# Recieved mantids today, having trouble getting them to eat



## clemsonfight (Aug 11, 2006)

Well I put a fruit fly in one of the deli cups.....so far the P. Walhbergii has been avoiding it. More concerned with trying to stick to the top of the lid (he keeps falling down).

Someone said ants were fine...so i tried one of those in the other cup. No luck. Is it normal for them not to be interested in eating as soon as I got them? They are both L2....and won't eat....even though they notice their food. And they both moulted before they were shipped on the 9th, so I doubt they are going into a moult.


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## clemsonfight (Aug 12, 2006)

Upon going back in my room, the ant is gone (no way it escaped) and the mantid looks a bit plumper so that one ate. The other hasn't eaten the fruit fly yet, but I guess I'm overreacting.


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## robo mantis (Aug 12, 2006)

ya you should start overacting if it doesn't eat for almost a week


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## Johnald Chaffinch (Aug 12, 2006)

hi,

i recommend using some kind of netting for the top of the deli cup ( if you havent already). i've found womens tights work great ( because when pulled tight enough theyre transparent).

they might moult in a few days, so make sure they have 3 times their own height to hang down from.

i personally wouldnt use ants because they can defend themselves, but maybe i'm wrong, i do use spiders and they havent been a problem... i used a wasp once and it took a leg off my mantis


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## robo mantis (Aug 12, 2006)

i do that to


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## Rick (Aug 12, 2006)

Are you using the cups that have the lid with the holes covered by mesh? If so I have never had an issue with a mantis not being able to hang onto there. If you use those type of lids you don't need to use any mesh.


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## clemsonfight (Aug 14, 2006)

> hi, i recommend using some kind of netting for the top of the deli cup ( if you havent already). i've found womens tights work great ( because when pulled tight enough theyre transparent).
> 
> they might moult in a few days, so make sure they have 3 times their own height to hang down from.
> 
> i personally wouldnt use ants because they can defend themselves, but maybe i'm wrong, i do use spiders and they havent been a problem... i used a wasp once and it took a leg off my mantis


when you say tights, do you mean panty hose?

he does have slight trouble hanging from the lid but he has a small twig/paperish object he hangs from at the top of the cup, but I will get some mesh on there....

By the way, the other one, would not eat and finally died....but the other one eats everything I give it. So I guess there's nothing I can do, but make this one count. :?


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## danswan (Aug 15, 2006)

I completely believe that women's pantyhose are the best possible mantid lids. Keeps in the critters, no matter how small, but still breathes. Don't waste cash on full leggings, but instead just buy a bulk pack of the "stocking-socks".

Mantids may take a few hours to build up comfort to eat. Although a mantid may take larger prey, find something 1/4-1/5 their size. Sometimes, I think they like to build up an appetite by watching their prey for a bit.

If they're still not eating, feet them banana. They seem to respond well to a fingertip of banana in their face. I think it's the consistency they like. It's not ideal alien food, but will buy them a few more days. I had to do this when an ooth hatched and I had no flies. Brought ~50 tendodera to l2 on a diet of banana and siblings.


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## clemsonfight (Aug 17, 2006)

> I completely believe that women's pantyhose are the best possible mantid lids. Keeps in the critters, no matter how small, but still breathes. Don't waste cash on full leggings, but instead just buy a bulk pack of the "stocking-socks".Mantids may take a few hours to build up comfort to eat. Although a mantid may take larger prey, find something 1/4-1/5 their size. Sometimes, I think they like to build up an appetite by watching their prey for a bit.
> 
> If they're still not eating, feet them banana. They seem to respond well to a fingertip of banana in their face. I think it's the consistency they like. It's not ideal alien food, but will buy them a few more days. I had to do this when an ooth hatched and I had no flies. Brought ~50 tendodera to l2 on a diet of banana and siblings.


Well it molted (I think) by hanging onto the paper towel square it had inside its cup. When I woke up this morning it had what appeared to be a mantis corspe next to it and looked slightly bigger so I'm assuming it moulted lol. Anyway, I'm gonna wait a while and put another fruit fly/ant in. It eats both fine, so I think things are gonna be okay now.


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## Rick (Aug 17, 2006)

Yep sounds like a moult. Try feeding about 24 hours after.


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