Laser Assisted Feeding

[SntaCruz83]

I'm new to the Mantid raising world so I'm certain I'm not the first to ever suggest this but I thought I'd try and make a contribution early on. I like to keep my mantises relatively high up on a shelf because I am convinced that otherwise every time I walk by I needlessly freak them out a little. I also make sure to keep something between each of my seven enclosures because they have this tendency to smash themselves against the walls trying to get at one another.

ANYway, because of their location it can be somewhat tedious to try and drop in a cricket/fly/moth and having to wait around to see if it's actually hungry or not. (I'm paranoid about bad molts and never leave feeder insects in with them just in case.) I now take a laser pointer and shine it near where the mantis is standing and see if they go after it. If they go after the laser (in an aggressive way, not the shove/keep away from me sort of way) I drop in some food for them, if not I try later. It's saved me from putting a cricket in with one of my mantises that I incorrectly assumed was too early to molt.

Initially I just used the pointer to play with the mantises, but it's become quite the time saver for me.

P.S. As a side note, I did a search on the forums for waxworms and came up with nothing. Do people not feed their mantises waxworms? My guys really don't seem to care for them but they will eat them occasionally.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Why didn't I think of this? I know I have a laser pointer somewhere around the house that none of the mammals where interested in. This is going to be so much fun. It will be like having them chase the mouse pointer but they won't need to be on the computer screen. :devil2:

Also, that is a great idea to help gauge if a mantis is currently interested in eating.

 

[crucis]

i'm going to dig up my pointer too! Just knew it would come in handy somehow...

Speaking of lasers, though, i think we'd better take extra care not to beam them in the eyes

 

[psyconiko]

P.S. As a side note, I did a search on the forums for waxworms and came up with nothing. Do people not feed their mantises waxworms? My guys really don't seem to care for them but they will eat them occasionally.


Hi!Nice laser trick!

I do feed my Gongylus with waxworm imago.So they rather look like moth....

 

[PhilinYuma]

I'm new to the Mantid raising world so I'm certain I'm not the first to ever suggest this but I thought I'd try and make a contribution early on. I like to keep my mantises relatively high up on a shelf because I am convinced that otherwise every time I walk by I needlessly freak them out a little. I also make sure to keep something between each of my seven enclosures because they have this tendency to smash themselves against the walls trying to get at one another.

ANYway, because of their location it can be somewhat tedious to try and drop in a cricket/fly/moth and having to wait around to see if it's actually hungry or not. (I'm paranoid about bad molts and never leave feeder insects in with them just in case.) I now take a laser pointer and shine it near where the mantis is standing and see if they go after it. If they go after the laser (in an aggressive way, not the shove/keep away from me sort of way) I drop in some food for them, if not I try later. It's saved me from putting a cricket in with one of my mantises that I incorrectly assumed was too early to molt.

Initially I just used the pointer to play with the mantises, but it's become quite the time saver for me.

P.S. As a side note, I did a search on the forums for waxworms and came up with nothing. Do people not feed their mantises waxworms? My guys really don't seem to care for them but they will eat them occasionally.

Very cool! I've done this with cats, who have a great time, especially when you place the spot on the rump of one of them! :lol: Joe Capricorn did this with the pointer on his computer with similar results.

Aside from entertainment value, though, i think that it is overkill when using it as a feeding aid. Are you keeping yr mantids in deli cups? I have never known a cuppla houseflies to harm a molting mantis; it is not as though they are going to attack it! Crickets and other mantids are another matter, though.

If you keep your pets in net cages, the easiest way to feed a group of mantids is to put a bunch of flies in there and let them feed when they feel like it. If you put in plenty of cover, twigs, raffia, oddly colored sponges or what have you, they will often use these when they want to molt and should be pretty safe.

If you go to the search engine box at the top of every forum page, directly below yr name and avatar, and enter "waxworms", you will find about 76 (one more, now!) references to them. Good luck, and thanx for an interesting idea!

 

[SntaCruz83]

Very cool! I've done this with cats, who have a great time, especially when you place the spot on the rump of one of them! :lol: Joe Capricorn did this with the pointer on his computer with similar results.

Aside from entertainment value, though, i think that it is overkill when using it as a feeding aid. Are you keeping yr mantids in deli cups? I have never known a cuppla houseflies to harm a molting mantis; it is not as though they are going to attack it! Crickets and other mantids are another matter, though.

If you keep your pets in net cages, the easiest way to feed a group of mantids is to put a bunch of flies in there and let them feed when they feel like it. If you put in plenty of cover, twigs, raffia, oddly colored sponges or what have you, they will often use these when they want to molt and should be pretty safe.

If you go to the search engine box at the top of every forum page, directly below yr name and avatar, and enter "waxworms", you will find about 76 (one more, now!) references to them. Good luck, and thanx for an interesting idea!

Thanks for the tips. I guess I'm just paranoid about houseflies bumping into a mantis mid-molt. This is my first time raising any mantises, and five of the seven came from the same ooth. I think I'm just like a first time parent that is overly protective. My mantises are kept in individual Amac Acrylic Boxes. I drill out a large hole on the top and hotglue (low temp glue) some screen over the hole. I then hotglue some thick twigs in place to provide some footing. I like these particular boxes quite a bit because my mantises tend to stick to the top (where the screen is) and I can easily take the top off, place it on the table with them still in the top part, drop in some feeders and put the top back on. I still have to watch carefully to make sure they don't try and dash out when I'm putting the cover back on - haven't had any close calls yet, but again, I'm paranoid.

Also, I think the reason I couldn't find anything on "waxworms" was because I was probably reading another topic/thread when I tried to use the search and didn't notice it was set to search the particular thread I was in. Oops! Anyway, thanks again!