Hello! My mantis molted a week ago to L4 and is now officially paying no attention to Hydei anymore. They'll walk right by her and she wont even look at them. I was thinking they were a bit too small so I offered her half of a small mealworm and she took it and chowed down immediately. I ordered some blue bottle flies spikes online and they will be here in a few days but I wanted to make sure that mealworms are okay for now.. I know that crickets can pose some issues so I haven't used those. She doesn't seem to be acting weird or ill from the mealworm I gave her. Anyone else do this?
mealworms as feeders
- Thread starter Ellithain
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I’ve given some mealworms to mine, but you have to be really careful with them. They have a very powerful bite that can be harmful to your mantis. So as long as you’re cutting the worm in some fashion, you should be good. They are a good source of food, but I wouldn’t make them your mantis’s only food source
I have a small mealworm farm and use them for feeders. I have found it best to feed by crushing the mealworm's head as you hand it to your mantis. @ausar318 is correct. Mealworms have powerful bites and can be dangerous to your mantid. I lost a beautiful H. java to a mealworm bite. I pick the smaller, softer looking worms vs. the older, thicker shelled larger ones. The larger and darker worms will pupate soon and the wiggling pupae make good safe snacks.
I use blue bottle flies as the main staple and occasionally some small mealworms as a treat or for variety. Plus, they help stretch out my monthly fly supply and can fill in if I get into a bind or have a delayed order.
I use blue bottle flies as the main staple and occasionally some small mealworms as a treat or for variety. Plus, they help stretch out my monthly fly supply and can fill in if I get into a bind or have a delayed order.
Prayingmantisqueen
Well-known member
Right.
Meal worms are fine I've heard (still trying to start my own farm..) but you need to decapitate them or something like [ausar316] and [Synapze] said.
Meal worms are fine I've heard (still trying to start my own farm..) but you need to decapitate them or something like [ausar316] and [Synapze] said.
@Prayingmantisqueen Setting up a mealworm farm is the easy part. Preventing mites from contaminating your farm (and your fruitfly cultures if stored close by)... can be difficult. Mites are attracted to the dry bedding. I have a very small one established, and you'd be surprised how many mealworms even a small farm can produce.
Prayingmantisqueen
Well-known member
Cool. I have the basic set up... Just need the critters and I havent got any yet.
Good thing to know about mites...!
Good thing to know about mites...!
Thanks all! Appreciate the feedback! I have my own little mealworm farm for our savannah monitor so I had cut the behinds off of them fed that to the mantis and the front half to the sav. Sounds like I accidentally did the right thing there I'm not too afraid that they'll do much damage to him lol.
Nothing wasted! ?
