Lazy Mantis

[Twiggy]

I have a Giant Asian Mantis, who's very very lazy, she wont eat unless her food comes to her, and believe it or not it's not easy finding that many stupid crickets! Also the other day the water at the top of her tank had dried up (not the bottom just the top area) and she dehydrated herself because she couldnt be bothered to move down to drink.. is this normal of this species? the last mantids I had werent this lazy!!

 

[Lukony]

How long has it been since she has eaten? It might just be as simple as she is getting ready to molt.

 

[Rick]

Some species just don't move much.

 

[Twiggy]

She eats around 3 crickets a day, she shed on saturday night, it's not that though, its simply because she's lazy, if i feed it to her, or its stupid enough to come to her she'll eat it, and she'll eat stupid amounts if i let her... maybe she just thinks she deserves to be pampered!?

 

[julian camilo]

was this the case even before she moulted? because i often experience this with newly moulted mantids and get panicked that theyre leazy and whatnot. for example with my gongylus, after moulting they just wouldnt really take food unless i made sure it walked near them etc.but now theyre fine, it might just be too soon after moulting. they may look fin and the skin might be hardened but sometimes it takes this long for them to get eating properly again. then again, if she was like this the rest of her life before the moult, im not sure what it could be. ive had mantids that really did just seem "lazy" (occasionaly glancing at prey but never making an effor tto go for it, not really moving much). what about temeperature? the inactivity may be due to low temperature. sorry i cant be of any real help. give it 2 or 3 more days, she might "snap out of it" like ive seen happen sometimes.

 

[Jay]

I have noticed that all of my mantids have quite different personalities. I have a couple that are shy and take their time finding their food while moving from side to side, some will not go anywhere near their food until it comes to them, and then others will jump from the top of their enclosure to "ambush" their food.

My favorite girl takes no time at finding the food. She twists her body then drops from the top of the enclosure with arms flailing then grabs the bug at the bottom so that by the time she lands she is upside down with the bug in her claws. She then awkwardly maneuvers her body right side up (because she is busy using her forelegs to hold on to her prey) and devours her meal. This might seem crazy but I just love how she pounces!

For a gravid mantid she seems a bit crazy to pull stunts like that!

I wonder if she can do this and catch a fly in midair while falling?

 

[13ollox]

i agree with jay ... my Polyspilota aeruginosa was a complete nutter ... wouldnt sneak up on pray .. would go the direct route in a hurry and then jump on its meal before munching it down extreamly quickly . i even put a few maggots in her tank once and she grabbed one stuffed it in her face then cought 2 more , one in both arms ! but my H.Grandis are exactly liek yours .. i basically have to wave food in there face before they even take notice of it around let alone want to catch it, also one loves being lightly misted .. and the other one runs around histerically ! what funny beings they are ! nothing to worry about !

Thanks

Neil