# Mantis noob here...baby feeding questions.



## humantidy (May 11, 2021)

Hey all,

I just had one of my Chinese mantis ooths hatch outside about two weeks back. I grabbed 5 little babies and moved them indoors. I placed one each into a little tiny Rubbermaid container (square-ish - dixie cup size); drilled holes in the sides and top lid; took some really thin, breathable, see-through fabric; roughed-up the Rubbermaid around the holes with sandpaper; and glued tiny pieces of the fabric over the holes (on the inside) with Gorilla Glue. It worked out amazingly well!

I have been feeding them wingless fruit flies and giving them a spritz of spring water everyday. What a challenge the flies are, LOL. Anyway, all five have molted and are 2nd instars now. My question regards feeding them. I would imagine I am supposed to keep feeding them fruit flies for now, and have read that after the first molt they will be molting once a month. So my question is at what instar do I begin feeding them something else besides the fruit flies? And what exactly should they be fed when that day arrives? 

Advice is much appreciated. Thanks!


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## hibiscusmile (May 11, 2021)

They can still have the fruit flies right now. after that you can go to house flies. They will molt faster than once a month too, so just watch for them to swat the flies or run away from them.


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## humantidy (May 12, 2021)

They're still really little. I can't imagine them eating a housefly yet.


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## jake7917 (Jun 18, 2021)

You can feed them smaller crickets, around 1/8 of an inch. Just be sure to keep the cricket enclosure clean (pick out dead bodies, replace food and water regulariy, etc.) to avoid sick crickets, which will then make the mantis sick. Crickets of this specific size aren't usually available at Petsmart or any other chains, so check local classifieds for cricket breeders or local pet shops. As they get bigger, you can scale up the size of the crickets you feed them. Middle instars can eat 1/4" - 1/2" crickets, and adults can eat like a couple 1' crickets.


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## themantisguyanthony (Jan 22, 2022)

Start with melanogaster and then move up to hydei flies.


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## The Wolven (Jan 23, 2022)

themantisguyanthony said:


> Start with melanogaster and then move up to hydei flies.


Little late for this my dude. These babies are adults or dead by now.


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## themantisguyanthony (Jan 24, 2022)

okay calm down maybe someone else who is new would see that and appreciate it.


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## The Wolven (Jan 24, 2022)

themantisguyanthony said:


> okay calm down maybe someone else who is new would see that and appreciate it.


Oof I didn’t intend to come off as hostile. I just found such a late reply odd. Sorry about that.


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## Introvertebrate (Jan 25, 2022)

The Wolven said:


> Oof I didn’t intend to come off as hostile. I just found such a late reply odd. Sorry about that.


Not everyone checks the date of a thread.  I've been known to revive 10 year old threads.  It really aggravates the tarantula folks.  Tarantulas first appeared 120 million years ago.  How have things changed?


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## The Wolven (Jan 25, 2022)

Introvertebrate said:


> Not everyone checks the date of a thread.  I've been known to revive 10 year old threads.  It really aggravates the tarantula folks.  Tarantulas first appeared 120 million years ago.  How have things changed?


Wish I had 120 million years to work on social skills but I have a feeling even then, nothing would change.


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## Introvertebrate (Jan 25, 2022)

The Wolven said:


> Wish I had 120 million years to work on social skills but I have a feeling even then, nothing would change.


Welcome to the club.


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