potatos a good dry dog food (no preservatives), some grain, and some extra fruits n veggies (raw) u have left over from lunch or dinner. Vary there diet and U shouldn't have problems.


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## pedro92 (Aug 13, 2008)

jason_mazzy said:


> I suggest U buy some crickets form armostrong cricket company. 15-18 per 1000 incl. shipping. raise them urself on potatos a good dry dog food (no preservatives), some grain, and some extra fruits n veggies (raw) u have left over from lunch or dinner. Vary there diet and U shouldn't have problems.


Crickets arent very good and can kill your mantis. Crix have been known to carry diseases that will kill them. House flies and other flying stuff is best


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## jason_mazzy (Aug 13, 2008)

Chameleonare said:


> Crickets arent very good and can kill your mantis. Crix have been known to carry diseases that will kill them. House flies and other flying stuff is best


I was saying if U are going to feed crickets, then U should order them from a good breeder and raise them your self on healthy foods. I would bet it would cut down on alot of cricket problems.


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## The_Asa (Aug 13, 2008)

Yes, that is generally accepted.


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## iain5 (Aug 28, 2008)

Hey guys - just updating my old posts.

I have been feeding my ghosts small crickets from the pet store for about 2 months now and they love them. They actively hunt them, don't throw up, and have all become adults with no mismolts or deaths.

I know other people seem to have problems with crickets, but I will have to back up most other US people here and say they have worked just as well as flies or anything else on 5 species of mantis for me. If I was going to be raising mantids on a large scale, I would probably raise crickets myself for this purpose, but even regular old pet store crickets have worked fine (I put them on a proper diet before I feed them out). Hopes this helps to calm any fears!


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## idolomantis (Aug 28, 2008)

YOUR GHOSTS HUNT!?!

omg you must of have mutated them.

mine are so dull.. lol they just hang upside-down waiting till something pass.

and when it struggles to much they let go again..


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## iain5 (Aug 28, 2008)

Haha yeah, I was surprized too. I guess they don't roam around looking for food, but when they see a cricket on the bottom of the cage they will race down and grab it. They are almost as energetic as my asians when there is food in view. The rest of the day, they do hang in the same spot like dead leaves though.


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## mantidsandgeckos (Aug 28, 2008)

1 of my ghosts hunt :lol:


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## kamakiri (Sep 3, 2008)

Can adult ghosts handle adult crickets? I've been meaning to get some ghosts, but don't want to do house flies or blue bottles.

I've been doing FFs and transitioning to baby crickets with both religiosa and sinensis...So I was thinking of doing ghosts the same way. Bad idea?


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## The_Asa (Sep 3, 2008)

I've never been able to make my ghosts eat crickets, but others have, so it's possible.


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## kakistos (Sep 5, 2008)

kamakiri said:


> Can adult ghosts handle adult crickets? I've been meaning to get some ghosts, but don't want to do house flies or blue bottles.


My adult female p.paradoxa caught and ate adult crickets without problems.

I've never seen mine hunt though... they are the most easily scared mantis I have, get alarmed real soon (taking out of enclosure, waving something too big in front of them etc).


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## idolomantis (Sep 5, 2008)

The_Asa said:


> I've never been able to make my ghosts eat crickets, but others have, so it's possible.


i,m not even going to try that, and not only becouse i hate them


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