# my mantis hates me!



## zorak (Sep 19, 2005)

my african mantis keeps attacking me when i pick her up to spray her plant. i`m worries she`s going to really hurt herself. she fell off my hand today, and one of the thumb like things on one of her front legs broke off! why is she acting so aggresivly towards me? i have only had her a week, and i wanna find out whats going on.


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## Andrew (Sep 19, 2005)

You dont really need to take the mantis off the plant to mist it.

As for why its being aggressive towards you; how are you picking it up? It may also be hungry if its trying to eat your finger.

Thanks,

Andrew


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## ellroy (Sep 19, 2005)

Don't forget mantis are not domesticated animals, they don't comprehend that you are looking after them, if they see something coming towards them it's either food or a predator. If she won't let you pick her up then you could try coaxing her onto another branch or into a container.

Just don't take it personally!! :wink:


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## zorak (Sep 19, 2005)

i`m picking her up, by putting my hand under her 4 normal legs, and my other hand on her front legs (wich she then tries to eat)


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## Chimpy666 (Sep 19, 2005)

Millie is good as gold...  

just to add that.


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## Peekaboo (Sep 19, 2005)

> i`m picking her up, by putting my hand under her 4 normal legs, and my other hand on her front legs (wich she then tries to eat)


Like Andrew said, you don't need to move the mantis while you mist her plant.

However, if you want to handle your mantid, put your hand out in front of her, and gently nudge her onto your hand from behind. I'm not sure if I'm picturing this correctly, but you definitely don't want to be handling a mantid's forearms. Don't think of handling mantids as picking them and holding them. Rather, think of yourself as a new perch for them and coax them onto you.

The reason she's being so aggressive, is because she thinks you're attacking her. By trying to handle her by her front legs, you're comprimising her only means of defense.


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## Jesse (Sep 20, 2005)

I've had a few African mantids (S. lineola) and Budwing mantids (P. agrionina) that just refused to be held.......well sort of, they were gluttons that insisted my hand was a food item. Having an adult female S. lineola grab your finger is not pleasant! There was only a handful over the years that I experienced this with, most(S. lineola) were fine with being held.


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## Samzo (Sep 20, 2005)

My budwing female is funny, every time I went over to her she flaired her wings at me. That happened for over a week :lol: she's calmed a bit now though..


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## Ian (Sep 21, 2005)

I have to say, the worst I find for attacks or threat are the deroplatys. My adult females always show their threat position when I approach the tank, and when I try and get them out, as I ut my hand in, they try and fight it away, but after a few minutes, they calm down  A truely great character  

Cheers,

Ian


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## FieroRumor (Sep 22, 2005)

Feed first, then play with it.  

Mine usually started out as "wild", but if ya feed it, then play with its antennae a bit, and stop if it rears back, and then keep playing with it a little, it will start to reach out to you. if it tries bringing your finger up to it's mouth, pull back completely. play again. after a few times, mine would usually associate me with food, water (through a straw), and a nice perch. It would climb up.

good luck...  

if it seems TOO wild, then don;t pick it up with yer hand. as others said, it IS a wild animal, not a pettable cute cozy snookums.


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## ibanez_freak (Sep 22, 2005)

hi,

Well, the reason I find mantis amazing is I think they seem to get to know you. Some of mine do not like me at all, especially my male ghost but my gongy, c.gemmatus, p.ws and female h.membrenacea are extremely tame. Even though they used to go for me and try avoid me etc. I find they get used to being handled and are ok after a while. But if the mantis persists in fighting back then I normally just leave it alone. They seem happier that way since handling them stresses them out. My male chinese is ok although a bit jumpy but the female goes nuts if in contact with people. I guess it all depends on species and sex.

Do you know if it is female or male?

Cheers, Cameron.


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## Chimpy666 (Sep 22, 2005)

> I've had a few African mantids (S. lineola) and Budwing mantids (P. agrionina) that just refused to be held.......well sort of, they were gluttons that insisted my hand was a food item. Having an adult female S. lineola grab your finger is not pleasent! There was only a handful over the years that I experienced this with, most(S. lineola) were fine with being held.


Yeh millies is a Lineloa ans she is fine with it, a bit jumppy when my flat mates see her, which is odd but she knows me..i think


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