Heads and legs only please

[maneki]

I've noticed that when I feed my mantis crickets she only eats the head and legs then drops the body. I'm getting really tired of cleaning out cricket carcasses. LOL Is this normal for the body to be discarded every time?

 

[LauraMG]

How funny!

Most of mine eat all except for the drumsticks most of the time. She may just not be too fond of crickets!

 

[Ntsees]

It could be full, or it just needs water.

 

[Rick]

Some mantids I have had do this and others don't.

 

[ismart]

Thats a sign, thats it's full! It will just eat bits and pieces, if you keep throwing more food in there. It's a waste of food.

 

[maneki]

Thank you all. I was hoping this was normal, or at least not a sign of something wrong. I feel better now.

 

[taraction]

don't mean to hijack the topic here but i have a question: my mantis will only eat about half the cricket before dropping the rest, but i know he's not full. when i feed him i usually put 2 crix in his enclosure at the same time, and i always end up with 2 writhing cricket halves in a few minutes. is this a subtle hint that i need to switch to another feeder?

 

[LauraMG]

don't mean to hijack the topic here but i have a question: my mantis will only eat about half the cricket before dropping the rest, but i know he's not full. when i feed him i usually put 2 crix in his enclosure at the same time, and i always end up with 2 writhing cricket halves in a few minutes. is this a subtle hint that i need to switch to another feeder?

Could be full or could not like crickets. Either wouldn't surprise me. If the abdomen looks very swollen or you're giving it 2 crickets every day, you might try laying off for a day or two and seeing how it does then. I've found my Chinese will really pick at something if she's not hungry