Are We Over-Feeding Our Mantids?

[MantidBro]

In the wild, mantids seem to be much thinner than those who are kept by owners. Honestly, I think it's because we feed them too much! In the wild, they probably wouldn't eat every day, but more like once in a while. They say to feed them every 2 - 4 days, but do any of their owners actually do that? I know I didn't. But I'm starting to because it's more natural. Plus, my dad brought to my attention the fact that once they lose their legs, they'll be able to get around easier if they weigh less.

Also, I want to stop hand-feeding, because exercise is also important for mantids. It's better for them to catch their prey than for it to be handed to them. It's also more natural. I would only do this if the mantid can't get it, itself, due to deformity.

So basically the only thing I want to do with the mantids that involve me, would be holding them, misting their containers, and dropping the food in (but not hand-feeding).

Have any of you other mantid owners thought of this? Do you agree or disagree?

 

[Mime454]

I'd say that how much a mantid ate in the wild would have a lot to do with luck and status. For example, a wild mantid could be on a bush that attracts bees and butterflies and eat ad libitum all day. Other mantids might not have such luck and eat only enough to sustain life, still others will die from starvation. That's likely the reason why so many hatch from the ooth, in the hope that a few will get lucky and fat and have great fecundity.

I know that the more you feed an adult female, the bigger the ooth will be.

 

[brancsikia339]

Lose their legs?? i feed my mantids daily because it's good for them. In the wild, they can die from starvation, so i wouldn't think keeping them alive is unnatural. Handfeeding can be good and bad in a few ways. Also, they're thinner in the wild because food is less available and they're starving. You should have seen how hungry my WC tenodera was when i found her!

 

[MantidBro]

I'd say that how much a mantid ate in the wild would have a lot to do with luck and status. For example, a wild mantid could be on a bush that attracts bees and butterflies and eat ad libitum all day. Other mantids might not have such luck and eat only enough to sustain life, still others will die from starvation. That's likely the reason why so many hatch from the ooth, in the hope that a few will get lucky and fat and have great fecundity.

I know that the more you feed an adult female, the bigger the ooth will be.

That is very true, about certain mantids being in an area where food is always present and others being where less food is. I also heard that but I'm not sure if they should be treated the way the wild does or if we should do our own thing.

 

[Mime454]

That is very true, about certain mantids being in an area where food is always present and others being where less food is. I also heard that but I'm not sure if they should be treated the way the wild does or if we should do our own thing.

You mean let the majority of your mantids be eaten or die from starvation?

If you aren't breeding your mantises, restricting food might slow their metabolism and lengthen their lives somewhat. So would lowering the temperature.

 

[MantidBro]

Lose their legs?? i feed my mantids daily because it's good for them. In the wild, they can die from starvation, so i wouldn't think keeping them alive is unnatural. Handfeeding can be good and bad in a few ways. Also, they're thinner in the wild because food is less available and they're starving. You should have seen how hungry my WC tenodera was when i found her!

Yeah some mantids lose their legs as they age. I figure it'd definitely be easier for them to get around when lacking legs if they were thinner.

I wouldn't let them starve or anything, but I wonder if I should feed them less so they don't get so fat. Majesty could hardly keep her abdomen up (you can see she was actually 'sitting' in my avatar photo). I honestly think it'd be more natural for them to get a little hungry, it's natural, and what tells the mantid to go looking for food (which, in their container, they'll easily be able to find), thus providing exercise. That's too bad about the wild Tenodera you found that was hungry, though. I'm sure some out in the wild do indeed starve to death but I wouldn't let that happen to mine.

 

[MantidBro]

You mean let the majority of your mantids be eaten or die from starvation?

If you aren't breeding your mantises, restricting food might slow their metabolism and lengthen their lives somewhat. So would lowering the temperature.

Well that wouldn't happen with my mantids considering the fact that they're not wild. I would not deliberately let them starve to death, you must understand that. Going a few days without food wouldn't kill them. I am only going to feed them less. And because I feel it's for their own health. Perhaps we have different view-points but that doesn't mean either of us are right or wrong. To me, I feel that over-feeding a mantid is just as bad as over-feeding a human. And my Majesty, she could hardly keep her abdomen up! In my avatar, you can see she's actually 'sitting' instead of standing.

 

[sinensispsyched]

In a survival standpoint, fat equals survival. All humans and animals NEED fat. Mantids practically LOVE fat. It's part of their instinct. They then have body fat in case a cold front wipes out flies, temporarily.

You're right about exercise, though. You also raise a good point about fat in old age, and its hindrance on their lifestyle.

