How often and how much to feed L2 nymphs?

[ladyarcana55]

Hello everyone!

I ordered three new mantids, Red Armed Mantis (Hierodula Venosa), and I should be getting them this week. I'm excited for them to be here but I am nervous. This would be the second time I have kept mantids and my first time to start with L2s. The last mantis I had was given to me by a friend whom, I suspect, powerfed him and I don't want to make the same mistake. Needless to say, I have a ton of questions.

I know I should be using fruit flies, but how many should I give them and how often? Should I wait for them to completely finish the flies? Will the fruit flies be dangerous to them when they molt?

Thank you all for putting up with the newbie's questions.

Anna

 

[River Dane]

Don’t worry, this is a fairly common question. Just keep feeding them until they look nice and plump. There’s no particular schedule that should be followed. You just have to kind of eyeball it. 

If your mantis is running away from the flies, that’s a good sign they’re getting ready to molt, at which point you could remove the flies if it seems possible they may disturb your mantis in the middle of molting.

EDIT: would also like to add that providing more food than necessary is oftentimes better than underfeeding. Mantids generally know when to stop eating, and it’s unusual for most species to gorge themselves to death.

 

[Rick]

You really have no need to worry. How many flies is hard to determine. The best way, already mentioned, is to just look at the abdomens. If thin and flat feed them more, if looking like about to burst feed less. I always fed mantids every other day. You will definitely need some sort of enclosure that doesn't allow the flies to escape. You  may need to get creative on how to get the flies from their culture into the mantis enclosure. If using the standard 32 oz deli cup, I like the hole in the side, funnel trick to get flies in. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

I always fed mantids every other day.

I do the same and if abdomen is still plump they wait 1 more day to be fed again.

 

[PaxALotl]

You really have no need to worry. How many flies is hard to determine. The best way, already mentioned, is to just look at the abdomens. If thin and flat feed them more, if looking like about to burst feed less. I always fed mantids every other day. You will definitely need some sort of enclosure that doesn't allow the flies to escape. You  may need to get creative on how to get the flies from their culture into the mantis enclosure. If using the standard 32 oz deli cup, I like the hole in the side, funnel trick to get flies in. 

Hey what is the h'ole in the side, funnel trick'?