Mantid scared of living food

[Marianna]

My mantid, who had been basically crippled for about a month and therefore I hand fed, now runs the opposite way of any living food (he runs because he has had a successful molt and can now stand, climb, RUN, etc. HOORAY). I may be over-protective, but I end up thinking he's going to starve and so I end up hand feeding the food to him instead of waiting to see if his instincts kick in (I usually wait an entire day to see if he eats his prey). I either need someone to tell me to CUT THAT OUT, or a way to get him to be a hunter again. Are there some classes I can sign him up for, or do I just let him grow hungry watching those crawly things in his home?

 

[sufistic]

Try catching a butterfly that's not too big for it. Butterflies are good for evoking a hunting response from mantids.

 

[hibiscusmile]

He needs a class! :lol: Send him here, we only charge 575.00 per day and within three weeks he will be completely healed, or as luck may have it, crippled again and will then still need you to hand feed him.. LOL, sorry, I make funny!

 

[Marianna]

He needs a class! :lol: Send him here, we only charge 575.00 per day and within three weeks he will be completely healed, or as luck may have it, crippled again and will then still need you to hand feed him.. LOL, sorry, I make funny!

You make funny, and it made me laugh! Am I being overly maternal?? By the way, for the love of my little mantis, who do I make out the initial check of $575 to?

 

[hibiscusmile]

Oh just send to me! Hibiscus! :lol: One can never be to motherly IMO!

 

[Marianna]

Try catching a butterfly that's not too big for it. Butterflies are good for evoking a hunting response from mantids.

Thanks for your idea. Unfortunately, in our cold weather right now, butterflies would unavailable. What would be your 2nd choice?

 

[sufistic]

Thanks for your idea. Unfortunately, in our cold weather right now, butterflies would unavailable. What would be your 2nd choice?

Oh my apologies I had no idea. Try houseflies or anything that flies frantically in the face of looming death.

 

[PhilinYuma]

You make funny, and it made me laugh! Am I being overly maternal?? By the way, for the love of my little mantis, who do I make out the initial check of $575 to?

Me.

 

[Marianna]

Oh my apologies I had no idea. Try houseflies or anything that flies frantically in the face of looming death.

That's hysterical. I think i can do that!

 

[Marianna]

You "Mantis People" are sure a funny group!!!!

 

[warpdrive]

On a not so funny note...

Sometimes my mantids get scared if their food is too big for them.

So while I don't remember what you have or at what "stage" or age it is at, I would try a housefly first. Even if your mantid might be too big for it, it will help him/her feel safe while learning to hunt.

Harry

 

[hibiscusmile]

Good Idea Harry, and yes we are a fun bunch and please ignore the guy named Phil! :lol:

 

[Arwen9]

Oh my apologies I had no idea. Try houseflies or anything that flies frantically in the face of looming death.

What he said.

I turn on my porch light for an hour and snatch moths/mosquitoes/etc of different sizes. B)

 

[PhilinYuma]

Yeah, seriously, CUT THAT OUT! You have temporarily conditioned the poor little guy right out of his nartural instict to catch prey. Even if he had an eye problem or if his raptorial arms weren't working properly, he should make an attempt to strike. As everyone said, offer prey, probably a HF, of the right size and then LEAVE HIM ALONE. Mantids can go a week without food if they have to. Overcome your urge to baby him in a way that is seriously harmful for him. Surely on of the joys of keeping mantids is watching the speed and grace with which they capture prey. Get back to enjoying that.

By the way, how are you feeding him? Sticking the food directly into his mandibles? If you want to break him --and yourself -- back into the normal way of catching food, try dangling the prey in front of him on a piece of thread until he gets the "idea" of striking at it.

Let us know how your efforts progress!

BTW I don't really need a check for $575.

PayPal will be fine.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

My first thought is the food might be too large. Go way down in size. Also as everyone suggested moths/butterflies are awesome in eliciting a prey response. Don't be afraid to give him some time. If my mantis doesn't take prey after a 10-30minutes of it being in the cage I remove it. Leaving the food running around in there all the time if they aren't interested can kill their drive to go after moving objects even more since the food is always there. You will find if you give him a break between the stimulation he will be far more keen to hunt and track the the movement. Finally, don't be afraid to go a few days in between meals, especially if you are feeding larger sized prey. My crew routinely goes 2-3 days between meals and I've had some go over a week between eating.

 

[Marianna]

Thanks for all the great advise!

Warpdrive @ I'll check with Petsmart to see if they carry flies cause it's still too cold here in PA to catch some. Never thought I'd be happy to see a fly! My mantid is about a L4 or 5, about 1.5", Chinese Mantid. Handsome fellow.

Midwestern girl @ that's great advise, I'll remember that in the warmer months! Thanks

hibiscusmile @ I think you are the queen of the forum, aren't you?

Phil @ Good advise. I will TRY not to be "mom", and will dangle a cricket from a thread. I didn't know they could go so long without food! Thanks .... but forget the $575.

 

[Marianna]

My first thought is the food might be too large. Go way down in size. Also as everyone suggested moths/butterflies are awesome in eliciting a prey response. Don't be afraid to give him some time. If my mantis doesn't take prey after a 10-30minutes of it being in the cage I remove it. Leaving the food running around in there all the time if they aren't interested can kill their drive to go after moving objects even more since the food is always there. You will find if you give him a break between the stimulation he will be far more keen to hunt and track the the movement. Finally, don't be afraid to go a few days in between meals, especially if you are feeding larger sized prey. My crew routinely goes 2-3 days between meals and I've had some go over a week between eating.

Krissim Klaw - I will call Petsmart.... but do you know if flying insects can be bought? I won't feed him tonite, no wonder I had kids that were fat babies! Is this stuff you learned in a book, or is this more a "watch & learn" hobby?

 

[Arwen9]

Petsmart doesn't sell flies.

They sell different sized worms and various sized crickets. I've never seen flies.

How cold is it where you are? Even if there's no moths/butterflies, you might be able to draw in lacewings. Not all mantids will eat them, at least in my experience, but they come out earlier than moths and mosquitoes and etc. (at least from observation they seem to)

And they're dramatically smaller. The biggest ones are about 6 cm, usually smaller.

If worse comes to worse, you might try turning over large rocks or logs. There might be some different sized bugs hiding under there.

When my female kept running away, I actually crippled a few crickets. I'd pick one rather small one, pull off the hind legs, and put it on the same level and visual plane as the mantis.( gross. I know. ) Its hobbling, wiggling movement did bring her interest. Eventually. But the moths/butterflies/flies brought the strongest response.

 

[warpdrive]

House and bluebottle flys can be found at mantisplace.com or at mantispets.weebly.com.

You can also buy some wax worms and have them turn into moths. So easy too.

Harry