# Adult male not eating?



## SpaceWolf (May 19, 2016)

Hello again

I have a little problem with my male mantis who just turned into an adult. Since his molt a few days back he is still not eating, I've had this before but mostly they start eating after about 2 or 3 days after the molt. But this one is molted like 6 or 7 days ago. There are lots of flies in his cage and I use a flashlight to shine on him so the flies are attracted to him. They are just walking over him and he's just ignoring them. I've read somewhere that male mantids don't eat all that much during adulthood, some guides even said only 2 bottleflies during his further lifespan. Is this true or should I be worried? When I try to feed him honey, he does eat some of it but then turns his head away and pushes the honey away so yeah I don't know what to do :/


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## hibiscusmile (May 19, 2016)

After a molt they need a couple days to adjust to the new skin, please remove the food and give a mist in front , not on him and let him be. feed

him every other day one fly, if he eats it within 20 mins give him one more.


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## SpaceWolf (May 19, 2016)

I got a big enclosure with 2 mantids in it, the flies are just walking around there all the time. I put about 5 new flies in after 3 days or something, but he just doesn't seem to wanna eat


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## CosbyArt (May 19, 2016)

Nothing to worry about. Most adult males typically eat once a week, or can go much longer without wanting to eat. It's a common trait for males, just offer him prey and he will eat when he's ready. I wouldn't leave any uneaten feeders with him though as it will only stress him out, and some prey like crickets can harm him, and are wasted (feed the prey to other mantids or return it to their culture/tanks).


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## SpaceWolf (May 20, 2016)

there's only bottleflies, I don't use crickets and oh okay, it's just that I had a female refusing to eat aswell a week or 3 ago and she actually starved herself to death. I tried to offer her food everyday and one day I just came back from school and she was laying on the bottom of the container. I checked if she really was dead since some just play dead, but yeah she definately wasn't among the living anymore, sad thing since she was the most beautiful of the 3. I got a sandcoloured, a blackish and the dead one was beautiful green


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## CosbyArt (May 20, 2016)

SpaceWolf said:


> there's only bottleflies, I don't use crickets and oh okay, it's just that I had a female refusing to eat aswell a week or 3 ago and she actually starved herself to death. I tried to offer her food everyday and one day I just came back from school and she was laying on the bottom of the container. I checked if she really was dead since some just play dead, but yeah she definately wasn't among the living anymore, sad thing since she was the most beautiful of the 3. I got a sandcoloured, a blackish and the dead one was beautiful green


Sorry to hear that, and I can understand your concern. I looked over your thread and don't see a species listed. What species are you having problems with? As it may have something to do with another issue causing this one.


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## SpaceWolf (May 20, 2016)

it's the ghost mantis species, normally they eat plenty and both males and females are really well fed and have a thick abdomen, but the male's is now just flat for a week...


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## SpaceWolf (May 23, 2016)

It's been 1.5 week since his last molt and he still hasn't eaten a thing, I'm really getting concerned now. He is like walking around the cage all the time (I think trying to find a female to mate with) and whenever a prey comes by he stopt and starts wiggling but he just leaves it alone after that, it's really weird. He also refuses the honey right now


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## CosbyArt (May 23, 2016)

There are a few things that could be causing the issue. If his abdomen truly is flat he should be accepting prey as he has to be hungry. A cause could be a mis-molt issue, sometimes a problem with their mouth making it impossible to eat. In most cases though they will try to eat anyway and often still get a bite or two anyway for their efforts.

If he hasn't ate anything at all, he may be too skittish/afraid of his current prey. Either way try to offer him different prey, smaller flies, small crickets, small moths, or whatever you have/can find - and only offer 2 or 3 at a time to see if that helps (he may be over whelmed with too many feeders too).

Sadly though sometimes even with the best efforts unidentified problems can happen (with the likely culprit being a molting issue). Hopefully though with different prey, and less of them, you can get him to eat.


