# Molting and Feeding



## Patrick (May 16, 2007)

Newbie here with a couple of basic questions. I tried the search feature and couldn't find the answers I was looking for so I'm going to bug you experts. Hope you don't mind.

Got three orchid mantids yesterday, L3 I believe. Got them set up in small vials with a bit of coconut fiber to help maintain humidity and a piece of cork bark for a vertical surface. Does this sound ok for housing?

Two of them molted during the night. How long do I need to wait until feeding them after a molt?

Will they stop feeding prior to a molt ie., is there a pre-molt that they go through?

What kind of feeding schedule should I have them on? I've read to keep something available at all times to feed every four days.

Thanks, I appreciate the help.


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## robo mantis (May 16, 2007)

Ok the housing sounds good. They will stop eating a while before molt then after give them 2 days and they should eat again. I usually feed them every time their stomach looks deflated.


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## Way.Of.The.Mantis (May 16, 2007)

Yup me too. Mine dont seem to bothered about food when they wanna moult, so give them time to fel secure as they grow.


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## Rick (May 16, 2007)

> Newbie here with a couple of basic questions. I tried the search feature and couldn't find the answers I was looking for so I'm going to bug you experts. Hope you don't mind.Got three orchid mantids yesterday, L3 I believe. Got them set up in small vials with a bit of coconut fiber to help maintain humidity and a piece of cork bark for a vertical surface. Does this sound ok for housing?
> 
> Two of them molted during the night. How long do I need to wait until feeding them after a molt?
> 
> ...


Try feeding them 24 hours after they molt. They will stop feeding before molting. I feed my mantids every other day with the only exception being gravid females which I feed daily.


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## OGIGA (May 16, 2007)

My mantises don't mind eating about 12 hours after molting. However, after the final molt, they won't eat for days.


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## Patrick (May 16, 2007)

Thanks everybody, I appreciate the help.

I just cannot get over how in awe of these little things I am. I've had the bigger of the three perched on the end of my finger watching it groom itself. Then it goes for a walk and it seems to have a song in it's head as it doesn't just walk, it bops.

Why didn't somebody tell me about these so much sooner. All the time I've wasted not having them.

Hope you all don't get sick of me.


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