# OUCH! MANTIS BITES!



## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 24, 2008)

This is sort of a response to my other topic about mantis bites. So here's my other questions: When a mantis bites down on the soft flesh of your finger, does it hold on? If so, whats the best way to get it of? :huh: Also, Id like to know how sharp are mantis claws? Are they basiccly little needles? Last question (everyone who owns a mantis should know this, lol  ), what hurts more a mantis pinching you with claws or a mantis biting you? :lol:


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## idolomantis (Jul 24, 2008)

first of all: mantis jaws really holds on in flesh so hold him at the prothorax to make him let go.

second, bites hurt more.


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## OGIGA (Jul 24, 2008)

They have to hold on in order to bite. Otherwise, it's pretty difficult.

I've had a mantis hold on to me before but didn't bite. I'm sure that biting would be shockingly painful.


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 24, 2008)

OGIGA said:


> They have to hold on in order to bite. Otherwise, it's pretty difficult. I've had a mantis hold on to me before but didn't bite. I'm sure that biting would be shockingly painful.


So the little spikes on thier pincers are sharp then?


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 24, 2008)

Im just gonna add one more question: How fast does it take for a mantis to be able to grab you and chomp down on you finger? Im guesing mabe half a second?


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## idolomantis (Jul 24, 2008)

MANTIS DUDE said:


> Im just gonna add one more question: How fast does it take for a mantis to be able to grab you and chomp down on you finger? Im guesing mabe half a second?


just as fast it is able to catch a prey


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 24, 2008)

idolomantis said:


> just as fast it is able to catch a prey


So that would be preeeety fast! *gulp*


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## Rick (Jul 24, 2008)

I have been pierced many, many times by the points on the ends of the front legs. They are like needles. This only happens if you grab the mantis from behind or something and it reaches around and sticks you.


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## darkspeed (Jul 24, 2008)

MANTIS DUDE said:


> So that would be preeeety fast! *gulp*


Yeah, some of the ones that prefer flying prey, like Orchids strike faster than is visible to the naked eye.


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 24, 2008)

Rick said:


> I have been pierced many, many times by the points on the ends of the front legs. They are like needles. This only happens if you grab the mantis from behind or something and it reaches around and sticks you.


So the best way to get your mantis into a handleing position is to put your hand up to the mantis in front, and sort of give him a little push on to your hand?


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 24, 2008)

DARKSPEED said:


> Yeah, some of the ones that prefer flying prey, like Orchids strike faster than is visible to the naked eye.


I personaly am a magician, so I can understand pretty well how fast that is, lmao.


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## OGIGA (Jul 24, 2008)

If you can imagine 50 needles poking you in one contained area, that's kind of how it is. If you've taken a physics class, you'll know about pressure = force / area. 50 needles is a lot of area so there isn't that much pressure. It didn't hurt me but some people said it made them bleed. Maybe I'm just tough but I don't think so.


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## pedro92 (Jul 24, 2008)

You have alot of double posts. Yah those pinchers are very sharp. One dug one in to my finger cuz i was pulling it off me.


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## Krissim Klaw (Jul 25, 2008)

I've never been intentionally attacked by a mantis. As a child however my first mantis, a wild caught adult Chinese mantis accidentally grabbed my finger instead of the cricket when I was hand feeding her. It prickled a little but as soon as I tried to pull away she released and I went about feeding her the cricket. Didn't even break the skin.

I've found most mantises aren't in that much of a hurry to attack unless they are being improperly handled. Even if they do attack the most you'll get is maybe a little skin piercing and some superficial blood. The hamster an ever popular children's pet would have a far worse bite so try not to stress yourself worrying about being bitten.


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## MantidLord (Jul 25, 2008)

It totally depends on the species of mantid, sex, ect. I been chewed on by a M. religiosa male, and it hurt real bad. It didn't strike me as food, or even bite me. It just reached down on my arm and started nibbling (moisture). But I've been stabbed plenty of times by Iris oratiria males and females, who don't hurt as much. So I'd say biting/chewing would be the most painful in my personal experience.

Although when I was in Northern California on summer, I caught a Female M. relgiosa, and rode my bike 1 mile back to my uncle's house with it in my hand. You can bet she wasn't happy about that, and she did draw blood with her forearms pressed against my hand. Though you can chalk that experience to inproper handling, the incidents were pure innocent.


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## OGIGA (Jul 25, 2008)

Chameleonare said:


> You have alot of double posts.


Somebody just wants to go up faster in rank. Haha.


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## chrisboy101 (Jul 25, 2008)

OGIGA said:


> Somebody just wants to go up faster in rank. Haha.


lol true. my ghost wanted wantedwater on my finger and struck me once!


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## joel (Jul 25, 2008)

my mantis has only struck me once, didnt really hurt but did make me jump

he is not adult yet tho plus he is really timid, not alot aggrivates him


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## mrblue (Jul 25, 2008)

i have only ever been attacked by a mantis once, and i deserved it. i was far less experienced and enthiusiastic and had run out of livefood for (i forget the species, maybe d.dessicata?) the mantis. it was starving, literally a day or two from death, so wouldve struck at absolutely anything. since then i have never been struck by a mantis, i dont see why they would unless you are really being very brash and pissing them off, really hungry if you try to in any way pinch/grab them.


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 25, 2008)

Chameleonare said:


> You have alot of double posts. Yah those pinchers are very sharp. One dug one in to my finger cuz i was pulling it off me.


Sometimes I post somthing and then I forget about the other thing I wanted to say. Its not that I perticulerley care about going up some rank!


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## mrblue (Jul 25, 2008)

MANTIS DUDE said:


> Sometimes I post somthing and then I forget about the other thing I wanted to say. Its not that I perticulerley care about going up some rank!


that is what the edit button is for.


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 25, 2008)

mrblue said:


> that is what the edit button is for.


Ohh ok, the next time I forget ill do that!


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## Morpheus uk (Jul 25, 2008)

Umm, once my old D.lobata adult female was eating a cricket, so i thought it would be a laugh to put my finger next to it so she grabbed my finger lol


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## obregon562 (Jul 25, 2008)

biting/striking is really nothing to worry about. Sure it hurts a little, but not that nad, and it happens fairly rarely. As long as your nice to them i doubt they will attack you.


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## Kashmir79 (Jul 25, 2008)

ive been bitten by a Chinese nymph, didnt hurt, it just pulled my skin up and it went white, was a weird feeling, aggressive little beasty it was haha

i think if you just keep calm when holding the mantis, then the mantis will be calm with you. kinda like horses, if you are scared, theyl pick up on it and will get nervous too :mellow:


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## idolomantis (Jul 25, 2008)

i was bitten by my ameles, she saw my little finger as a prey. didnt hurt, but she was able to make me bleed. agressive lil fella. R.I.P.


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