Millipedes?

[rantology]

Has anyone ever had their mantis interact with a millipede before? Do they eat/hunt them? I have a 12x12x18 vivarium and I was musing the idea that it might be cool do get a couple of small millipedes to coexist/live in the bottom of the tank but I'm not sure if they would just get eaten or not. I usually have a couple of flies in the tank at all times so the mantis will always have prey available. 

 

[Connor]

I think that can work. As long as the millipedes are big enough. I remember seeing a viv with mantis and millipedes once.

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

i sometimes put bumble bee millipedes in my terrarium. ive never had a mantis attack a millipede before. Like Connor said i would get large millipedes so the mantis wont find one as a snack. 

 

[rantology]

Awesome to hear- I ordered a couple of bumblebees for my small viv and 2 Orthoporus texicolens for the large one. Should be a lot of fun!

 

[Connor]

Have fun with it! Sounds like a neat project.

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

Awesome to hear- I ordered a couple of bumblebees for my small viv and 2 Orthoporus texicolens for the large one. Should be a lot of fun!

It’ll also clean the terrarium. Clean up crews.

 

[River Dane]

I think some have strong exoskeletons. You’d probably have to cut them in half for them, like you would a mealworm, and shove the gooey side in their face (politely).

EDIT: sorry, just realized your trying NOT to kill the ‘pedes, lol.

 

[rantology]

sorry, just realized your trying NOT to kill the ‘pedes, lol.

bwaha, no problem. I would actually be a little worried if a mantis DID somehow manage to start munching on one as they secrete defensive chemicals when threatened... not sure how much damage that could potentially do to a mantis but I'm hoping I will never find out.

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

(Some millipedes secrete chemicals(correct me if I’m wrong))

Apparently the secretion is an irritant not a poison. I’m not sure if a mantis will be irritated by the secretion. 

Bumblebee millipedes do secrete this chemical and it dosent smells pretty funky.