# just heads up



## scytheclaw (Aug 21, 2013)

most likely common knowledge

after reading few posts i noticed some mantids were dying after being offered wild food,if you are going to offer your mantids wild food make sure you collect from sites where no insecticides/pesticides are sprayed as would be a shame losing them after spending time raising them

as said above most likely been mentioned few times but if saves one person losing their pets its served a purpose


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## patrickfraser (Aug 21, 2013)

It is best to keep wild feeders for a day or so to ensure the health of the feeders before offering them to be eaten. I lost a shield mantid from a wild beetle that was much to easy to catch and fed immediately. I should've known something was up. Now I wait.


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## Summerbug (Aug 23, 2013)

An excellent point - thank you for sharing that with us. I keep cricket nymphs (that are acquired from pet stores) in quarantine. I put them in a one week quarantine (minimum) and I feed the quarantined crickets high quality food. Any crickets that don't look right are taken out of circulation and not fed to the mantids. I never feed them adult crickets due to problems I've always had with them. I also use mealworms to feed mantids. I'd love to know what other food ideas people have. I don't trust the wild caught stuff in these congested suburbs. Maybe if they come from your own trusted (pesticide free) yard but who knows what the neighbors spray.


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## Domanating (Aug 25, 2013)

Never had problems with wild caught insects. Infact, they are my only source of food



patrickfraser said:


> It is best to keep wild feeders for a day or so to ensure the health of the feeders before offering them to be eaten. I lost a shield mantid from a wild beetle that was much to easy to catch and fed immediately. I should've known something was up. Now I wait.


You are aware that some beetles are poisonous right? Specially those that release a stinky smell, they can be harmful


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## tnienhaus (Sep 15, 2013)

patrickfraser said:


> It is best to keep wild feeders for a day or so to ensure the health of the feeders before offering them to be eaten. I lost a shield mantid from a wild beetle that was much to easy to catch and fed immediately. I should've known something was up. Now I wait.


I would have to agree. Also agree with the insect poison avoidance. I usually keep them for 48 hours as a safe bet if I'm not 100% sure that they're native to my insecticide free yard  

MFS :euro:


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