# picky mantis?



## dakota (Aug 1, 2005)

my mantis is very picky about food and i can't find anything th he'll eat. he is too big for fruit flies now.


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## worldofmantis (Aug 1, 2005)

ok when is the last time he molted also what sex is he also what type of mantis it is very important you reply soon. Depending on the mantis he might not or may be agressive depending on the sex females are more agressive. Also he may be ready to molt sometimes when they dont eat they are ready to molt. If he is get food out of his cage and let him be dont touch him


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## Andrew (Aug 1, 2005)

It may be getting ready to molt. If the mantis looks skinny then you can try cutting off the head of a cricket and use a pair of reptile feeding tongs(tweasers will work too) to put the juices against the mantids mouth. If the mantis is young it may take a few tries, but eventually it should accept the meal. Sometimes the mantis is lazy and you have to hold the cricket up for the mantid to eat for a few minutes before it will grab it. :roll:

Thanks,

Andrew


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## Ian (Aug 8, 2005)

Still got a picky mantis there dakota?

Cheers,

Ian


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## Macano (Aug 8, 2005)

I notice most of my mantids will not touch the stomach of their prey if they are roaches or crickets. They always try to eat around it or spit it onto the ground. I guess it must taste nasty!


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## Rick (Aug 8, 2005)

> I notice most of my mantids will not touch the stomach of their prey if they are roaches or crickets. They always try to eat around it or spit it onto the ground. I guess it must taste nasty!


Yep. I have always noticed that.


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## PseudoDave (Aug 9, 2005)

never noticed that myself, they eat the lot. I use the 'silent' brown/black hybrids we get here, are they different in US?

Dave


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## Samzo (Aug 9, 2005)

i have actuly noticed that myself also dave but only when the cricket was an adult. when it was smaller the only thingleft was legs lol


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## Leah (Aug 9, 2005)

> never noticed that myself, they eat the lot. I use the 'silent' brown/black hybrids we get here, are they different in US?Dave


Yes, they are different. Most places in the US use Australian House Crickets, Acheta domestica.

However, I think its more to do with gut content, I've never seen mine discard any part of a roach or cricket purposefully.


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