Hi. I'm new to the Mantis scene and a week ago we purchased a Asian. He settled really well and was eating fine. The last few days he's just hung off the roof of the tank. He has no interest in food and just watches it scuttle by. I did try to feed him with a cricket in some tweezers but he just freaked and ran down into the enclosure. Also my humidity is averaging 75. The weather is very humid here so i only spray a little bit near him so he can have a drink. Is the humidity being that high going to affect him/her. Ive got plenty of ventilation at the top of the enclosure and drilled a number of holes at the bottom to help with circulation. The holes at the bottom are quite small. This is so the small crickets i put in dont escape....any advice would be appreciated...thanks. Matt
High humidity and not eating
- Thread starter mattscott
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This species can have health issues if the enclosure isn't well ventilated. General recommended humidity range is around 40-60, but 70 would be fine if well ventilated. How large is the enclosure and the opening ventilation hole at the top? You may want to consider adding an additional vent like the one shown. They're dirt cheap on eBay and easy to install... unless the enclosure is glass.
The skittish behavior and refusal to eat could be a sign that it is about to molt. If that's the case you should remove the feeders because they can interrupt the molting process.
The skittish behavior and refusal to eat could be a sign that it is about to molt. If that's the case you should remove the feeders because they can interrupt the molting process.
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Hi thanks for the reply. The tank is a 12L plastic tank. About 18x8x12 inches. As in the pictures it has vents at the top and ive drilled a series of holes at the bottom. Ive drilled quite alot of holes in the bottom. They're not that big as the crickets im feeding are quite small so dont want them to escape. As the mantis gets bigger i can drill them with a bigger drill bit or get some of the screens you recommend. My humidity is quite high its all over the place really but the humidity is high outside at the moment. I did try to feed a few crickets over the last few days but he's not intested now i cant catch them without emptying my tank to catch the bloody things. Is it ok to leave them in there? My hydrometer is one i use in my greenhouse as shown in the picture so not sure how accurate it is. In one of the pictures is the little fella hanging there. He's been there a couple of days.
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They vents come in various sizes. The ones I use are around 2 inches. With the enclosure you are using I think you already have plenty of ventilation. 
As for the leftover feeders, it is best to remove them. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.
Keep track of the molt dates and you'll have more of a heads-up when they are due. It sounds like your mantis is in good hands. 
As for the leftover feeders, it is best to remove them. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.
Keep track of the molt dates and you'll have more of a heads-up when they are due. It sounds like your mantis is in good hands. I will thankyou. There's plenty of room for air to escape i think. I will get them out tomorrow. It would be easier if i could feed it something else which i can then catch abit easier if he doesn't eat it or should i just hold off on the food for a bit. I dont know how long but he's definitely not interested in eating.
Yes, never leave crickets with your mantis if they don't eat it. That cricket will kill your mantis. Looks like yours is
going to molt.
going to molt.
