meaganelise9
Well-known member
Sorry if this has been asked but I couldn't seem to find an answer- how much do mantids tend to eat. Mine are bout L4 and enjoying fruit flies, but how many should I try to feed in a day?
How much to feed
- Thread starter meaganelise9
- Start date
Help Support Mantidforum:
lunarstorm
Well-known member
This is a tricky question to answer and I've noticed different tactics and responses from different people.
For nymphs or communal species, I generally adhere to a "let them eat as much as they'd like" rule and try to always ensure there's a fly or two available for em to munch on. This helps mitigate cannibalism and ensures the mantids are well fed and hydrated (they get a lot of their moisture from their food.) It's fun for me to see their appetites grow as they do.
For nymphs or communal species, I generally adhere to a "let them eat as much as they'd like" rule and try to always ensure there's a fly or two available for em to munch on. This helps mitigate cannibalism and ensures the mantids are well fed and hydrated (they get a lot of their moisture from their food.) It's fun for me to see their appetites grow as they do.
Sounds good to me! also if it is getting bigger, try house flies.
PhilinYuma
Well-known member
lunarstorm
Well-known member
Great points Hibiscusmile and PhilinYuma. I can't say with certainty based on my experience yet, but some nymphs can even take down bluebottles at L4, right?
meaganelise9
Well-known member
Yeah, they've actually already had a couple small crickets (tough guys).
Watch the abdomen. It should be plump. Not looking like it is about to burst and not flat. Right in the middle. A little on the fat side is better than on the skinny side. And at L4 depending on species it is probably time to move up in food size unless it is a small type mantis.
angelofdeathzz
Well-known member
With larger breeds house flies can be introduced at L2-L3, some like Idolo, Gongy(violins),etc will take house flies after a feeding or two of ff's while still L1, but even smaller types should eat house flies by L3-4, at first they may back away since they never have seen pray that size but soon they should gobble one down if hungry and fatten up nicely.
I find most mantis can easily handle flying pray about half their size, but crickets are another story, use discretion and monitor them when feeding them these as crix can fight back and kill/mame your young guns!
I find most mantis can easily handle flying pray about half their size, but crickets are another story, use discretion and monitor them when feeding them these as crix can fight back and kill/mame your young guns!
PhilinYuma
Well-known member
People often talk about switching from FFs to HFs and then to BBs (or Bs! ) as though this were an "either or" thing. I suggest that if your nymphs are handling hydei with ease, introduce a few HFs and see if they are eaten. If they all go while there are still a lot of FFs left, then it is time to switch.
When raising nymphs in a cube, it is a good idea to make the transitional period even longer. I suspect that one cause of deaths in mantis communities is that when most nymphs can manage larger food, a few late molters simply starve for lack of suitable food.
This is a fun hobby, in' it?
) as though this were an "either or" thing. I suggest that if your nymphs are handling hydei with ease, introduce a few HFs and see if they are eaten. If they all go while there are still a lot of FFs left, then it is time to switch.When raising nymphs in a cube, it is a good idea to make the transitional period even longer. I suspect that one cause of deaths in mantis communities is that when most nymphs can manage larger food, a few late molters simply starve for lack of suitable food.
This is a fun hobby, in' it?
tina1
Member
My general rule is to feed every other day unless the mantids bum is still a little skinny. There are a few species that can be over fed. I believe orchids, theopropus elegans, pseudoharpax virescans are some of the ones who have problems with over feeding. With my small nymphs i put a couple ff's in for each (i keep in batches of 5 until 3rd instar), and for my bigger ones it depends one how big the mantis is, but it can range between 2 greenbottles to 5or 6 greenbottles. My really big species (viridis ect) i feed green bottles, blue bottles, moths, and locusts. When the bums look plump i leave them for a day or 2 to let the bum flatten down a little. A plump bum can be a sign that the mantis is due to moult too, so i dont generally feed until the mantis either moults or the bum looks a little skinnier.
I think a mantis will eat whatever it comes across, and i suppose this is due to the wild tendencies because they dont get food every day in the wild, so they have to eat when they can because they arent guaranteed to get a fly or 2 the next day.
Sorry for the essay!!!!
Tina x
I think a mantis will eat whatever it comes across, and i suppose this is due to the wild tendencies because they dont get food every day in the wild, so they have to eat when they can because they arent guaranteed to get a fly or 2 the next day.
Sorry for the essay!!!!
Tina x
