feeders

[I_love_mantids]

Hi everyone!

I am looking for an exotic feeder and I want to know what if anybody knows what i'm looking for. I will tell you different ones I don't want and why.

Crickets- I have been feeding my mantids crickets for awhile but I want to stop because they can get expensive and they hide in cracks.

Roaches- Everybody seems to feed their mantis roaches, but like crickets, they hide.

Silverfish/firebrats- Again, they hide.

Fruit flies- I feed these to my mantids when they are nymphs, but they are too small for adults.

Houseflies- These are great but when I get pupae, only a few hatch

Ants- Who would even think about feeding their mantids ants?

Does anyone know of such a specialized feeder? if so, do you have any for sale or know where I could buy some?

any help is appreciated

 

[Termite48]

Ethan: The tried and tested are: flies of all types, moths, butterflies, meal worms (emergency, after beheading and using a forceps to give to adult mantids). Eclosing housefly and blue and green bottle fly pupae is an acquired skill.

 

[happy1892]

You can breed crickets

 

[Extrememantid]

Too picky.. Roaches, flies and moths are the best options.. Where would roaches hide in your mantid enclosures? Also you didn't mention green bottles and blue bottles, I'd give those a try if I were you

 

[I_love_mantids]

extrememantis. whenever I have used roaches they would burry themselves in the dirt at the bottom. Same with crickets. Moths is a good idea. Does anyone know where I could get some?

 

[Termite48]

In the warmer months if you place a white sheet in front of your car's headlights at night, you can snag quite a few. I do not know if that works this time of year, especially in the colder states.

 

[I_love_mantids]

Rich: Thats a good idea but I want to buy some so I could have some available year round.

 

[Extrememantid]

extrememantis. whenever I have used roaches they would burry themselves in the dirt at the bottom. Same with crickets. Moths is a good idea. Does anyone know where I could get some?

Try dubias.. And paper towel works good. No need for dirt

 

[patrickfraser]

I raise a selection of feeders: Dubia roaches, hisser roaches, mealworms, superworms, green bottle flies, blue bottle flies, and of course fruit flies. I always have something the "right" size. They are all pretty easy to raise and keep if you follow care sheets properly.

 

[Extrememantid]

extrememantis. whenever I have used roaches they would burry themselves in the dirt at the bottom. Same with crickets. Moths is a good idea. Does anyone know where I could get some?

You could breed waxworms.. Those turn into moths I think

 

[I_love_mantids]

I will try waxworms again. last time they all died, but that was a while ago.

 

[happy1892]

There are roaches that do not burrow.

 

[I_love_mantids]

happy1892. what types?

 

[happy1892]

S. lateralis and A. kyotensis do not seem to burrow from what I have seen. I cannot find any other roaches right now that do not burrow. Do the crickets really burrow? Mine did not.

 

[I_love_mantids]

My crickets do burrow.

 

[I_love_mantids]

I looked up S. lateralis and wikapedia said it was a skink.

 

[I_love_mantids]

And A. kyotensis is a moth

 

[Extrememantid]

I looked up S. lateralis and wikapedia said it was a skink.

Never trust Wikipedia lol

 

[Ranitomeya]

S. lateralis is Shelfordella lateralis, they're a non-burrowing roaches I use as a feeder. They move around quickly and often enough that my mantids will move closer to position themselves into striking distance.

A. kyotensis is Asiablatta kyotensis. Most commonly used feeder roaches are burrowing roaches either as nymphs or as both nymphs and adults.

If you're having a huge problem with your feeders hiding, your enclosures might be too cluttered or decorated to an unnecessary degree.