Molting question...

[justkelly]

Hi there,

I have a male mantis, basically two months old. I think he's had about 5 molts so far. I have learned a lot by reading tons of these postings and so maybe all of this is normal and I just didn't know better before. But I have a few quick questions about molting...

1. Our mantis last molted 15 days ago. I think he's trying to molt now. In the past, he's always eaten all the way until he molted, which is why I never saw it coming. He last ate two days ago, two small crickets. They were spaced apart, so his last cricket was 40 hours ago. After that, he has slowed down to barely moving, standing at the top side of the enclosure, facing head down. He's not actually molted, though he's been behaving this way for two days. Should it take this long? He moves his head and stuff if I slightly tap and his color looks normal. So I would attribute all of this to molting behavior, except it's taking longer.

2. I put a live cricket in yesterday and he moved slowly, but did make an attempt at a grab. Since he missed, he seemed to lose interest and I took it out. Is he OK going two days without eating? I don't want to "bug" him, but I was wondering if maybe he isn't strong enough to get through a molt because he hasn't eaten.

3. Should I totally leave him until he molts, or stick a cricket in there? How about honey? He loves that as a night time treat on a skewer, after he's eaten the good stuff.

4. Should he be misted when he is still like this? Again, don't want to stress him but want to make sure he's hydrated.

5. Is the correct term in referring to one mantis, "mantid" or "mantis?" A teacher friend says "mantid" and I knew you guys would know.

6. Can someone post the couple of sites for suppliers of houseflies? I did try to order through one, but it has been over two weeks and still nothing. I really want to get my guy on houseflies - local feeding sources are non-existent and I don't want to catch them in our yard, due to our association's constant spraying of pesticides. The crickets have been gut loaded but still, I know flies are better.

Thanks for everything one/all.

 

[patrickfraser]

Hi there,

I have a male mantis, basically two months old. I think he's had about 5 molts so far. I have learned a lot by reading tons of these postings and so maybe all of this is normal and I just didn't know better before. But I have a few quick questions about molting...

1. Our mantis last molted 15 days ago. I think he's trying to molt now. In the past, he's always eaten all the way until he molted, which is why I never saw it coming. He last ate two days ago, two small crickets. They were spaced apart, so his last cricket was 40 hours ago. After that, he has slowed down to barely moving, standing at the top side of the enclosure, facing head down. He's not actually molted, though he's been behaving this way for two days. Should it take this long? He moves his head and stuff if I slightly tap and his color looks normal. So I would attribute all of this to molting behavior, except it's taking longer.

Later molts take longer, especially the final molt to adult.

2. I put a live cricket in yesterday and he moved slowly, but did make an attempt at a grab. Since he missed, he seemed to lose interest and I took it out. Is he OK going two days without eating? I don't want to "bug" him, but I was wondering if maybe he isn't strong enough to get through a molt because he hasn't eaten.

Mantids stop eating for a few days before molting and won't eat for a few days after.

3. Should I totally leave him until he molts, or stick a cricket in there? How about honey? He loves that as a night time treat on a skewer, after he's eaten the good stuff.

Continue to offer prey items, but if no interest, promptly remove them.

4. Should he be misted when he is still like this? Again, don't want to stress him but want to make sure he's hydrated.

Most definitely. They need to keep hydrated and humidity eases the molting process.

5. Is the correct term in referring to one mantis, "mantid" or "mantis?" A teacher friend says "mantid" and I knew you guys would know.

One mantis and 2 or more mantids. (I think)

6. Can someone post the couple of sites for suppliers of houseflies? I did try to order through one, but it has been over two weeks and still nothing. I really want to get my guy on houseflies - local feeding sources are non-existent and I don't want to catch them in our yard, due to our association's constant spraying of pesticides. The crickets have been gut loaded but still, I know flies are better.

I raise my own flies and I am pretty local in So Cal.(fast shipping, probably only 2 days by priority). I don't do houseflies, but I culture green bottles and blue bottles.

Thanks for everything one/all.

 

[justkelly]

Hi there,

I have a male mantis, basically two months old. I think he's had about 5 molts so far. I have learned a lot by reading tons of these postings and so maybe all of this is normal and I just didn't know better before. But I have a few quick questions about molting...

1. Our mantis last molted 15 days ago. I think he's trying to molt now. In the past, he's always eaten all the way until he molted, which is why I never saw it coming. He last ate two days ago, two small crickets. They were spaced apart, so his last cricket was 40 hours ago. After that, he has slowed down to barely moving, standing at the top side of the enclosure, facing head down. He's not actually molted, though he's been behaving this way for two days. Should it take this long? He moves his head and stuff if I slightly tap and his color looks normal. So I would attribute all of this to molting behavior, except it's taking longer.

Later molts take longer, especially the final molt to adult.

2. I put a live cricket in yesterday and he moved slowly, but did make an attempt at a grab. Since he missed, he seemed to lose interest and I took it out. Is he OK going two days without eating? I don't want to "bug" him, but I was wondering if maybe he isn't strong enough to get through a molt because he hasn't eaten.

Mantids stop eating for a few days before molting and won't eat for a few days after.

3. Should I totally leave him until he molts, or stick a cricket in there? How about honey? He loves that as a night time treat on a skewer, after he's eaten the good stuff.

Continue to offer prey items, but if no interest, promptly remove them.

4. Should he be misted when he is still like this? Again, don't want to stress him but want to make sure he's hydrated.

Most definitely. They need to keep hydrated and humidity eases the molting process.

5. Is the correct term in referring to one mantis, "mantid" or "mantis?" A teacher friend says "mantid" and I knew you guys would know.

One mantis and 2 or more mantids. (I think)

6. Can someone post the couple of sites for suppliers of houseflies? I did try to order through one, but it has been over two weeks and still nothing. I really want to get my guy on houseflies - local feeding sources are non-existent and I don't want to catch them in our yard, due to our association's constant spraying of pesticides. The crickets have been gut loaded but still, I know flies are better.

I raise my own flies and I am pretty local in So Cal.(fast shipping, probably only 2 days by priority). I don't do houseflies, but I culture green bottles and blue bottles.

Thanks for everything one/all.

Thanks so much for your info - it helps so much to get straightforward answers to my questions. I literally stopped reading your post to run and mist him! Regarding food, I had heard about blue bottles - what's the difference with green? Do I order and feed both? Yes, for sure please tell me where to order them and I will do so immediately. It's so great to have found a knowledgable So. Cal. source!

 

[Termite48]

Both terms are ok. Mantis is hard to make plural. Mantid (singular) Mantids (plural).

 

[Paradoxica]

Mantid is actually a bit of a misnomer, here's what Wikipedia had to say about it:

" Mantidae is the largest family of the order Mantodea, commonly known as praying mantises; most are tropical or subtropical. Historically, this was the only family in the order, and many references still use the term "mantid" to refer to any mantis. Technically, however, "mantid" refers only to members of the Mantidae family, and not the 14 remaining families of mantises."

But I still say mantids

 

[minomantis]

I wouldn't worry about anything. A mantis knows when it's time. Keep misting and checking on him, but he should be fine! My female literally took 6 days from her last meal to her molt into adulthood! Talk about patience! lol! But she's fine and everthing so I would just say wait. Good luck!