Can mantids eat SPIKES?

[spicey]

[SIZE=14pt]I was wondering if anyone has ever tried feeding the blue bottle maggots to their mantids? I just received a nice order of spikes, very lively, but am currently out of blue bottle flies. My larger mantids could really use some big juicy sustenance, and I was wondering if it is okay to offer them a fresh live maggot while waiting for new flies to hatch?[/SIZE]

I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize them, so I decided to ask here on the forum first before doing it.

 

[Katnapper]

[SIZE=14pt]I was wondering if anyone has ever tried feeding the blue bottle maggots to their mantids? I just received a nice order of spikes, very lively, but am currently out of blue bottle flies. My larger mantids could really use some big juicy sustenance, and I was wondering if it is okay to offer them a fresh live maggot while waiting for new flies to hatch?[/SIZE]I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize them, so I decided to ask here on the forum first before doing it.

Sure... I've done it. If you can get them to accept being hand-fed, go for it! I usually cut them in half and nudge the guts to their mouthparts so they know it's food.

 

[PhilinYuma]

[SIZE=14pt]I was wondering if anyone has ever tried feeding the blue bottle maggots to their mantids? I just received a nice order of spikes, very lively, but am currently out of blue bottle flies. My larger mantids could really use some big juicy sustenance, and I was wondering if it is okay to offer them a fresh live maggot while waiting for new flies to hatch?[/SIZE]I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize them, so I decided to ask here on the forum first before doing it.

Go for it! Just remove their fangs and stingers first. :lol:

 

[spicey]

Sure... I've done it. If you can get them to accept being hand-fed, go for it! I usually cut them in half and nudge the guts to their mouthparts so they know it's food.

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

[Emile.Wilson]

Go for it! Just remove their fangs and stingers first. :lol:

Yeah i've done it before, its useful for smaller mantids.

 

[spicey]

Go for it! Just remove their fangs and stingers first. :lol:

HAHA! :lol: I'm now getting a mental image of a vampire maggot with a stinger on it's hind end!

 

[Rick]

I have. I even have had them grab them as they crawled across the bottom. How would a spike jeopardize a mantis?

 

[spicey]

I have. I even have had them grab them as they crawled across the bottom. How would a spike jeopardize a mantis?

That's what mine did, they grabbed them up right away as they crawled across the bottom, seemed to enjoy them alot. As far as jeopardizing them, I just wondered because of the medium that the maggots are usually reared in...

 

[Rick]

That's what mine did, they grabbed them up right away as they crawled across the bottom, seemed to enjoy them alot. As far as jeopardizing them, I just wondered because of the medium that the maggots are usually reared in...

Nah. If that was the case the fly itself would be harmful too.

 

[Rob Byatt]

A quick tip when using maggots as food.....

Spray the container first, that way the maggot will not hide below the substrate and will be able to climb the side of the enclosure. If you do spray, remember to only feed one maggot at a time

 

[bassist]

A quick tip when using maggots as food.....Spray the container first, that way the maggot will not hide below the substrate and will be able to climb the side of the enclosure. If you do spray, remember to only feed one maggot at a time

This.