idolomantis diabolica- too many fruit flies harmful?

[jpusser510]

Hi i am new to Mantid forum and need advice on feeding my idolomantis diabolica nymph-L3, i am having a hard time feeding him flightless fruit flies, he rarely eats them, will knock them away from him when they get close and has even grabbed a couple only to drop them. His abdomen has become very tiny and i am worried about him starving. I moved him into a smaller enclosure and put lots of flies in there but moving him stressed him out. He becomes very stressed and scared whenever the lid is taken off. I know this is due to the temperment of this species. I am wondering if the large number of flies is stressing him out and causing him to not eat and could potentially harm him and if i should take him out. I read a post where someone talked about using foreceps to hold a fly in front of their devils flower but mine gets very defensive and stressed whenever the enclosure lid is removed and he is disturbed so i dont think he would like that. Any advice on what to do? Thanks

 

[CosbyArt]

You should be using a feeding hole, then you will not have to remove the lid anymore. A feeder hole is easy to add, just make a hole in the side or lid of the habitat large enough to add in the flies, about a 1/2" in diameter. Then you simply cut a piece of sponge foam to plug the hole. You can see picture of mine with a green sponge (cheap car washing sponge) plug, at this link.

Excessive flies will stress out your mantis from the movement, feeling crowded, and actually from being run into from the flies (they walk on everything). You should only feed it a few flies at a time, and remove any excess flies. Your mantis is grabbing and dropping the flies to get them off and away from him.

Some mantises respond to hand feeding/force feeding using forceps, while others will become even more stressed. If your mantis runs away, shows a threat display, or slaps the forceps whenever you get close do not force it - as he does not like you doing it and are only stressing him out more (which makes him less likely to eat).

In the meantime add a feeder hole, remove excess flies, and try feeding him 100% honey on a toothpick. If he doesn't eat the honey smear some on his raptor forearms (he will eat it when he cleans it off) and you can put some honey on his lid. I have a few of my nymphs trained now that there is honey near their branch on the lid.

 

[idologrl]

I was feeding mine house fly at this instar. Try larger prey, Idolos like large prey. Or maybe he/she is getting ready to molt. Mist his tiny raptors with water so he can drink. Try giving him honey with water mixed with a dropper so he can keep his energy up..Idolos are tricky sometimes. And what CosbyArt posted is a good idea as well.

 

[jpusser510]

Thank you for the info and the suggestions idologrl and cosbyart, i am going to construct a feeding tube today and try the honey and mist on his raptor forearms.

 

[jpusser510]

The honey and misting on the raptor forearms worked and he ate it while cleaning his forearms off. Hopefully this gives him enough energy to pursue hunting the flies. I am also going to look for larger flies. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[idologrl]

:clap: Glad your baby is doing better... I had to upgrade the flys myself. My idolos are getting to big for ff so now am hatching out houseflys for them. Hope they hatch soon! Idolos are the reason I have grey hair. lol.

 

[CosbyArt]

Great, glad all is well.

I'm at the housefly stage as well and have been using house fly pupae from MantisPlace. They seem to go fast though when feeding. Its always better to add a few more pupae to incubate and then just feed the flies honey and mist their container until they are used as feeders (the mantis may get the honey treat eating them too).

 

[jpusser510]

He( i named him Dante ) just caught and ate two flies so i think the honey and mist reinvigorated him although he didnt enjoy having it smeared on his arms. Thanks again for the suggestions. Heres a poor quality phone photo of him

 

[jpusser510]

Thanks again!

 

[CosbyArt]

He( i named him Dante ) just caught and ate two flies so i think the honey and mist reinvigorated him although he didnt enjoy having it smeared on his arms. Thanks again for the suggestions. Heres a poor quality phone photo of him

Glad Dante is eating, always a step in the right direction. Yeah mine seem to get a bit mad as well sometimes, but kids have to take their "medicine" when sick. Nice to see a photo of him, very nice.