# Hand fed



## hibiscusmile (Aug 7, 2007)

I have a dead leaf that has a broken left front arm and he cannot eat by himself. The right one is ok. So since he cannot seem to eat by his self, I figured he is left handed :lol: I have to smash it's f flies and coat them in honey so they stick to a toothpick to feed it. he is so cute though. I named it Baby. Cause i feel like its a baby i have to hold to feed... ha ha ha, never in all my life did I ever think I would be holding a bug and hand feeding it. He is afraid at first and does his dance but I really think that is a show for me, cause when I put the toothpick up to its mouth it starts to nibble and then eat. I am thinking of hollowing out a wooden matchstick to put it's dinner in so I do not have to hold the toothpick up to its mouth, :wink: My hands go to sleep long before its done eating. :lol: It is so small I should of named it Tom Thumb! I am kind of glad about it because I read where others have fed theirs and I never have, and I could not help but wonder how on earth could you get them to take it, :roll: now I know. :wink:


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## OGIGA (Aug 7, 2007)

I had to hand-feed a mantis earlier this year because it fell and got trapped in a drop of water after it molted. It got all deformed and couldn't attack food. Eventually, it stopped eating and died.


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## Rick (Aug 7, 2007)

I've seen a lot of one armed mantids who could still catch their food.


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## pak-40 (Aug 7, 2007)

I have qute a few L3 Giant Asians. I had one that mismoulted and lost an entire front "raptor claw". I assumed it would not live...and I did not want to hand feed it....so I put in in with another "healthy" one. Well, guess which mantis got cannabilized!!!! YUP......the "healthy"one! My one-armed asian catches HUGE flies just fine. I have learned my lesson!!!!


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 7, 2007)

I know, but I counted the ffs I put with it and he has not touched them, while his brothers are eating, After a week of this, I figured he could not. Even offering him them in tweezers he would not take them.


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## Nick Barta (Aug 9, 2007)

You are a saint, patience and determination your strengths!!!

CHEERS!!!

Nick Barta


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 9, 2007)

Good news, yesterday he acted like he was drunk, ha ha ha (that's not the good news) he was swaying doen low and acting like he was going to fall down ( that's not the good news either) :lol: So I left him alone, and poof he molted. His new are looks fine! :lol:


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## Lee Slikkers (Aug 9, 2007)

greats news! I had an inccident last evening with a molt (seems to have damaged her eye) so I'm hoping for a simular success story...


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## OGIGA (Aug 9, 2007)

Excellent!


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 10, 2007)

Even though Baby molted and arm seems ok, he will not eat. I finally broke down and gave him his dinner like I had to with the bad arm. maybe he just does not know what his arms are for~humpt! More than likely he is spoiled as my hubby is. It's a wonder I don't hand feed him too :lol:


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## jfmantis (Aug 11, 2007)

I have a mantis whos two back legs are completely crippled. She can hardly walk or climb and cannot catch food. I was thinking about putting her in the freezer until I read this.

I mixed some smashed mealworm with honey and stuck it on the end of a toothpick. Once I touched her mouth with it, she started eating the glob! By her third helping, she dug in without me first nudging her mouth. I also smeared a glob on her arm and she ate that when she was cleaning.

She is also getting braver. She actually grabs the end of the toothpick now and tries to pull it from me (they are strong).

Thank you hibiscusmile!


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 12, 2007)

Your Welcome, they are fun to feed that way. It kind of makes you feed good, Like Opie when he killed the mama bird with his slingshot and had to feed the babies by hand! LoL... But I am glad I only have one to feed like that, Good feelings only take you so far, plus my hands go to sleep holding him! :roll:


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## Rob Byatt (Aug 12, 2007)

> Even though Baby molted and arm seems ok, he will not eat. I finally broke down and gave him his dinner like I had to with the bad arm. maybe he just does not know what his arms are for~humpt! More than likely he is spoiled as my hubby is. It's a wonder I don't hand feed him too :lol:


This is because it is too soon after it has moulted. It is best to wait 2-3 days after they have moulted before offering food.

rob.


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## Sparky (Aug 12, 2007)

My california mantis cant even use his hands anymore because while I was feeding it, my grandma threw a blanket on it and it crushed all of his limbs, lucky he is still alive and able to limp.

I feed him by holding an insect to its mouth


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 12, 2007)

Why did she throw a blanket on it?


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## Sparky (Aug 12, 2007)

She's blind. 87 years old and she's actually my Great Grandma. I was really angry, but i forgive her now.


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## OGIGA (Aug 14, 2007)

> My california mantis cant even use his hands anymore because while I was feeding it, my grandma threw a blanket on it and it crushed all of his limbs, lucky he is still alive and able to limp.I feed him by holding an insect to its mouth


 Poor mantis  I hope he wasn't an adult.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 14, 2007)

Poor Mantis, what about Granny?


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