One thing I would mention is that crickets usually aren't recommended for a mantis as any regular part of their diet. They don't seem to be very healthy for them, and they also are known to be pretty aggressive and attack mantids/other crickets. Most people will say to give them sparingly at most, but I avoid them completely, as I don't like to take any chances, and there are so many feeder options available.
Really? What reliable or scientific source links do you have to backup and prove
anything you said regarding crickets? I have found only the opposite results from personal experience and in scientific articles and others regarding crickets, which I will link to below.
One such person who was negative of crickets too, actually tried them and found out otherwise, see "
Are Crickets Bad For Mantids?".
As this seems to be a more common stance given by new members, or passed along online elsewhere too, I find it is worth taking the time at this point to dispel such rampant misinformation. Senior mantid and other exotic pet keepers are tired of responding to such posts and no longer will bother - so I am writing this up to also link to for such future use.
One thing I would mention is that crickets usually aren't recommended for a mantis as any regular part of their diet
To the contrary - Yes crickets are a recommended regular part, or whole, of mantid diets. Crickets are provided by many keepers, myself included several years now, and some members in the 10 to 20+ years range too. The only exception to that is in mantid species that need flying prey, information that is available in their
caresheets. Again that is due to species hunting behavior and is not due to the cricket itself.
I've raised thousands of mantids (counting those sold/traded/given away, breeding sets, natives released, and such besides hundreds of pets) on crickets exclusively at times, as many others have too. Of course when possible I vary mantid feeders, but I do that from the standpoint who wants to eat the same meal everyday of their life - rather than a issue with crickets.
There are many such cricket posts on the forum, here is a
generic search. However, here are just a few such members that use cricket feeders, and others in the topics listed too...
The only forum source I could find in regards to "usually aren't recommended" would possibly be the beginners guide created by Peter in general to all mantid species.
The guide is aimed at beginners, and as such would likely feed crickets right after pet store purchasing which can be a issue. Or feed crickets to any possible mantid species, again some species only eat flying prey. Peter says, "Crickets are ok, but I'd be careful with them. Pet store crickets should be transferred to a healthy diet for at least 48 hours, before feeding to your mantids. It's not terribly important, but a mantis is what it eats!".
Which I guess if taken out of context can make some think a cricket is inferior or problematic. To the contrary it states that the cricket should receive proper husbandry care that way it is gut-loaded, properly nourished, and in normal behavior. Of course a starving malnourished cricket with a empty gut would be what a mantid could eat if husbandry care is not done, and not recommended for anything - crickets included.
I do know he too buys crickets, but private messages and emails do not make linkable sources.
They don't seem to be very healthy for them
Crickets nutrition as feeders is in instances better, or on par, compared to other feeders. For a easy to view online table source
see here, or for more details review
the original scientific article here. Not only are other links given to more data from the table, it shows other common feeders and how they rate as well so that should dispel other claims as well.
Of course if you feed your cricket a more nutritional diet, they will pass that along to the mantid as well and be a even better feeder. See the article, "
Comparison of Diets for Mass-Rearing Acheta domesticus..." for further details. Not only are they great for mantids, they are for nearly any animal including humans. See the
last article or, "
Nutritional and sensory quality of edible insects" for related details.
they also are known to be pretty aggressive and attack mantids
Rarely if ever. Aggression is beyond overrated and in most cases nearly non-existent for a animal that is about to be eaten alive.
For this to be a problem that the mantid would not simply attack/kill/eat such a cricket is if the feeder is not appropriate sized - that is much too big. In such a case a cricket can turn the tables and hurt a mantid. From
Peter's guide, "If you look at the forelegs of your mantis (the front, grasping "arms"), their size should help you gauge the appropriate prey-size. The mantis must be able to hold the prey in its arms. There is some room for error in this method, as mantises will often take down prey smaller and/or larger than their "ideal" prey, but you will learn through experience.".
Some various cricket species are naturally more aggressive such as the field crickets (Gryllus sp.),
see here for a species list and simple attributes. The most common species Acheta domesticus and the recent Gryllodes sigillatus however, with basic husbandry care are not aggressive to mantids (even if molting, as I have experienced multiple times).
The husbandry care crickets receive has an affect of course, and an animal that is not properly fed or watered (like those from pet stores) are typically dehydrated, starving, and kept in overcrowded tanks which makes them more aggressive than normal. At that point they are trying to survive and can be aggressive or injure a mantid, just like any animal in those conditions.
To remove such abuse and aggression from the crickets, bought from a pet store or improperly cared for, they should be kept properly 48 hours before being used as a feeder. A adequate cricket tank with food/water/space is enough to remove the problems that are causing such aggression. See, "
Breeding and Raising the House Cricket", "
Methods for rearing the house cricket..." among many others for details.
For more aggression related details see, "
Behavior of the House Cricket, Acheta domesticus" which has some good information and even better links for more behavior/aggression articles.
In cricket aggression to mantids again searching past posts shows it is a rare event in witnessed/proven cases, not simply assumed/blamed. If seen is a sign of other problems typically with the mantid, often sick/injured/dying. In such instances even "cleaning crews" such as isopods can be harmful to such mantids. A normal exception is during the mantid molting process, where crickets can take advantage of the situation, but personally I have not had that problem even during a molt.
I think the below post says it best, as no normal mantid would allow a cricket to attack to start with...
they also are known to be pretty aggressive and attack mantids/other crickets
In attacking or cannibalizing other crickets that is often a husbandry care issue again; rather commonly from overcrowding, lack of resources (food/water), or similar issues. Like any animal crickets will do what it can to survive, and weak or dead cricket tank mates are easy targets if needed.
Cricket to cricket aggression can also be from them competing for mates, as is done with any animal. This cricket mating behavior however does not carry over towards humans or mantids. For details see "
Behavior of the House Cricket, Acheta domesticus".
