Eating after molting

[jetsky82]

It seems like everyone knows that a mantid doesn't eat in the day or so before it molts, but what's the thought on how long after it molts before it starts to feed again?

I have a L4 or L5 budwing that hasn't eaten since I got her on thursday of last week, she molted the day after I got her but through my own fault, she molted in a space too small for her to drop down properly (it was only one mantis length tall). It's several days later and she still hasn't eaten! I've tried holding a fruit fly in front of her, putting her in a small cage with a tiny cricket, feeding her cooked salmon, and right now she is sitting next to 4 fruit flies without a thought of eating.

So what's the deal? It's been 4 days now since she molted.

 

[angelofdeathzz]

She may want bigger prey, or just not ready yet. My Budwings will eat crickets half there size, and look like there having fun while there at it. She is too big for ff's at any rate, got any BB's?

 

[jetsky82]

I've a number of different feeder insects: I put a house fly in with her. I put a cricket in with her. I agree that the fruit flies are probably too small, but after she rejected the house fly and little cricket, I thought I should go for something easy.

 

[Arwen9]

I'd suggest putting the house fly back in and just leaving them alone for a while.

My java shield did the same thing--molted to L3 and is too large for the Hydrei fruit flies--and started ignoring them whereas before she/he was devouring them like they were candy. Bigger prey caught the attention though.

But I'd not worry too much. Some of my Chinese went a whole week without eating after their molt.

I'd suggest something flying at any case (house fly, maybe a moth or lace wing from the wild) because that seems to get a stronger hunting response than regular crickets/mealworms for me.

 

[jetsky82]

Ah ok, so a few days to a week without eating is not out of the ordinary. My other ones have been eating several times a day so it seemed weird.

I'll find her something that is larger and flying.

Thanks

 

[jetsky82]

I was just reading the care page on mantisplace.com and I think I found my problem: Boston has been at like 50 degrees for the past week, and I need to keep the temperature up in the 70's for this little girl to eat and be active.

Now I just need to find a way to heat her aquarium....

Thanks to Hibiscusmile and everyone else who posts info online.

 

[Arwen9]

Now I just need to find a way to heat her aquarium....

I've used terrarium heaters on plastic/glass terrarium, but they don't work well for me. The heat is too localized and my mantids tended to just hang out in the one spot. I've found for me, a basic desk lamp, 70 watt bulb, on a snake neck, works just fine and keeps the heat more stable throughout the enclosure. My temps stay at 55-80 throughout the day as my timer flicks on and off. (I use the snake neck only so I can create basking spots or indirect heat if necessary)

 

[jetsky82]

Thanks! I will get a few lamps then.

 

[PhilinYuma]

I think that you are probably right. If you have a glass aquarium with a mesh top, the best way to apply heat, probably is to use an aquarium lamp with a reflector that sits on top of the mesh. I do suggest though that you get a dimmer switch and start low, monitoring the temp as you increase the light/heat intensity. Let us know how you make out.

I hadn't read Midwesterngirl's useful advice when I posted!

 

[Arwen9]

Thanks! I will get a few lamps then.

I only use 2 lamps max on a +20 gallon tank, so if your tank is less than 20 gallon, I'd stick with only one lamp most likely and keep an eye on your temps. As Phil said, lol. You don't want a grilled mantis. <_<

And you might want to mist a little extra, as the heat makes moisture evaporate faster, somewhat.

 

[sporeworld]

+1 to all the heat-based advice. Lamps, heat mats, heat stones, heat cable. Just get the temp up over 70 at least.

Note: Fastest I've ever had a mantid eat after a molt was an Idolo, just over 18 hours post molt.

 

[jetsky82]

update: My other mantis was back to eating within 24 hours of molting, but this one that molted last friday still hasn't eaten, and doesn't show any interest in it either. Temperature is up a few degrees, but I don't have lamps or heating elements until the weekend to really get the temperature up to 75.

+1 to all the heat-based advice. Lamps, heat mats, heat stones, heat cable. Just get the temp up over 70 at least.

Note: Fastest I've ever had a mantid eat after a molt was an Idolo, just over 18 hours post molt.

 

[Arwen9]

update: My other mantis was back to eating within 24 hours of molting, but this one that molted last friday still hasn't eaten, and doesn't show any interest in it either. Temperature is up a few degrees, but I don't have lamps or heating elements until the weekend to really get the temperature up to 75.

This may sound crazy, but if you have a computer, and you can move the enclosure easily, put it near the tower back. (just move your hand around near the tower and you should feel it) There's usually a bit of heat radiating from there as a computer runs.

 

[jetsky82]

I love this idea! She was placed behind the fan of my computer with a tiny cricket in the cage. Two hours later, her cage was steamy warm, and I can't find the cricket!!!!! (ok, I'm hoping it didn't get out somehow).

Thanks for the good idea!

This may sound crazy, but if you have a computer, and you can move the enclosure easily, put it near the tower back. (just move your hand around near the tower and you should feel it) There's usually a bit of heat radiating from there as a computer runs.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yep. Nothing crazy about this. A cuppla years back I used to set my ooths on the top of my TV box during the winter, and they stayed nice and warm Then I got rid of my TV and had to buy heat lamps!

 

[Ricardo]

My last resort to keep them going is honey or jam. Getting some sugar and liquid in them never fails when it come to hand feeding

 

[jetsky82]

Yeah, it looks like I'm going to be doing this a lot! It might not be new to you guys who have done this for years, but this is new to me =)

Yep. Nothing crazy about this. A cuppla years back I used to set my ooths on the top of my TV box during the winter, and they stayed nice and warm Then I got rid of my TV and had to buy heat lamps!

 

[sporeworld]

The top of my refridgerator is another "hot spot" in my offiice. As is behind my monitors (although I suspect it might be slightly radioactive!). Also, most power adaptors (laptop, etc) give off heat.

 

[jetsky82]

I started this topic several weeks ago, and since then my female budwing mantis has eaten 3 times, once taking down a house fly, a blue bottle, and a moth.

The temperature is fine, the food source is fine (she's an L4 and it's a house fly, that she has eaten before).

However, it doesn't look good for her. Eating 3 times in 3 weeks means she's incredibly skinny, she drags herself around, and simply fends off the flies in the enclosure rather than actually attacking.

She seems to have lost the will to live, poor little thing.