# Setting up a feeding routine



## Allthingsterrarium (Jun 12, 2018)

Hi guys! I just joined and got my first mantis, a Hierodula Membranacea or giant Asian mantis, two days ago. You guys pointed out that she's a nymph though a large one at I would assume just under 2 inches in length. I want to set up a feeding routine for her and as I mentioned in my introduction the seller I got her from put a couple very tiny red runner roach nymphs in there for her to eat and now at least one is missing. I'm going to feed her personally for the first time tomorrow so I have two questions. First of all how often should they eat? Especially at this size? I have two tarantulas which are the only other arthropods I have experience with and they eat twice a week on Mondays and Fridays? Since mantises seem more ravenous I have a feeling they eat more often. Would twice a week work? Maybe every other day? Daily? My other question is how much should they eat? Would one insect at a time suffice like for a tarantula or are a couple okay?


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## Ocelotbren (Jun 12, 2018)

I usually feed my mantids on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I sometimes throw in a bonus snack on the other days as needed or for fun.  Pretty much always the answer is "feed until plump", so there is no specific amount or frequency and it's more of an eyeballing it thing.  You get used to visually seeing how hungry they are and knowing how much to feed pretty quick.  It's easy.  

I follow the above schedule just because I like schedules haha.  You can try a few feeders tomorrow and see how much she's plumped up later, and adjust accordingly the next day or in two days.  Within a few days you'll know how many it takes to get her to the point of being plump and you can continue with that until she molts and will start needing a bit more food.  If you accidentally underfeed or overfeed when you're experimenting, don't worry about it!


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## Allthingsterrarium (Jun 12, 2018)

Ocelotbren said:


> I usually feed my mantids on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I sometimes throw in a bonus snack on the other days as needed or for fun.  Pretty much always the answer is "feed until plump", so there is no specific amount or frequency and it's more of an eyeballing it thing.  You get used to visually seeing how hungry they are and knowing how much to feed pretty quick.  It's easy.
> 
> I follow the above schedule just because I like schedules haha.  You can try a few feeders tomorrow and see how much she's plumped up later, and adjust accordingly the next day or in two days.  Within a few days you'll know how many it takes to get her to the point of being plump and you can continue with that until she molts and will start needing a bit more food.  If you accidentally underfeed or overfeed when you're experimenting, don't worry about it!




Great to know! That's fantastic! Thanks Ocelotbren! Sounds like they eat a lot like bearded dragons do    every other day as much as they want!


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## Mantis Lady (Jun 12, 2018)

I feed them 1x in the 2 days, depending how flat the abdomen are. Are the abdomen still plumed, then they wait 1 day more.


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## Allthingsterrarium (Jun 12, 2018)

Little Mantis said:


> I feed them 1x in the 2 days, depending how flat the abdomen are. Are the abdomen still plumed, then they wait 1 day more.


Also a good idea! I'll just keep an eye on her abdomen.


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## Mantis Lady (Jun 12, 2018)

When she is an adult this method doesn't work anymore. They will get fat because of egg production. I feed my female (Cochise) 1x per 2 days. She drops her food when she is full and that is nice.


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## Allthingsterrarium (Jun 12, 2018)

Little Mantis said:


> When she is an adult this method doesn't work anymore. They will get fat because of egg production. I feed my female (Cochise) 1x per 2 days. She drops her food when she is full and that is nice.


Thanks! Little Mantis! Also good to know!


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## MantisGirl13 (Jun 12, 2018)

I totally agree I don't have a feeding routine, I just feed whenever I notice abdomens getting too flat.

- MantisGirl13


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## Predatorhousepet (Jun 12, 2018)

Some mantises eat more often than others, it could be daily or every 2 to 3 days, it all depends. I tend to feed my adult mantises as much as they want to enthusiastically hunt for every other day. Younger nymphs I may feed every day or every other day depending on when their abdomens go flat.

Basically you just feed until their abdomen plumps up then wait until it gets flat again for their next feeding. Depending on the size of the feeder how many it takes to plump the abdomen may be one insect or it might be many. Don't worry about overfeeding every once and a while when you are still a beginner, it happens and it doesn't really harm them...just don't make a habit of overfeeding or the mantis will go through molts too quickly effectively shortening its lifespan.


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## Allthingsterrarium (Jun 12, 2018)

Predatorhousepet said:


> Some mantises eat more often than others, it could be daily or every 2 to 3 days, it all depends. I tend to feed my adult mantises as much as they want to enthusiastically hunt for every other day. Younger nymphs I may feed every day or every other day depending on when their abdomens go flat.
> 
> Basically you just feed until their abdomen plumps up then wait until it gets flat again for their next feeding. Depending on the size of the feeder how many it takes to plump the abdomen may be one insect or it might be many. Don't worry about overfeeding every once and a while when you are still a beginner, it happens and it doesn't really harm them...just don't make a habit of overfeeding or the mantis will go through molts too quickly effectively shortening its lifespan.


That's what I figured and was pretty much planning to do. She still has quite a bit of growing to do before she becomes an absolute monster so I want to give her more food but not too much at once for her small body. How can one tell when the abdomen is too flat or fat enough? A lot of younger mantises I've seen pictures of seem to have somewhat flat looking abdomens.


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## River Dane (Jun 13, 2018)

Mantids don’t actually eat themselves to death, so don’t worry about letting her abdomen get flat. Unless you plan on breeding, overfeeding your mantids is not an issue. Getting her real plump and skipping feeding for two or three days is generally fine.


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## Predatorhousepet (Jun 13, 2018)

It's not an exact science and it depends on the species but you'll be able to tell what plump and flat looks like after a couple feedings. A flat abdomen in some species will get completely flat like a sheet of paper while others may be flat like a pancake and some will have a hump in the middle with flattened edges. With Hierodula membranacea its more like the last one.

Underfeeding is really what you are trying to avoid by feeding until their abdomen is plump. They will generally eat until they are full and stop. Then just wait a couple days or until the abdomen is flat again to feed, whichever happens first.

Basically it's not necessary keep to a rigid schedule unless you really want to. Hierodula sp. are very easy for beginners to care for, they should thrive as long as you meet their basic needs of feeding every 2 or 3 days and lightly misting the enclosure once a day so they can drink.


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## Allthingsterrarium (Jun 13, 2018)

Predatorhousepet said:


> It's not an exact science and it depends on the species but you'll be able to tell what plump and flat looks like after a couple feedings. A flat abdomen in some species will get completely flat like a sheet of paper while others may be flat like a pancake and some will have a hump in the middle with flattened edges. With Hierodula membranacea its more like the last one.
> 
> Underfeeding is really what you are trying to avoid by feeding until their abdomen is plump. They will generally eat until they are full and stop. Then just wait a couple days or until the abdomen is flat again to feed, whichever happens first.
> 
> Basically it's not necessary keep to a rigid schedule unless you really want to. Hierodula sp. are very easy for beginners to care for, they should thrive as long as you meet their basic needs of feeding every 2 or 3 days and lightly misting the enclosure once a day so they can drink.


Excellent! Thanks Predatorhousepet! I actually did give her a heavy meal today of a small cricket which she absolutely devoured and I actually saw her abdomen throbbing and getting bigger as she ate. It was actually pretty awesome!


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## MantisGirl13 (Jun 13, 2018)

Yeah! I love to watch them eat! I have noticed that when they are hunting or eating, mantids' abdomens tend to start pumping. They are pretty cute!   

- MantisGirl13


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