Mantis licking?

[izbiggs]

I notice that when I'm holding some of my mantises, they'll bend down and tickle me with their mouths. Not bite, but just... tickle. Even my big Malaysian shields! Does anybody know what they're doing? 

The little C. Pictipennis who inspired this post:

 

[CosbyArt]

@izbiggs They are either drinking the tiny sweat drops, salt, or some other material on your skin. If you find it a common behavior you should wash your hands and dry them before handling. It would also prevent passing anything you touched into their bodies as well.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Yep, it tends to be either thirst or they think they sense something on your hand that would be tasty. Any time I have been handling fruit shortly prior to handling I always tend to get test nibbling. Thankfully most are super gentle about it, but occasionally you will get one that will go from ticklish nibbling to a full on chomp. <__<

 

[crabbypatty]

Haha, yeah I've gotten the chomp before. I'm like, awww he loves me, he's so cu... OMG!

 

[izbiggs]

@izbiggs They are either drinking the tiny sweat drops, salt, or some other material on your skin. If you find it a common behavior you should wash your hands and dry them before handling. It would also prevent passing anything you touched into their bodies as well.

Oh, I see! I had just eaten some potato chips, haha. He must like the salt! He drank lots of water when he went back into his cage, too.

 

[izbiggs]

Yep, it tends to be either thirst or they think they sense something on your hand that would be tasty. Any time I have been handling fruit shortly prior to handling I always tend to get test nibbling. Thankfully most are super gentle about it, but occasionally you will get one that will go from ticklish nibbling to a full on chomp. <__<

Oh no! I'm glad I didn't get the chomp. His mouth is very small though, thankfully 

 

[MantisRCool]

Haha, yeah I've gotten the chomp before. I'm like, awww he loves me, he's so cu... OMG!

Lol so true