Leaving for Vacation OK?

[watspoppin25a]

Hey all! Next week I'm leaving for vacation and I seem to have a bit of a dilemma. Would it be alright to leave my mantises by themselves for about 5-6 Days? They're four Budwings, two are adults, two are sub adults, a female and male for each. I'm pretty sure the sub-adults are going to molt soon too. If I can't find a sitter what would I have to do and is risky? Thanks in advance everybody!

 

[The_Asa]

Should be fine, especially for the adults. Stick a little food in the cages before you leave, or just feed them well prior...mist a couple times and you should be fine.

 

[nasty bugger]

I'd think some humidity sponge will help, and some food that won't knock the molters off their perch, like maybe non climbing roaches. I was thinking crickets also, if you don't have anything for them to climb up to the mantis', that is if they last long in there B)

I actually think that fruitflies would be least 'dangerous' to molt interupt, but they are probably too small for you mantis' at there maturity.

Maybe some pollen for all to eat?

I don't really notice my mantis' drinking water, so I assume they get their fluids from their food.

I'd have nobody either so I'd just feed up well, then put some sponge in, and a couple crickets, and get going.

A moist piece of fruit would probably give them some humidity and some food for the food

 

[PhilinYuma]

So are you going on a tour or a cruise, or visiting friends or relatives? If the latter, put your pots in one large shoebox, pack some live food and a spray bottle and take them with you. They should survive fine for less than a week, but you'll worry less if you take 'em with.

 

[watspoppin25a]

Nope, going on a cruise. Looks like I'm just going to leave a lot of meal worms in their tank and spray the sponges a bit extra... Anyone think this is a bad idea?

 

[The_Asa]

Seems fine, wouldn't recommend putting crickets in as they have been known to take advantage of molting situations. I can't imagine mealworms doing much harm.

 

[yen_saw]

I agree cricket is not recommended as molting mantis can be vulnerable. Put in some live flies and also some fly pupa that will hatch in the next two days and you will be alright. Adult/subadult can survive a long time without food, gives them a mist/spray before your trip.

 

[Rick]

Put some extra food in there and something to hold some humidity for the nymphs and go enjoy yourself.

 

[watspoppin25a]

Thanks guys, I feel much better about leaving them by themselves now. Responses were really quick!

 

[robelgado]

there have been some cases where a live mantis has been shipped. and upon not being delivered, was sent back

to the original owner of the mantis two weeks later. and the nymphs have survived that ordeal

 

[nasty bugger]

I didn't see yen saw's post when I wrote this, so here's a kinda double post

Just occured to me, I just put some of the fly pupae to warm up and open into flies, or whatever stage it is right before they open into actual flies, and I thought about your post and thought I'd mention the pupae or whatever it is

You could get some of these and put them in the mantis enclosure, and when they warm and open in a day or three your mantis' will have fresh food. I put some of the pupae in my mantis enclosures, along with opened flies, and they soon open into flies and the mantis gets food, and I don't have to catch the flying flies.

They don't all open at the same time, so you do get a kinda time release thing if you just dump some pupae in the enclosure.

Just an idea for 'time released' feeding.

My mantis' don't touch the pupae, that I've seen, but when they open and the flies start to flying it gets their attention real quick B) They relish the challenge or is it just taking out the annoyance... hmm, I don't know, but they eat them flies.