# Not eating again... ;_;



## Xenomantis (Sep 12, 2007)

She'll eat occasionally, but not often. She's lost a little weight, but there's no sign of an ooth.

I do know one food she'll never pass up, though. Newly molted crickets. And I mean NEW! They have to have molted only minutes before if she'll definitely take them. Is there any reason for this? Should I get the next size up in crickets and other feeders? Or, could she just be sick?  

Sorry if this should be in 'Food', but I wasn't sure.

Thanks for taking the time to read this! Any insight is greatly appreciated.


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## mrblue (Sep 12, 2007)

your previous psot asking about the spraying she was doing, i reckon that was just excretion, so no worries there. as for refusing to eat, have you tried offering a variety of food for her? if you usually give her crickets, maybe try something flying like a moth or fly?


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## Xenomantis (Sep 12, 2007)

> your previous psot asking about the spraying she was doing, i reckon that was just excretion, so no worries there. as for refusing to eat, have you tried offering a variety of food for her? if you usually give her crickets, maybe try something flying like a moth or fly?


Okay!


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## Precious (Sep 14, 2007)

> She'll eat occasionally, but not often. She's lost a little weight, but there's no sign of an ooth.I do know one food she'll never pass up, though. Newly molted crickets. And I mean NEW! They have to have molted only minutes before if she'll definitely take them. Is there any reason for this? Should I get the next size up in crickets and other feeders? Or, could she just be sick?
> 
> Sorry if this should be in 'Food', but I wasn't sure.
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read this! Any insight is greatly appreciated.


If she goes for those white, new crix - she's liking those soft bodies, try some fat wax worms. They all seem to love moths (again, fat soft bodies - maybe remove wings, they don't eat them anyway and it is less intimidating for some mantids). I would try wax worms or maggots, something pale and soft like the crix she likes. Good luck!


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## Kriss (Sep 15, 2007)

I don't think she preferes the newly molted crix. I doubt she can recognise they are newly molted by sight. Its probably coincidence that she takes them.

As long as the mantid doesn't have a paper thin abdomen theres nothing to worry about.

Offer her a variety of different foods of different sized prey in a couple of days.

As you are expecting an ooth from her I take it that she is an adult with wings.

I have noticed that some gravid females will stop eating shortly before laying an ooth so maybe she still will for you.


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## Xenomantis (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks for the advice guys!  

I tried for more variety, especially with size (The crickets I had been feeding her were small and far from adults). She immediately started devouring whatever I gave her! (she loves waxworms, btw! Thanks for the tip Precious!) I also got the next size up in crix and she tears into those too! If I weren't more careful about not overfeeding her, she'd probably burst.  

She's so fat now, she looks like she's about to explode.  

Thanks for all the tips, guys! I really appreciate it!


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## Rob Byatt (Sep 23, 2007)

> I do know one food she'll never pass up, though. Newly molted crickets. And I mean NEW! .


Are you force feeding her by any chance ? :wink:


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## Xenomantis (Sep 23, 2007)

> > I do know one food she'll never pass up, though. Newly molted crickets. And I mean NEW! .
> 
> 
> Are you force feeding her by any chance ? :wink:


No, I just put the cricket (or other feeder insect) in her terrarium or hold it with tweezers about an inch and a half in front of her (which works well with mealworms).


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## Precious (Sep 24, 2007)

I'm so glad she enjoys the wax worms! Glad I could help. Well done! I hope she gets nice and fat and makes  lovely ooths for you!


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