Feeding Nymphs got a little easier

[Quake]

I got 2 budwing nymphs and one mystery mantis about a week and a half ago. I ordered pinheads to prepare for the end of my wild caught fruit flies, but I ordered Thursday night and flukers doesn't ship til Monday morning in that case so I was food less on the weekend.

I can't find it now but I came across a topic on feeding nymphs cat food on Friday.

I went and bought a can of wet fancy feast and they went nuts for it. In between a few fruit flies and tiny beetles this weekend I have given then rolled up balls of fancy feast and blew on it a little so it shook.

They tackled it and ate it all. When I get the crickets they will of course be done with the cat food but it was a successful emergency food.

If anyone wants to see pics I have 2 of them eating but I need to upload them.

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[revmdn]

I'd like to see that.

 

[MantidLord]

+1 I thought that article was lacking in information, considering the guy/girl couldn't even sex the adult chinese. Good job though, and glad you found a temporary replacement.

(rephrased, didn't know I can't say a certain word).

 

[hibiscusmile]

I would like to see some pics too, let us know how they do, I am wondering how they will do after eating that, runny poo or no?

ps how did they hold it? Or did they bend down to eat it? need more info.

 

[Quake]

Sorry for the quality, trying not to disturb the meal with a sensitive camera phone but there he is gobbling down a piece of chicken fancy feast.

The little guy (mystery mantis from Rebbecca) held it to his/her face, the larger of the two budwings clamped down like it was a squirmy cricket and the smaller of the two grabbed it then bent down and spread his legs while he dug in similar to how they lick up banana.

Their poop was normal, no vomiting, drinking normally. Possibly just a big appetite, but the small budwing ate pieces of catfood about his size twice a day while the rest ate what I would consider a usual volume of food.

 

[hibiscusmile]

hummm very interesting! So now you say I gotta cook for them too? :tt2:

 

[revmdn]

hummm very interesting! So now you say I gotta cook for them too? :tt2:

Does that mean you'll cook for me too :lol:

 

[Rick]

I can't really see this being easier than dumping some flies in.

 

[Quake]

I can't really see this being easier than dumping some flies in.

It wasn't any easier, I still had to move the cat food around to attract their attention or hand it to them, but in a pinch it worked better than trusting store crix.

I set up fly and fruit fly traps but it still hasnt been warm enough in pittsburgh for the guys to come out. I got pinheads today so now they are on crickets, but they were held over for the weekend and one even molted

 

[PhilinYuma]

I've seen a similar idea using canned tuna. I think that it is a useful alternative for emergencies, particularly for beginners who's first ooth has just hatched and who are searching desperately for ffs.

 

[Mr.Mantid]

Has anyone here seen the movie "District 9?" Well there are bug like mantisy cocroachy humanoid aliens that go crazy for cat food too. I wonder if its just a coincidence.

 

[DannyN]

Has anyone here seen the movie "District 9?" Well there are bug like mantisy cocroachy humanoid aliens that go crazy for cat food too. I wonder if its just a coincidence.

Haha yes. Well roaches DO love cat food. Very neat that you got your mantises to eat catfood by the way OP.

 

[Mr.Mantid]

I tried it as well with the tuna fancy feast they seem to like that as well. I took toothpicks and dipped one end on the very tip with the cat food and the other tip i had hanging in the mesh screen. i had about 10 of these hanging down and they were munching on it pretty good. One down side is that its sticky and the nymphs have been getting stuck in it when I put too much on.

 

[Chief Tom]

Quake- Thanks for the tip, very helpful. Not that I'm going to, but I wonder how a mantis would do exclusively on cat food? I saw a youtube video of some German dudes that had a pet Mantis and they just handed it a piece of deli sliced ham or chicken and it grabbed it and just started eating it like crazy. They didn't even have to wiggle it in front of the mantis, it just grabbed it and started eating. Very cool.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Poor things, probably starving... I no likey stories

. But on the other hand, I wonder if they will grow bigger? What with all those additives in food, thats why we are so fat

 

[Chief Tom]

It wasn't starving, on the contrary it was very healthy and was a very pretty shade of green. I just tried the catfood chicken fancy feast thing.......it didn't work.

 

[Quake]

Mine molted before I got the crickets and they are still healthy now. One is a subadult and the other is a few stages behind. THey have been on crix and moths since but I think I might try that again sometime and see if they accept it once they are used to live feeders.