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sueb4653

sueb4653

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Poor little ghostie didnt stand a chance her sisters ate her as she was molting :(

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I actually had this happen with a subadult male eating a fresh adult male while he was molting. I couldn't believe that the sub would attack something almost twice his size!

 
Keeping mantis together is fun and looks cool as well, but I've found out the hard way myself in the past that if their not fed VERY well a fresh molt is just too hard to pass up. kinda like, I need to fill you up with a bunch of hamburgers so you'll leave my 32oz prime rib alone, Lol :)

 
I have seen this in a few species, O. gracilis, Idolo's and Im not sure that hunger is a factor, They just seem to take advantage, Ive had Idolos attack each other while both were holding food, they just seem to use any chance they get. Outside some 75 gallons I have decided to just keep everything one to a cup or vivarium.

 
Another thing Ive noticed is that in larger groups they tend to move down quite a few branches to molt, this could be a defense to being eaten and if they are still taken it may be a sign of over population.

 
Bug Trader said:
Another thing Ive noticed is that in larger groups they tend to move down quite a few branches to molt, this could be a defense to being eaten and if they are still taken it may be a sign of over population.
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Very good point, I've noticed the same thing, or they at least try to find a quite corner. Hers did seem to try to find a good spot to no avail? But I do notice if my mantis are well feed they play much nicer together or even just ignore each other all together, if low on flies it's just not that way...

 
I agree, food intake makes a very noticable difference, I received a bod batch of fly pupae a few weeks back and they were much more agressive in guarding their territory as well as going after others while they were eating. I know there are communal species and that we keep them but I wonder what the percentages are in the wild with the same species. I would think cannibalism would be much higher in the wild based on the fact we offer a regular food supply to a confined area. So how do we reallly know what would be considered communal?

 
unfortunalty they didnt get flies yesterday as I was waiting for them to hatch (my fault I miss calculated) usually they get flies thrown in everyday.

They are in the exo terra (the one I posted pics of on here ) I dont think it is too small for them 14 females in there now. I blame myself for them not getting flies yesterday

you live and learn

 
One thing I try to do is have more flies hatched than I think I may need, part stay in the fridge till needed. Better to have them die and or be tossed in the garbage than to have this happen? But from time to time it's not that easy I know?

 
Well part of the reason is I didnt know if they were getting fed to much and I figured one day would be ok well I found out the hard way NOT ok

as I said lesson learned

 
I guess I go through way too many flies and have too many kids to have space in the fridge to keep spare flies........I just add fly pupae on a small foam plate every few days to the vivs.

 

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