 

[Mime454]

Well that wouldn't happen with my mantids considering the fact that they're not wild. I would not deliberately let them starve to death, you must understand that. Going a few days without food wouldn't kill them. I am only going to feed them less. And because I feel it's for their own health. Perhaps we have different view-points but that doesn't mean either of us are right or wrong. To me, I feel that over-feeding a mantid is just as bad as over-feeding a human. And my Majesty, she could hardly keep her abdomen up! In my avatar, you can see she's actually 'sitting' instead of standing.

I've seen wild females get that fat too. There were 5-10 Tenodera on the side of my house because I had a butterfly bush there. They were so fat that they kept falling to the ground. They use the nutrients to produce more eggs.

 

[brancsikia339]

Mantids won't naturally lose their legs. It happens from predation, or in a toxodera case, stress.

 

[MantidBro]

In a survival standpoint, fat equals survival. All humans and animals NEED fat. Mantids practically LOVE fat. It's part of their instinct. They then have body fat in case a cold front wipes out flies, temporarily.

You're right about exercise, though. You also raise a good point about fat in old age, and its hindrance on their lifestyle.

Fat could mean survival, but it could also mean death. What if they're so fat they can't get away from prey quickly enough? I understand that they shouldn't starve but I also don't think they should eat so much that they can't even stand up without their abdomen reaching the ground.

 

[MantidBro]

Mantids won't naturally lose their legs. It happens from predation, or in a toxodera case, stress.

My Majesty lost her feet as she aged. And she lost a leg because she was thrashing it back and forth as she was trying to molt. It bent then hardened and fell off.

Though the Stagmomantis Limbata is considered to be a weaker genus of mantid.

 

[MantidBro]

I've seen wild females get that fat too. There were 5-10 Tenodera on the side of my house because I had a butterfly bush there. They were so fat that they kept falling to the ground. They use the nutrients to produce more eggs.

That's not good that they kept falling to the ground, though. :/ That's the thing about mantids - they'll catch anything that moves, whether they're hungry or not. It's their instinct to eat as much as possible so they don't die if they go without for too long. But if they never go without, they'll just get obese.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

My Majesty lost her feet as she aged. And she lost a leg because she was thrashing it back and forth as she was trying to molt. It bent then hardened and fell off.

Though the Stagmomantis Limbata is considered to be a weaker genus of mantid.

Your mantis most likely lost her feet(tarsi) due to walking on screen cage tops that are very harsh over the long haul, people sand cars down with screen. plus the tarsi can just get stuck in the screen and the mantis rips them off or damages them and they break off later. All my mantis for over the past 2 years get a soft cloth deli lid, net cages or real wood branches in larger enclosures and losing feet is not a issue even when very old and feeble.

 

[Rick]

They say to feed them every 2 - 4 days

Who is they?

Though the Stagmomantis Limbata is considered to be a weaker genus of mantid.

Considered to be weaker by whom? S. limbata is a species, not a genus.

I know what you're trying to say but there is so much wrong with what you have said so far. How much a mantis eats in the wild depends on many variables. I see many mantids in the wild that are incredibly fat while others are not. In captivity it is my opinion they should be fed whatever amount is appropriate for good health, reproduction, etc. If that amounts to feeding daily or every other day than that is fine and is the keepers decision based on their best judgement.

 

[MantidBro]

Your mantis most likely lost her feet(tarsi) due to walking on screen cage tops that are very harsh over the long haul, people sand cars down with screen. plus the tarsi can just get stuck in the screen and the mantis rips them off or damages them and they break off later. All my mantis for over the past 2 years get a soft cloth deli lid, net cages or real wood branches in larger enclosures and losing feet is not a issue even when very old and feeble.

I didnt have a screen cage, had a beta fish container. But I always put Majesty in the window... That IS probably why she lost her walking appendages. Her leg though was because she was thrashing her leg back and forth while molting. I actually saw it bend. Then once her skin hardened up, the bent area turned black and the leg came off. Thanks for the info.

 

[MantidBro]

Who is they?

Considered to be weaker by whom? S. limbata is a species, not a genus.

I know what you're trying to say but there is so much wrong with what you have said so far. How much a mantis eats in the wild depends on many variables. I see many mantids in the wild that are incredibly fat while others are not. In captivity it is my opinion they should be fed whatever amount is appropriate for good health, reproduction, etc. If that amounts to feeding daily or every other day than that is fine and is the keepers decision based on their best judgement.

'They' is what I meant for online research.

A mantid owner who has had many different mantids said her Stagmomantis were weaker than the others.

Stagmomantis = genus

Limbata = species

Perhaps I was wrong about all mantids in the wild being thinner. Though I will be sure not to let my mantids die. I am not going to starve them or anything. I just want to feed them less than I currently do. I'm thinking to go by the size of their abdomen to decide when they should be fed.

 

[GhostYeahX]

More often you feed, the shorter their life will be.

So I agree with feeding then2-4days

 

[gripen]

More often you feed, the shorter their life will be.

So I agree with feeding then2-4days

Who told you that?