# Getting a mantis on to other prey items



## DrakeLineous (Aug 22, 2014)

I don't know why, but my chinese mantis doesn't seem interested in food, at least if he has to catch them herself. Twice now I've thrown in small roaches in her enclosure and I know she sees them but she hasn't eaten any. I assume she may just not be hungry. When I offer the roaches and mealworms on tongs though she does eat them. I'll try throwing in a roach again tomorrow after two days to see if it's a hunger thing. Also, would feeding mantises prepared gel foods like bug burger or an insectivore diet be fine? They do work fine on other insects, so I assume they'd work on mantises too.


----------



## Shadow (Aug 22, 2014)

No they cannot eat bug burger it has to be alive and the bugs might of had a hard exoskeleton.


----------



## Crazy4mantis (Aug 22, 2014)

Has this been going on for a while? she might be molting, or maybe she's just full. try again in a few days and see if she eats.

They ABSOLUTELY must get live food.


----------



## Danny. (Aug 22, 2014)

Crazy4mantis said:


> Has this been going on for a while? she might be molting, or maybe she's just full. try again in a few days and see if she eats.
> 
> They ABSOLUTELY must get live food.


 Especially flying food like flies or moths.


----------



## DrakeLineous (Aug 23, 2014)

Yes the roaches were alive when I threw them in, and the ones I tong fed had just been killed. I think he's still small enough for D. hydei and I still have some left, they may even still be reproducing, but sadly for me the holes I had made for his new enclosure are big enough to let the flies out. I figured a screw top container would be less disturbing than continually popping open/close a snap top lid. So I will try again tomorrow, maybe she'll get hungry enough.


----------



## Rick (Aug 23, 2014)

They may be too small/large and not really getting her attention.


----------



## PlayingMantis (Aug 25, 2014)

Have you tried smaller sized food, like flies, moths, or small crickets? Also, make sure your container is big enough so the food isn't crawling around and stressing out your mantis every couple of minutes.

To prevent D. hydei from getting out of a container, you can either use fine mesh (which you can get at craft stores), pantyhose, or plain paper towel.


----------



## Aryia (Aug 26, 2014)

How old is your chinese mantis? They tend to be pretty skittish at younger ages, and skittish mantises will not try to tackle larger prey items. If it's still on D. Hydei I would say it's still super young, I usually wait until L4 before feeding items such as roaches, and even then I feed very small ones.

Bug burger won't be any good since it's mostly geared for roaches/crickets which can thrive off a diet made mostly of fillers and vegetation. Mantises can eat non-live things such as banana/honey/dead prey, it just has to be hand-fed since their striking is usually triggered through movement. They just haven't made a "Mantis Burger" yet.


----------



## mantisman 230 (Aug 26, 2014)

I think its mostly the case of it not getting close enough to the mantis, roaches are non climbers and never go to the top where your mantis is, you should try with her standing on the ground, and let the prey walk to her.


----------



## DrakeLineous (Aug 28, 2014)

Aryia said:


> How old is your chinese mantis? They tend to be pretty skittish at younger ages, and skittish mantises will not try to tackle larger prey items. If it's still on D. Hydei I would say it's still super young, I usually wait until L4 before feeding items such as roaches, and even then I feed very small ones.
> 
> Bug burger won't be any good since it's mostly geared for roaches/crickets which can thrive off a diet made mostly of fillers and vegetation. Mantises can eat non-live things such as banana/honey/dead prey, it just has to be hand-fed since their striking is usually triggered through movement. They just haven't made a "Mantis Burger" yet.


She just shed over the weekend and is about 2" now so I'd say L4. Right now I still can't get her to hunt on her own but she still gets plenty to eat by hand feeding. There's also a meal replacement powder geared for insectivores but I'm not gonna feed that, was just curious if it would work.



mantisman 230 said:


> I think its mostly the case of it not getting close enough to the mantis, roaches are non climbers and never go to the top where your mantis is, you should try with her standing on the ground, and let the prey walk to her.


Oh the roaches get plenty close, they've even climbed up the stick she's on and bumped into her. I've also tried having them both on a flat surface but still no go.


----------



## Aryia (Aug 30, 2014)

If you can make the powder into a soft brick form, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to feed it. As long as it's nutritionally meant for insectivores it should be fine, though honestly it's a hassle handfeeding non-live things since you have to stick it in their mouth and wait for them to decide to take it from you. I occasionally do it with banana pieces just cause it's cute though :3


----------

