Would appreciate some guidance!

Hello!
I’m new to the orchid mantis keeping world and have a few questions. It was my partner that picked up this pet and now I’m really the main one taking care of her, but I have never kept anything like this species before!

Her tank is fitted with a heater on the back wall and is around 25-27C in the day and 18C’ish at night, I have a temperature control panel thing that cuts out the heat at the right temp, don’t know the exact name. I also have a hygrometer which is usually at 60-70%.

She has mooted once and it was perfect! We got her 24.9, and her first molt was in the 1.11. This is the only molt she’s had so far.

The main problem I’m having is feeding, it takes me a good 45 minutes of struggling before she catches and eats her food. She started off with fruit flies, then to house flies and now she has small crickets. She shows a lot of interest in the pray and looks at it intensity and does a little dance, but for ages doesn’t even try to get it even when it’s right there. Then after a long time she tries to get it but just catches dirt several times where I then have to fight with her to remove the dirt as she tries to eat it. Then after another many fails she finally catches the food and eats it happily and without problems.

Does she have eye issues? You can see that she sees where the pray is because she follows it with her head? Is something else wrong? I have to literally move everything out of the enclosure, place her close to the ground and prod the food in her direction many times.

I’ll include some photos at the bottom in a folder from when we first got her and now so you can have a look and see if she seems healthy or there is something that more trained and experienced eyes can see that I can’t!

I really just want her to thrive and do what’s best for her! Thank you so much in advance for any advice!

Ps. Her name is Rosé!

Rosé album

I don't know if it would make a difference, but people typically stick with flying feeders with their orchid mantises. If she's outgrown houseflies, the next step up would be bottle flies. They may elicit a better feeding response.

Introvertebrate said:

I don't know if it would make a difference, but people typically stick with flying feeders with their orchid mantises. If she's outgrown houseflies, the next step up would be bottle flies. They may elicit a better feeding response.

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Hi! Yeah she’s also had the larger flies but it takes her just even longer to catch them as I can’t really prod them in her direction! Sometimes I just left the flies in there to see if she’d eventually manage but it was there for a whole 24h and nothing, which is why I’ve been using crickets, as at least I can keep moving them towards her.

Sounds like she might be a candidate for tong feeding.

Introvertebrate said:

Sounds like she might be a candidate for tong feeding.

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I tried feeding both the large flies and the crickets with tweezers but she absolutely refused and literally walks away :/ I literally have no clue what is wrong with her!

AnnicaR said:

I tried feeding both the large flies and the crickets with tweezers but she absolutely refused and literally walks away :/ I literally have no clue what is wrong with her!

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Are you sure she's not Megan Merkel?

AnnicaR said:

I tried feeding both the large flies and the crickets with tweezers but she absolutely refused and literally walks away :/ I literally have no clue what is wrong with her!

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She could be about to molt.

The first thing is take her away from all the dirt, get rid of it. Orchids live up high and do not stay on the ground. Give her things to sit on higher up. Give her a drink each day, do not mist her, mist in front of her. Crickets are
not a good food for her. Like someone said she needs flying insects. Crickets will eat on her too. Put the food in there and when she is hungry she will eat it. Take away the uneaten food after 1/2 hour. All it will do is cause a mis molt or aggraviate her. When she is hungry she will eat. Then leave her alone these are not like a ghost mantis, they prefer solitude.

Put more flies in the habitat and do t feed crickets, especially to orchids

Hello Annica!
A lot has been said, but as someone who has been actively raising orchid mantises for the past year and a half, I want to offer a few thoughts!

Check list
Is prey too small?
If prey is too small they won’t waste their time trying to catch it.

Is prey too big?
If prey is too big, they will just go in their “flower camouflage” mode and won’t try to eat anything.

How big is her abdomen?
If a mantis is full, they won’t eat. No matter how many flies or food source is around.

Is the “flying response” being triggered?
Orchids are a species that really respond to the “flying response”. Meaning something literally flying in front of their faces. I try to chill house flies in the fridge and grab their wings with tongs so when it comes to, it will still buzz in front of the mantis.

Is she about to molt?
Mantids will stop eating when they are preparing to molt. The amount of time depends on big the mantis is. Generally the bigger the mantis, the more time it needs to prepare. I’ve seen anywhere from 5 days-12 days.

I wish you luck and I look forward to seeing updates!

-Mino

minomantis said:

Is the “flying response” being triggered?
Orchids are a species that really respond to the “flying response”. Meaning something literally flying in front of their faces. I try to chill house flies in the fridge and grab their wings with tongs so when it comes to, it will still buzz in front of the mantis.

-Mino

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I'm curious how much actual flying room there is inside a typical mantis enclosure, or is it just the fact that flies typically have a high rate of metabolism? Even when they're walking on the inside walls of the enclosure, they're likely to attract attention.

Introvertebrate said:

I'm curious how much actual flying room there is inside a typical mantis enclosure, or is it just the fact that flies typically have a high rate of metabolism? Even when they're walking on the inside walls of the enclosure, they're likely to attract attention.

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I guess it depends on the enclosure really. I’m sure the fast movement attracts their attention, but we have to remember that orchid mantises will actively find spots away from flowers so they can be the only “flower” (less competition). They’re built to catch insects in mid flight. The way they almost invite insects to land on their forceps is pretty unique to them, that’s why I say they do well from a flying response.

I agree with all the points minomantis succinctly listed.

I would add the question: how large is your enclosure (tank?). If the enclosure is too large it might preclude and enable the prey to avoid getting close enough for her to catch them. Mantises are ambush predators and generally will not chase down food.

Katnapper said:

Mantises are ambush predators and generally will not chase down food.

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