is there any doctor in the forum?

[maxxxix]

Hello, is there any doctor in the forum?

My mantises are now almost 3 inches big. Not all of them, but mostly. I start to feed them with crickets, ½ inches long, the mantises are happy with this food.

The problem is there more comfortable when the food climb to them than when they have to run on the floor of the terrarium for the crickets.

What other food could be big and good enough to climb to them a keep my mantises more happy.

I really don’t want any mental disorder or some light psychiatric pathology in my mantises just because these crickets don’t want to jump little higher.

Maxxxix

 

[massaman]

you can go outside and look for other forms of food like moths or small spiders or something like that that may cling to the walls of your house or other buildings or fences or trees and also look for small flies as well!

 

[ismart]

You could always glue a piece of paper towel, or mesh to one side of the enclosure so the crickets can climb to the top. Also adding sticks and twigs will help with this. Crickets are always looking for ways to escape. Sooner or later they will make there way to the top!

 

[Rick]

Add something that the crickets can climb to the top on.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Ditto!

 

[swords]

Yep, I've been outta flies for a week or so now (should arrive tomorrow) but my ghosts and spiny flower mantids who "won't eat crickets" are doing just that, eating crickets and apparently, loving it. My little vivariums are packed with twigs and live plants and the insect shelf has an oscillating fan blowing back and forth over it to dispell heat from the T5HO lighting fixtures as well as create a small breeze for those insects who won't move without air flow and they've had no hassles eating appropriately sized crickets I've offered. I have flies coming but crickets seem to be OK in a pinch if they have an easy way to get at them.

I have read that crickets as food will kill Violins but I wonder if it's because people are feeding calcium gut-loaded crickets to their mantids. I never feed my feeder insects (roaches, crickets, isopods) anything except ground dry catfood (friskies Naturals or Sprout all natural cat food) and lettuce, oranges, oak leaves, etc. No potato and no calcium supplements of any sort.

 

[hogosha]

Ditto!

Ditto, er, +1 (2?)

My crickets are always climbing to the top of the containers where my mantids are more than happy to much on them.

I found some artificial "twigs" in the fake flowers area of a local craft store that work great. Stiff wire core wrapped in what reminds me of a paper grocery bag as the "bark" of the stick. Shape and cut to your needs and look great. Only warning is that they are almost a perfect match in color for Ghost ooths. Had a fertile ooth on one and didn't know it till it hatched. Lots of fast action that evening getting the nymphs away from mommy!

Mikey

 

[massaman]

potatoes is a good source of water as are oranges and apples and thats why when ordering crickets some are shipped with potatoes for water and food source!

 

[maxxxix]

Ok guys

I made a ramp and the crickets are happy to climb to the top of the terrarium and my mantises psyche are good now.

Thanks to everybody.