I think I figured out something..

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SomeWhiteGuy

SomeWhiteGuy

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Something no one has talked about really and it might help some people out.

I noticed just like my tarantula after a molt the mantids will sometimes get depressed and be scared shy or not eat the best way to get past it is to hold them more then normal and keep them warm and get them water and try to hand feed them with tweezers if you can. I don't recommend the same things for a spider but I still do all but holding him XD

 
It would be best to leave the teneral mantis alone for a couple of days as they can be easily injured at that time. Just have them drink if they want to.

Sometimes, if the mantis is tapping or rubbing its head at the container (rarely), I will open it to let it walk around or on my hand. I don't want them to beat themselves up.

 
All of mine tend to get nervous if I don't handle them often.

When I have too many bugs and not too much time, they don't get enough "out of container" time. :(

 
I've never had a mantis get 'depressed' or loose interest in food after a shedding outside of the perfectly normal and healthy desire for many to wait until they have finished hardening. If your mantises are refusing food my guess is you are attempting to feed them too soon after shedding. Excessive handling after a shedding is also the last thing I would suggest and I am one of the users on here that regularly handles my mantises.

 
I handle my mantids all the time and it's definitely true that they seem to need it. If mine don't get held enough, they go crazy trying to escape. However, handling the same day as a molt can be extremely risky, so I probably would wait if I were you :)

 
I don't agree with handling mantids often. They are most vulnerable after a molt. I try my best to let them be and give them space. They can also become stressed if handled to much.

 
Depends on the mantid from my experience. My Popa and my creo dont typically like coming out, but my Ghost gets frantic if she doesn't come out often. I have her out every day, whether she runs around on a fake plant or my hand makes no difference to her as long as she is out.

 
I suppose that when someone says "handle" it will have different meanings, depending on who says it. When I say it, it usually means letting a mantis out and placing them somewhere, like a plant or window screen. Usually it is to clean the enclosure, take a photo, or breeding.

Sometimes, just to have them walk around if they are restless and trying to escape the container. It drives me nuts when they do that, so I usually put them in a different container, or put in different plants or decor while they are out.

I have had mantids that became adult, or nearly so, without much "handling". These mantids can really freak out when they see a hand coming at them.

I don't really like to use the word "hold" as it implies restraining a mantis. I am sure that mantids don't like to cuddle. lol

For the most part, my mantids handle me. I just use my hand, or a stick, to let them step on.

 
Well my experience was with Chinese mantids and I would not handle then directly after a molt it would normally be a day or 2 after the initial day if they were not eating or acting funny

 
In the wild, they don't have humans to comfort them after a molt. If they're "shy", then handling them will stress them out.

 

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