Molt to L4!

[Logan_123]

My first ever L4 praying mantis! I have some questions about this... When should I start feeding when they molt? 

Now that he's bigger what should I fees him other than fruit fly's?

I will try to get a picture but it won't let me upload one currently, but I will get one!

 

[Mantis_M]

Congrats!! Isn't it so cool when your mantis becomes significantly bigger "overnight"?

You are okay to put a pinhead cricket (or a moving insect that's around the size of the mantis head, or a little bigger.) Small roaches, or raw meat are other ideas for you.

You can go ahead and feed them a few hours after they molt & dry out, even though they'll likely reject the food for a day or so.

Definitely looking forward to some pics!

Enjoy your Monday :euro:

 

[Sarah K]

What kind of mantis do you have? The most common food item that people use as their mantis gets older are house flies and blue bottle flies. Some people also feed roaches. Buy them from mantis websites (I sell blue bottle fly pupae on my website) in the pupae state, store them in the fridge and toss a few into the mantis enclosure every few days. They will hatch in the mantis enclosure and get eaten without escaping in the house!

 

[Logan_123]

@Sarah K @Mantis_M thanks for the advise! He is a chinese mantis, and I bought some meal worms (they are small) to feed him! And I will buy some blue bottle flys soon!

 

[GingerC]

Mealworms are also a good choice; either pick the correctly sized ones out of the box or cut them into bits. You can prevent them from burrowing into the substrate by putting them in a deli cup for your mantis. I use them as the staple of my mantis' diet, but supplementing with other food is probably a good idea.

Edit: Lol, replied a moment too late!