Handling mantids

[AikoAiko]

I am curious to hear everyone's opinion on this; Is it ok to touch your mantids? I've kept mostly wild caught Chinese mantids and sometimes I'd let one perch or walk on my arm. It didn't seem to hurt the mantis. I think handling one if you have sunscreen or soap or something on your hands would be a bad idea or handling them often enough to stress them out. But does it hurt anything to pick them up or hand feed them occasionally?

 

[pedro92]

I am curious to hear everyone's opinion on this; Is it ok to touch your mantids? I've kept mostly wild caught Chinese mantids and sometimes I'd let one perch or walk on my arm. It didn't seem to hurt the mantis. I think handling one if you have sunscreen or soap or something on your hands would be a bad idea or handling them often enough to stress them out. But does it hurt anything to pick them up or hand feed them occasionally?

I honestly doubt handling a mantis with clean hands should hurt them. Just wash b4 and after you handle them

 

[hibiscusmile]

As long as you wash as Chamelone said, it will be fine. They don't mind handling as long as u don't scare them!

 

[Rick]

You can handle them however I feel that too much handling is bad. They are a look, don't touch type of pet.

 

[OGIGA]

You can handle them, but it may stress them out. Yeah, stress is bad for insects too.

 

[chrisboy101]

my ghost loves to be handled - i think

 

[Giosan]

I haven't found any proof of mantids getting stressed when handling them.. I handle my mantids quite a lot and they don't seem to care at all

 

[mrblue]

thing is we dont really handle them do we? i don't think letting them walk/crawl on us counts. if you actually try to pick a mantis up (i mean physically grip it somehow and pick it up) they will show you how very little they like this! also i have yet to have a HEALTHY mantis that does not recoil from my touch.

 

[macro junkie]

my ghost loves to be handled - i think

did the female turn up?

 

[The_Asa]

If your mantis is fragile and tentative, use some common sense and don't handle it. Otherwise, feel free to hand feed it or whatever, just don't over do it.

 

[MantidLord]

I don't handle my mantids (unless I really need to), until they reach adult. Then I'll let them walk around for a real brief moment. As far as picking it up, I'd never even try it. I don't think any mantis "likes" being touched, because nothing touches them in the wild. As far as walking on our arms, they just consider those big, ugly, hairy, sticks.

note: I'm not saying that your arms are ugly or hairy.lol

 

[idolomantis]

I don't handle my mantids (unless I really need to), until they reach adult. Then I'll let them walk around for a real brief moment. As far as picking it up, I'd never even try it. I don't think any mantis "likes" being touched, because nothing touches them in the wild. As far as walking on our arms, they just consider those big, ugly, hairy, sticks. note: I'm not saying that your arms are ugly or hairy.lol

lol only you aldult people have that problem >

 

[Giosan]

By the way, with handling I of course don't mean picking them up.. Just playing with them, let them walk on your hand, climb on your other hand, etc.

 

[The_Asa]

You'd be surprised how fragile some species of mantids are. However, with the Chinese, and other robust mantids, I don't see any problem whatsoever. Unless of course there was some freak accident :blink:

 

[hibiscusmile]

I let mine walk around on me, I do not pick them up, they raise their arms and I let them get on me, thats all, no handling, just walking and swaying :lol: