How to tell if they're hungry?

[Vore]

I'm just a little concerned. My instar hasn't eaten in about two days. I offered it a crippled little spider yesterday, and it sorta flinched and drew its forelegs back, refusing to touch it. I didn't make a big deal about it, thinking maybe I just startled it. So I released the spider into the enclosure. Later on when I was watching, the mantis would just come by and step over the spider. That spider is now dead. So I tossed in another spider, this one bigger and more lively, but I know it's of decent size. I am wondering if my praying mantis might be preparing to molt, however it IS still moving around. It'll be still for several convincing minutes, then make a few laps around the circular enclosure. In addition to that, it doesn't seem to be seeking out an upside down position. Instead it'll be on the wall, cleaning its legs, tilting its head around, moving about every few minutes. Whereas, from my understanding, mantids get kinda lethargic when preparing to molt.

So what? Do I just let it be? If it's hungry then of course I want to help it get food. But if it is preparing to molt then I'd just be bothering it. Are there any signs that indicate hunger in mantids?

 

[Rick]

Look at the abdomen. If it is flat then it needs to eat. Try to keep it somewhere between flat and plump. Not eating and pacing the cage can be a sign of a molt. They get really still and kinda hang a little more limp when the molt is minutes away.

 

[hibiscusmile]

try something other than spider, got anymoths or flies?

 

[LauraMG]

Sounds like a molt waiting to happen! My Chinese didn't eat for 10 days on her last molt, 6 before and 4 after. I got freaked out because that's the longest she's ever gone without eating but as soon as it was over she ate with a vigor I've never seen before. Usually that's the MO too, flinching away from prey and pacing back and forth.

 

[Vore]

Okay, so checked on it this morning, and there's no sign of the spider, except for what kinda looks like a leg. :devil2: So I'm a little relieved, I guess. I sure hope it molts soon, just so all this speculation is cleared up.

And Rick, what do you mean by 'flat'? Can I see a picture for reference?

 

[Rick]

Okay, so checked on it this morning, and there's no sign of the spider, except for what kinda looks like a leg. :devil2: So I'm a little relieved, I guess. I sure hope it molts soon, just so all this speculation is cleared up.

And Rick, what do you mean by 'flat'? Can I see a picture for reference?

Flat abdomen. I don't know how to explain it. I assume you know what I mean by a plump abdomen. Well, the opposite of that. Skinny I guess you could say. I try to keep mine about halfway between plump (fat) and flat or skinny.

 

[JoeCapricorn]

Next time your mantis molts, take note of the appearance of the abdomen. That is truly as flat as you'll be able to see, or at least that's how flat my mantises get because I otherwise keep them fairly plump. It also takes me three or four days to get a mantis that is freshly molted to a plump state, I don't feed them so much at a time.