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## SpaceWolf (May 24, 2016)

Last day he was walking around the whole time, also looking a lot at the female, sadly she isn't mature yet so they can' mate yet. But as it seems of now I think he will just be dead by the end of the week. He refuses anything given, today I tried offering him some banana, normally they keep asking for more but he just tastes it and then pushes it away with his frontlegs. He also refuses honey and anything else I try giving him. It's a shame since he's a really pretty one and he's just perfect, nothing is mismolted. :/


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## CosbyArt (May 24, 2016)

Can't say I've heard of giving a mantid banana's, may have to try it as a treat sometime. As for food the only option is their natural prey items, other insects, you should try something else. For last resort food items try using a eyedropper milk, some have had luck using baby food as well. Regarding molting not everything is blatantly obvious or can even be externally viewed, some commonly identified mis-molts involve issues with their mouths or palps (also with their raptorial forearms/front legs are unable to function properly but look normal as well). Hopefully you can get him to eat something soon.


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## SpaceWolf (May 30, 2016)

he's still living after 2 weeks of not eating, I don't know how he's doing it but he's still alive. My female died after like 8 days of not eating but this one is still not dead. I tried giving it other insects but he keeps refusing everything.


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## hibiscusmile (May 31, 2016)

I wonder if he is blind, is he drinking? give him water in a spoon and put to his mouth, if he does not drink it is time to put him to bed.


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## SpaceWolf (Jun 1, 2016)

oh he sees, everytime I walk to the cage, he turns his head, he's still very active and walks around a lot but doesn't seem interested in eating. The female molted 2 days ago and he's constantly watching her aswell. But I don't think she's ready to mate yet


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 1, 2016)

Fredrick Prete a professor at univ studies the hearing and seeing of mantids. Just because it turns when u come in could mean it hears you. Also try

putting food to his lips and let him taste it, squeeze it first to get some goo out. (ps, I can't seem to spell this morning, I know, I know, but this is different.


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## SpaceWolf (Jun 1, 2016)

I was just able to feed him banana which he seemed to like, but with insects still no succes. I try bringing the fly close to him but they just start flapping and wriggling and then he's scared off.


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 1, 2016)

Just as the banana is still, u have to squeeze the fly too and offer it to his lips.


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## SpaceWolf (Jun 2, 2016)

I tried that but he hits it away with his front legs, puts up his defensive pose with the wings and turns back his head. He really doesn't want live food, I just hope he knows what he's doing, since I have no clue.


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## ashleenicole (Jun 7, 2016)

How is he doing? What kind of live food have you offered him? Maybe it's time to try live food that you wouldn't normally feed him. I know you mentioned you don't feed crickets, but I would think offering a cricket would be better than him eating nothing at this point.


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## SpaceWolf (Jun 8, 2016)

Finally, after 3.5 weeks he has eaten, I'm really surprised he didn't die or anything. Meanhwile the female eats about 4 bottle flies a day and they have mated already, only 1 week into her adulthood   excited for babies   well I still have to wait a couple months for that


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## hibiscusmile (Jun 8, 2016)

Well, don't let it be said that men aren't weird! :tt2:


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## ashleenicole (Jun 8, 2016)

Glad he finally took food!   I can imagine those were a very stressful few weeks for you.


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## CosbyArt (Jun 8, 2016)

Sounds like he is fine then, and just likes to go without food for a bit longer. Glad to hear he was just stubborn.  Don't be surprised if he repeats the behavior as they tend to go longer between feedings as they age too.


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## SpaceWolf (Jun 9, 2016)

Yeah I'm really relieved that he continues to live. Meanwhil he has been mating with the female for like the past 34 hours. Really weird most of the time he's just sitting on top of her abdomen lose. The female doesn't really seems to have a problem with him riding her back


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## CosbyArt (Jun 9, 2016)

Sounds like your female is really easy going to give free rides. The male sounds like he is afraid to jump off though, as that is the most common moment for cannibalism to occur; however, the longer he stays there the more likely she is to get impatient and simply reach around and eat him.

If he is already mated he is just holding on for "dear life", in which case you should separate them. The most common way is to lightly grasp both the male with one hand and the female with the other by their thorax, which is often enough for the male to let go, if not pull very lightly. I find placing a index card between them and using a stick under the male to slowly/carefully pry him off the easiest - just keep sliding the card in with your hand as each leg releases.


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## SpaceWolf (Jun 10, 2016)

Thanks for the help, they are now walking around again seperated, and it seems like the male really has his appetite back, he just finished his 4th fly for today, I'm gonna take away the food for now so he doesn't over eat himself, I heard of some cases where they burst because they are not used to food anymore...


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