# Mantids chew through net cage?



## Shelbycsx (Jan 8, 2007)

Have any of you ever heard of mantids chewing through the netting on a cage to escape? Thanks in advance for the replies!


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## yen_saw (Jan 8, 2007)

I haven't heard or seen where praying mantis chewing through netting for the purpose of escaping. But i have seen mantis missed a crickets and caught the net instead, then it continued to chew a hole on it, so yes they are capable of making a hole on fabrics/textile made netting.


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## Ian (Jan 8, 2007)

As Yen said, the most likely suspect would be the livefood chewing through the netting. I have had crickets chew through everything, we have a nice small hole in the edge of our carpet up against the skirting board when a cricket decided to chew through, and make a nice little "nest".

But never heard of a mantis chewing through anything else...


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## Rick (Jan 8, 2007)

Mantids should not do that.


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## wuwu (Jan 8, 2007)

i've seen my ghost mantids do that. i'm not sure they were trying to escape, but they just started chewing on it and i see holes on the netting.


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## Rob Byatt (Jan 8, 2007)

> As Yen said, the most likely suspect would be the livefood chewing through the netting. I have had crickets chew through everything, we have a nice small hole in the edge of our carpet up against the skirting board when a cricket decided to chew through, and make a nice little "nest". But never heard of a mantis chewing through anything else...


Not really what Yen was saying :wink:

He was saying that sometimes a mantis will miss its prey and 'catch' the netting instead. The mantis thinks it is holding the prey item so tries to eat the netting.

I see this regularly, though it usually a case of the mantis trying to catch a fly that is OUTSIDE it's tub i.e. on the netting lid.

It's amazing how many bites they'll take before they realize the netting isn't edible !

Rob.


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## yen_saw (Jan 8, 2007)

Thanks Rob for making it clearer, my bad english i know!!



> i've seen my ghost mantids do that. i'm not sure they were trying to escape, but they just started chewing on it and i see holes on the netting.


it could be your ghost mantis is tasting it for moisture or water on net?


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## robo mantis (Jan 8, 2007)

thats what i am thinking yen (looking for moisture)


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## Rob Byatt (Jan 9, 2007)

> Thanks Rob for making it clearer, my bad english i know!!


It was clear Yen ! I just think Ian just miss read it :wink:



> i've seen my ghost mantids do that. i'm not sure they were trying to escape, but they just started chewing on it and i see holes on the netting.





> it could be your ghost mantis is tasting it for moisture or water on net?





> thats what i am thinking yen (looking for moisture)


Robo - I agree that the mantids will have been drinking, but this would not have made them chew through the netting (if that is what you meant !?). It sounds like your _P. paradoxa_ were trying to catch food on the other side of the netting. They think they have caught the prey, but actually have the netting in their forearms :wink:


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## wuwu (Jan 9, 2007)

nope, that is not the case. i've seen mantids do the thing described where they miss their food and end up chewing the net. however, with the ghosts, there were no prey in sight.


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## robo mantis (Jan 9, 2007)

other mantids in neighboring cages perhaps? i have had mantids miss prey and start eating the fake leaves in its container lol


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## Butterfly (Jan 10, 2007)

I had a few escaped crickets one night and noticed a hole in my screen too. It was that the crickets had gotten on one of the branches in the cage and managed to get to a point at the screen that they could chew on.

Those little buggers had gotten a hole in it and 3 were loose in my room. Thank goodness I have a cat cause good old Mulder was chasing crickets like a mad man. haha. :lol:


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## yen_saw (Jan 11, 2007)

Oh yeah, crickets will chew on anything, and to escape!


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