# Question about cannibalism



## xenuwantsyou (Oct 28, 2006)

At what point do the little guys start playing natural selection with each other. Or for that matter when do they start getting an appetite.


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## Rick (Oct 28, 2006)

Day or two after the are born is usually when they start eating. In my experience they sometimes don't start eating each other until later.


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## Ian (Oct 29, 2006)

I usually find it starts happening after their first shed. This was the case with the large amount of Tenodera (American strain) I hatched out.


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## yen_saw (Oct 30, 2006)

Based on my past experience, most cannibalism happens right after the first meal of fruit flies (which is usually 2 days after hatching). Before that, they are skittish and most of them die due to starvation rather then cannibalism if i never (or forgot to) feed them.


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## infinity (Oct 30, 2006)

Yeah, Yen's right- damn mantids!!! - You leave them together hoping it'll be natural selection n all and you go in one morning to find they've all died of starvation


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