lettuce eating mantid

[rospil15]

My limbata had just mated and I temporarily put her in an enclosure where I usually keep grasshoppers. At the bottom were some dried up lettuce leaves. She climbed down and began munching on some of the dried up leaves. Is this normal behavior? I had fed her a lot, so I know she was not hungry. I also feed her a variety of food, such as grasshoppers, butterflies, flies, crickets, and moths, so I don't think she is missing something in her diet. Has anyone seen this before? Thanks.

 

[PhilinYuma]

It's not normal for mantids to live in pots, but they manage. I very much doubt that your mother to be will come to any harm -- maybe the leaves smelled/tasted of crix!

 

[cloud jaguar]

Perhaps the mantis knows that you are a vegetarian and is trying to "fit in" and be cool like you.

 

[beckyl92]

she was getting moisture from it i assume

 

[hibiscusmile]

Never seen it, but gonna try a little salad for breakfast tomorrow, in the meantime, give her a good misting, she may be thirsty!

 

[[email protected]]

[SIZE=14pt]Ya mantid don't eat mashmellow in the wild but some1 feed 1 to a mantid, and then there is hunny I never seen a mantid pull up to a hunny bar and ask for 2 fingers of hunny, and they will take hunny @ time so who know, A finger was like a shot I think.[/SIZE]

 

[Rick]

She is thirsty and senses the moisture in the lettuce. Same reason sometimes they will "lick" your skin. Mist her more often.

 

[Ntsees]

As what many have said above, your mantid is thirsty. Use a toothpick or something and put a drop of water onto it's forelegs.

 

[Rick]

As what many have said above, your mantid is thirsty. Use a toothpick or something and put a drop of water onto it's forelegs.

I think misting would be far more effective.

 

[Katnapper]

I think misting would be far more effective.

I mist them every day usually (depending on species, age), to give them a drink.

 

[Ntsees]

I think misting would be far more effective.

Yeah, misting would be more effective. Sometimes I use it too, but when I have a few minutes to spare, I like to watch how a water droplet disappears as the mantid drinks it.

 

[rospil15]

Thanks. I'll remember to mist her regularly. And, Arkanis, no, I have not yet told her that I am vegetarian.