Mantis never drinking?

[Mantidkid]

Well my mantis never seems to drink even though there are always droplets in the enclosure. He will walk over the droplets and then lick his legs as if he's thirsty but can't find the water. I don't know what to do. I have only seen him drink once since getting him 4 weeks ago. Is this normal??

 

[Mantis Man13]

u can solve this problem by gently spraying water directly on the mantis and it will drink it off

 

[Rick]

Mantids get most of their water from their food. If your mantis is not drinking water directly it means it's getting enough water from food. 

 

[Mantidkid]

Mantids get most of their water from their food. If your mantis is not drinking water directly it means it's getting enough water from food. 

Ok that makes sense because I Haven't bought a culture as we have millions of fat juicy ones in our garden that are probably full of moisture

 

[Mantidkid]

u can solve this problem by gently spraying water directly on the mantis and it will drink it off

Wouldn't that annoy him?

 

[crabbypatty]

@Mantidkid I wouldn't directly spray it, if you're really worried just offer water thru an oral syringe, like those syringes that parents use to give babies medicine. I like to add honey to the water I offer them and they love it as a treat, plus it keeps them hydrated. 

 

[Mantidkid]

@Mantidkid I wouldn't directly spray it, if you're really worried just offer water thru an oral syringe, like those syringes that parents use to give babies medicine. I like to add honey to the water I offer them and they love it as a treat, plus it keeps them hydrated. 

Ok thanks

 

[MajorManny]

Seconding Rick! Just make sure your feeders have enough distilled water to drink and you should be fine! Sometimes I add a tiny drop of distilled water when I feed mine honey from my hand but again, if your feeders are drinking water you're all good. 

(I wouldn't directly spray, personally--I think it does annoy them, but that's my opinion.

 

[MantisRCool]

The spraying on the mantis depends on the sp usually, like I noticed for example hierodulas don't like it, so I try to spray not directly. But some other sp don't really care so I just spray wherever it lands lol. Like for example truncatas are in my opinion the thirstiest mantis sp I've ever kept, I spray every day very heavily on them, around them and especially on the top of enclosure from which they always drink. My idolo Lilith used to enjoy a light spray on herself, she always did a little dance and licked the water off her paws, it was so cute