# problems with lobster roaches



## argoldst (Dec 7, 2005)

I read that many people feed their mantids lobster roaches. I have tried doing this a few times but my african mantids seems to have a real tough time with them.

The roaches are incredibly strong for their size and are flexible enough where they are able to usually get out of the mantids grip. One of my mantids even had his arm bent by a lobster roach that was 1/3 his size at best.

How are those using lobster roaches getting around this problem (or I am just buying some kind of super strong roaches LOL)?


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## yen_saw (Dec 7, 2005)

Try to feed your mantis with lobster roach using tweezer, that way you are sure your mantis have a good grip of it before letting your tweezer go. Mantis forearm are pretty articulate and flexible i doubt it will bend the forearm permanently. Only time i see a bend forearm is when a mantis mismolted.


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## Jesse (Dec 7, 2005)

My mantids never have problems taking on a lobster roach of the appropriate size. Try feeding your mantids smaller sized lobster roach nymphs.


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## Rick (Dec 7, 2005)

My mantids won't even eat them. :?


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## Jesse (Dec 7, 2005)

> My mantids won't even eat them. :?


The mantids I got from you eat them?


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## infinity (Dec 7, 2005)

they annoy my pets cos they never seem to stay on the ground... in my T cages, they always climb to the top or hide out the second they even get a hint of a web nearby... As for the mantids, they find them tough because they're flat and can't get them off the ground


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## Rick (Dec 7, 2005)

> > My mantids won't even eat them. :?
> 
> 
> The mantids I got from you eat them?


I've tried roaches twice and none of my mantids would ever eat em. Or they would take two bites and drop them.


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## DeShawn (Dec 7, 2005)

As Yen said, try tweezers. Lobster roaches have a pretty strong grip, especially if they are on netting or aluminum mesh. Mantids have a tough time pulling them off the ground, so the roaches tend to drag them around. I use tweezers so the matid can get a grip on the roach off the ground. They have little problem eating the roaches that way.


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## Obie (Dec 7, 2005)

> > > My mantids won't even eat them. :?
> >
> >
> > The mantids I got from you eat them?
> ...


I highly recomend getting a culture of Blatta lareralis going if you get a chance. I have some inverts and herps that don't like lobster or discoid roaches...but everything I have LOVES B. lateralis. They don't hide either.


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## Jesse (Dec 7, 2005)

> I've tried roaches twice and none of my mantids would ever eat em. Or they would take two bites and drop them.


Wierd? I have been feeding my mantids lobster roaches ever since I started keeping mantids regularly (I had the roaches for my tarantulas). I haven't observed any problems except for the occasional roach that hides and stays perfectly still for days. I like them because they climb up to where the mantid is, unlike the blaberus that burrow into the substrate immediately. I also noticed that they don't seem to bother molting tarantulas or mantids if left in the enclosure (still not reccommended). I guess we all have different experiences.


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## Andrew (Dec 7, 2005)

I hate lobster roaches. I recently disposed of my colony, and have switched back to crickets. I intend to get a culture of B. Lateralis going and trying them out.

Thanks,

Andrew


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## Macano (Dec 7, 2005)

I had to get rid of my colony of roaches also. My wife just wasn't comfortable with them around, and I had a couple escape. She saw one scurry across the floor, and well that was that! My mantids actually LOVED them. They'd hunt them down like they were a feast on legs. But, they are strong, and usually ended up dragging my mantids around a bit, which in turn ended up covering the walls of the enclosure with brown roach guts/goo trails. Blech. I really like watching subadult S. Linoelas take down adult lobsters. What a battle!


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## Tapos (Dec 7, 2005)

i have 2 colonies, a little dog food, some water and away we go. i have not seen a mantis dragged by them. i feed them lobsters as nymphs and as they grow they seem to know the food source. the females tend to eat the roach head first and that usually ends the battle. i once fed a locust to a chinese, that was a battle.


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