# Putting your mantid 'down' - freeze or squish?



## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

Honestly, I feel that squishing them would be a kinder option for any suffering mantid. When squished, they will die immediately. When frozen, they will certainly feel the cold and be very uncomfortable until they finally die. It seems to be a drawn out process, which I find to be quite torturous for the mantid.

I, myself, would rather be crushed by a boulder and die instantly than be stuck in the snow, freezing until I finally die.

What do you guys think?

P.S. I've realized some people here become quite defensive and argumentative when they disagree- that's not what this post if for. If you have different opinions, state them without being rude, please.


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## whatislove (Oct 23, 2012)

I myself have only ever had to put down 1 of my mantids, I chose the squish because I to felt that was the kinder option.


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## Mime454 (Oct 23, 2012)

I feed them to my other mantids. It is a huge meal, and it's what would happen in nature more than likely.


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## twolfe (Oct 23, 2012)

I freeze mine. By the time I need to freeze them, they die quickly.


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## selkielass (Oct 23, 2012)

Squish, if small.

Jar with alcohol, or spritz of starter fluid if larger.

Wasp and hornet spray kills fast too, but I seldom have any in the house (too risky.)


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## Mvalenz (Oct 23, 2012)

I usually squish nymphs and freeze older mantids. Don't know what my philosophy is behind it. Maybe I can't bring myself to squish a mantis that I have grown to know.


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## patrickfraser (Oct 23, 2012)

Option 3...CHOMP! I feed mine to my chameleons.


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## MandellaMandy123 (Oct 23, 2012)

Mvalenz said:


> Maybe I can't bring myself to squish a mantis that I have grown to know.


That's totally me. I have to freeze... Only had to do it twice, thank goodness....


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

whatislove said:


> I myself have only ever had to put down 1 of my mantids, I chose the squish because I to felt that was the kinder option.


Yeah I feel the same way. I had to squish a lot of suffering nymphs.


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

Mime454 said:


> I feed them to my other mantids. It is a huge meal, and it's what would happen in nature more than likely.


Yeah it is more like the wild, especially if it was male and the one eating was female.


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

Tammy Wolfe said:


> I freeze mine. By the time I need to freeze them, they die quickly.


Oh you mean you put them in at the last minutes of life?


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

selkielass said:


> Squish, if small.
> 
> Jar with alcohol, or spritz of starter fluid if larger.
> 
> Wasp and hornet spray kills fast too, but I seldom have any in the house (too risky.)


Would death be immediate with alcohol or would there be suffering?


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

Mvalenz said:


> I usually squish nymphs and freeze older mantids. Don't know what my philosophy is behind it. Maybe I can't bring myself to squish a mantis that I have grown to know.


Yeah I squished my nymphs too. It does sound hard to squish a big mantid. I probably would still do it though just because I feel it's quicker.


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> Option 3...CHOMP! I feed mine to my chameleons.


Haha forgot that one, that's also something I consider, I have a bearded dragon and he'd eat and swallow it in 5 seconds. That's awesome that you have chameleons.


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## MantidBro (Oct 23, 2012)

WolfPuppy said:


> That's totally me. I have to freeze... Only had to do it twice, thank goodness....


It does sound hard to squish a big mantid who you've known for a while. And good thing only twice!


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## Graz73 (Oct 31, 2012)

Why did you feel it was necessary to "euthanize" them?


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## MantidBro (Nov 1, 2012)

Lou Graziani said:


> Why did you feel it was necessary to "euthanize" them?


I mean if they're gonna die already and are suffering. What would be the best way to put them out of their misery?


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## patrickfraser (Nov 1, 2012)

I'm gonna play devil's advocate here and say that under the assumption that mantids cannot _feel _pain, they cannot suffer _or _be in misery. Just saying. :devil:


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## MantidBro (Nov 2, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> I'm gonna play devil's advocate here and say that under the assumption that mantids cannot _feel _pain, they cannot suffer _or _be in misery. Just saying. :devil:


Lol definitely the devil's advocate, right here. I think mantids definitely feel. Why would they react when poked? Why do they pinch when close to death (blaming external surroundings for their internal _pain_)? If a mantid couldn't feel, they wouldn't struggle when being hurt/eaten/etc. They'd just be like, "Oh, getting eaten, today? Okay, it doesn't hurt, anyways." Lol


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## Ntsees (Nov 19, 2012)

Freeze.


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## Reptiliatus (Nov 19, 2012)

patrickfraser said:


> Option 3...CHOMP! I feed mine to my chameleons.


As some have mentioned I usually like to take the "energy recycling" approach. I will often give my dying elderly mantids to some of my large tarantulas as a food source. I personally feel better knowing that somewhere in my tarantulas existence lies the energy of my mantis, rather than waiting until it dies and throwing it out in the garbage for example.


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## MantidBro (Nov 19, 2012)

Reptiliatus said:


> As some have mentioned I usually like to take the "energy recycling" approach. I will often give my dying elderly mantids to some of my large tarantulas as a food source. I personally feel better knowing that somewhere in my tarantulas existence lies the energy of my mantis, rather than waiting until it dies and throwing it out in the garbage for example.


It is a good idea especially if the death is quick


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