"Forced Feeding?"

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Mime454

Mime454

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My orchid lady won't or can't catch food and eat on her own. I found a great way to get her to eat, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. If I pick her up by the neck(not pinching or anything), she gets mad, and if you put the fly by her face, she'll eat it very quickly. This is the only way I've gotten her to eat(she will suck the juice out of roaches if I offer). Do you think this is a good idea, or will it cause her too much stress in the long run? Any advice?

 
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While not having as much experience as others, I'd still like to say that I think it would be more detrimental than good. sucking out roach goo is a feeding even if she didn't bite the shell. I'd stick with that.

 
Sometimes mine eat a lot for a few days and other days. So, I don't worry if they don't eat every day. If they go too many days without eating, I sometimes have to coax them to eat. Then once they start, they'll take several flies from me. What you are doing sounds a little extreme.

What temperature are you keeping her at? If you aren't keeping her warm enough, try putting her by a heat lamp in a well ventilated enclosure (with plenty to drink) for a while. Her appetite may increase.

 
My orchid lady is not so well. I'm pretty sure that she's blind in at least 1 eye and her arms don't seem to be working right. That's why I'm asking.

 
That explains why she eats only when you feed her, poor baby. Is she able to hold the flys on her own when you give them to her? Sometimes when a mantis won't eat I will hold the food until they are done. It takes some time but at least it is consumed. Usually they will be able to hold it after they get started, but that doesn't sound like the case for your girl. It is prob. less stress than starving. I hope she will be ok.

 
Mime454 said:
My orchid lady is not so well. I'm pretty sure that she's blind in at least 1 eye and her arms don't seem to be working right. That's why I'm asking.
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Sorry to hear that. You didn't mention the temperature. I'd keep offering her food with forceps now and then. I hope she gets better.

 
sally said:
That explains why she eats only when you feed her, poor baby. Is she able to hold the flys on her own when you give them to her? Sometimes when a mantis won't eat I will hold the food until they are done. It takes some time but at least it is consumed. Usually they will be able to hold it after they get started, but that doesn't sound like the case for your girl. It is prob. less stress than starving. I hope she will be ok.
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She can hold on to roaches but it takes her awhile. Not flies though.

 
I do not suggest holding mantids by their thorax. Aside from getting stressed from being manhandled, you don't know whether or not you're causing her any damage by picking her up that way. If someone picked you up by the neck and you were flailing around, you'd probably get injured. A common way to paralyze insects is by crushing or squeezing their thorax. Very important ganglia involved in locomotion can be found in the thorax, and even if you do not feel like you're pinching her thorax, you're definitely applying force that would not normally be experienced.

 
Will she take the food if you just hold the gooey parts to her mouth without you holding her? Most mantids will. I can't recall a situation where the mantis had to be physically held by the thorax.

 
Rick said:
Will she take the food if you just hold the gooey parts to her mouth without you holding her? Most mantids will. I can't recall a situation where the mantis had to be physically held by the thorax.
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Yes, but she doesn't chew. Just drinks up the goo. I should be more clear, I'm not grabbing by the thorax, that would be difficult with this species. More like right before the first pair of legs.

 
Maybe there is something wrong with her mouth as well as her forelegs? Maybe only give her soft foods.

If it is not the head, or the abdomen, it is the thorax. I couldn't imagine the little "neck" area being big enough to grasp. The thorax has 3 segments: The forelegs are connected to the pronotum or prothorax, the middle legs to the mesonotum/mesothorax, and the rear legs to the metanotum/metathorax. It is all thorax around there pretty much from the head to the abdomen.

 

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