# How do you feed your mantis?



## minomantis (Jun 24, 2015)

I'm just curious how you all feed your mantises and if there is a "better" way to feed them to promote faster/healthier growth?

So off the top of my head, I can think of a couple ways you could feed your mantis.

1.) You can stuff your mantis in one sitting and then put him in the sun and let him digest for a little.

2.) You could feed her a couple insects every few days just to monitor.

3.) You could start with a small amount and everyday, slowly add more so there's always something in his belly.

Of course, a lot of what you do depends on what you're trying to do with your mantis. Make him grow fast or whatnot, but I'm just curious as to what you all do!


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## MantidBro (Jun 25, 2015)

I don't feed mine in any particular way, I think I do all of the above! Lol. But they're either always looking in the middle of skinny and fat, or are fat. x) Never skinny for sure. Sometimes I feed them a few small meals a day, sometimes I feed them one big meal a day, sometimes they'll have a few days without if they're looking particularly fat (and aren't interested, usually due to an upcoming molt). But, my answer would be, I do all of the above, lol.

Oh and to keep them healthy, I'd say, just be sure they get variety. Mealworms, waxworms, grasshoppers, flies, moths, bees, etc. But I always stay away from crickets, I've had bad luck with them. They're a big NO in my book. Honey also has antibiotic properties so that'd help keep the mantid healthy too. I've also given mine tea, which is much like honey with it's health benefits. Just when providing tea, be sure to give them water too because tea can be dehydrating, or at least it is for me lol, makes my mouth dry. I assumed it's similar for a mantid.


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## Domanating (Jun 25, 2015)

MantidBro said:


> I don't feed mine in any particular way, I think I do all of the above! Lol. But they're either always looking in the middle of skinny and fat, or are fat. x) Never skinny for sure. Sometimes I feed them a few small meals a day, sometimes I feed them one big meal a day, sometimes they'll have a few days without if they're looking particularly fat (and aren't interested, usually due to an upcoming molt). But, my answer would be, I do all of the above, lol.
> 
> Oh and to keep them healthy, I'd say, just be sure they get variety. Mealworms, waxworms, grasshoppers, flies, moths, bees, etc. But I always stay away from crickets, I've had bad luck with them. They're a big NO in my book. Honey also has antibiotic properties so that'd help keep the mantid healthy too. I've also given mine tea, which is much like honey with it's health benefits. Just when providing tea, be sure to give them water too because tea can be dehydrating, or at least it is for me lol, makes my mouth dry. I assumed it's similar for a mantid.


+1 to everything except the tea and honey part. I do give them honey only to old mantids, if they need a boost in energy and if they've been a while without eating for whatever reason.

Also, even though I have access to a varied diet, I didn't observe any health issues concerning a lifetime eating the same bug.

So yeah the general idea is exactly what MantidBro said: thin abdomens are fed, fat ones get nothing except occasional water.


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## LAME (Jun 26, 2015)

Domanating said:


> +1 to everything except the tea and honey part. I do give them honey only to old mantids, if they need a boost in energy and if they've been a while without eating for whatever reason.
> 
> Also, even though I have access to a varied diet, I didn't observe any health issues concerning a lifetime eating the same bug.
> 
> So yeah the general idea is exactly what MantidBro said: thin abdomens are fed, fat ones get nothing except occasional water.


I personally have never had an issue when feeding any of my mantids honey or tea, regardless of age. I even give mine milk... ...and now I await the controversy.

But... To answer the question in the post, i keep mine in the happy-medium... Unless its a female that's mated. I keep mine happy ^_^


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## Domanating (Jun 26, 2015)

LAME said:


> I personally have never had an issue when feeding any of my mantids honey or tea, regardless of age. I even give mine milk...
> 
> ...and now I await the controversy.
> 
> But... To answer the question in the post, i keep mine in the happy-medium... Unless its a female that's mated. I keep mine happy ^_^


Milk is now officially the weirdest food I've ever heard given to a mantis. Feel free to break this record.

I'm not going to argue about it if there's no harm done to a mantis. I just prefer giving them what is natural for them.

I like to simulate their natural environment as best as possible on my enclosures. Appropriate diet is part of it.


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