# Stick insects as good praying mantis feeders?



## KevinsWither (Sep 10, 2015)

Do the native species make good feeders especially when they are really small (for l2 nymphs)?


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## CosbyArt (Sep 10, 2015)

I would think not, as they are not a active prey item.

They tend to stay very still so the mantid would likely not even see it. Most mantid species require prey with a lot of movement, walking or flying. Also as they are so small and thin it would not provide much if the mantid could eat it - and wild phasmids may be somewhat toxic depending on their diet. In that regard some secrete a toxic substance when threatened, and can even spit it at the mantid.

Strange you would have so many phasmids you would think of using them as feeders. Heck some of us have spent the entire summer trying to find a single phasmid for a pet with no luck, and have the chigger bites/scars to prove it too


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## Danny. (Sep 10, 2015)

CosbyArt said:


> Strange you would have so many phasmids you would think of using them as feeders. Heck some of us have spent the entire summer trying to find a single phasmid for a pet with no luck, and have the chigger bites/scars to prove it too


Exactly what I was thinking.


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## KevinsWither (Sep 10, 2015)

Could dubia roaches be cultured in a couple of 5 gallon buckets?


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## CosbyArt (Sep 10, 2015)

KevinsWither said:


> Could dubia roaches be cultured in a couple of 5 gallon buckets?


Indeed they can, and here is a guide on them, using 5 gallon buckets too. Another guide on roaches as feeders, and here too. For homemade feed here is a recipe I found on the forum.

One possible problem with Dubia is that the adults get around 2" long. Depending on your mantid species they will be much too large, so Dubia nymphs can be used though instead. They also tend to have a hard exoskeleton, so you may want to try another species of cockroach, but most people use them as there is little chance of them breeding in their homes as a pest.

Another species might be Lateralis (Turkish cockroach), but as you are in Arizona you may already know of the pest roach. They can not climb glass and will not dig/hide in your mantids substrate; however, they are a invasive pest and will cause problems with escapees. I wouldn't recommend it though due to possible infestation from a single gravid female escapee, but mention them as a option.

In that regard Dubia are though kept as feeders in Arizona. I've even found some breeders located there, perhaps as they breed easier in your temperatures (such as buydubiaroaches.com).


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## Salmonsaladsandwich (Sep 10, 2015)

I don't recommend dubias. In addition to what cosbyart said, the nymphs are very inactive. Their preferred defense mechanism is playing dead and they tend to sit still at the bottom of the cage and not move for hours at a time. Their wide, rounded shape and hard exoskeleton makes them very difficult for a mantis to grasp unless the roach is tiny. This means that the mantis often won't catch it the first time it strikes, and often they won't bother trying again. Dubias are really better suited for large reptiles.

Roaches that can climb smooth surfaces are a hassle to contain but the mantis is much more likely to notice and catch them. Panchlora nivea roaches are smaller than dubias and the adults at least are very active and like to climb and fly, plus they look beautiful. And of course there's loads of other species to choose from as well.


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## CosbyArt (Sep 10, 2015)

Salmonsaladsandwich said:


> ...
> 
> Panchlora nivea roaches are smaller than dubias and the adults at least are very active and like to climb and fly, plus they look beautiful. And of course there's loads of other species to choose from as well.


Glad you thought of that species, the Cuban/green banana (Panchlora nivea) cockroach, as it was one I was hoping to use once myself. They are a great size for mantids and active enough for them too.


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## KevinsWither (Sep 11, 2015)

I was thinking of green banana roaches.


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## Ghost_Keeper (Sep 11, 2015)

Yeah I had so many phasmids at my old house I would just toss a few adult males to my water dragon or my cat, in some areas they are just super common for some reason.


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## Alikaren (Sep 11, 2015)

My orchid female instantaneously snatched up an adult nivea the same size as herself. If you want to start a colony though, it's probably better to feed off adult males than the brown burrowing nymphs for obvious reasons, though they culture somewhat slowly, sadly,and they're somewhat expensive to start.


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## sschind (Sep 22, 2015)

If anyone ever comes across an abundance of native phasmids I would gladly pay you to collect some of them for me. I've been looking for some for my bug shows for a while now with no success.

As for feeders I'd like to try the green banana roaches but climbing and flying are are two of my deal breakers.

I hand feed some of my mantids with Dubia nymphs occasionally but I don't have many so its not a big deal. I'd hate to have to do it with a large batch of them.


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