My mantis seems to be afraid of his food?

[MantisGirl13]

Yes! It is sad how many pet owners don't research how to take care of their pets, they just do their own thing. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[ladyarcana55]

I am wondering if he is eating again and if his misformed wings isn't bothering him.

It doesn't appear to be. His balance looks to be a bit off but other than that he's fine. I took out all of the branches in his enclosure so he would get caught in them again. I put in a piece of tulle and glued it to the side and the top. He seems to like it.

 

[MantisGirl13]

You are doing a good job trying to make him as safe as possible. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[ladyarcana55]

Thank you MantisGirl13, it's nice to hear.

Oh, just to let everyone know, we are already planning on getting more mantids. While I would love to get different breeds of mantids, we are strapped at the moment so we will be getting at least two more from our friend. I'll admit there is a part of me that a bit reluctant since I know they are going to be older than they should be but at least I'll know what kind of mantid they will most likely be. As it is I want to ask for an adult female for Bruno to mate with. No idea what I'll do with the ooth, if one results from it, but we'll figure it out.

And I found out there is a place not too far from me that specializes in feeder insects. I plan on going by later to grab some spikes, (fly larvae). It'll be fun watching that.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Nice I started this last year with 1 mantis and I have already 5 at the moment. My mantis opend my eyes for the insect world. I am learning every day. I read about the feeder insects I have too. Hopefully you will find a nice mate for Bruno.

 

[ladyarcana55]

Something just happened today that I am hoping to get your thoughts on.

I tried feeding him today. At first he just snapped at the cricket but then he finally grabbed it. It looked like he was struggling with it but then all of a sudden he lost his balance and fell over. It looked like he was having a tough time getting upright so I helped him. He tried to climb up the side of the enclosure and he lost his balance again. What is that?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Is the side of his cage made of plastic or glass? He might just be unable to get a good grip. Was the cricket too big for him? I hope nothing is wrong!

- MantisGirl13

 

[ladyarcana55]

He is in a 32 ounce plastic deli container. He hasn't had problems like that before that's why I am so confused on what's going on. As for the crickets, they are pinhead crickets. He's never had a problem with them before. I'll try feeding him again tonight.

Thanks again!

 

[Mantis Lady]

Did he already eat something after his molt?

what you could do, give him the juicy part of the cricket and see if he eats that.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Has he done anything like that since when he wasn't struggling with prey? Sometimes I notice that when some of my mantises get startled or overstimulated  they will get flustered and flop around for a couple seconds before settling down and resuming their normal behavior. If this is what is happening it doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong, it's just that they've become so overstimulated that it's become too much for their limited brains to process and their motor skills are affected. Once they calm down they function normally again. However, most of my mantises don't react this way to stimuli. It might be species or  temperament specific...I've mainly seen this with my ghosts and a couple times with my orchids.

 

[ladyarcana55]

Predatorhousepet, I've never seen him do that before. If it is over-stimulation, should I try to feed him again and wait to see what happens? He tries to scramble up the wall of the container. Should I just let him do that and wait?

Little Mantis, He did eat about three days after his molt. But I was worried because it looked like he didn't know what to do at first, but he ate. I tried tong feeding him. He does not like it at all.

I'll try again and wait to see what happens. Thanks again!

 

[Predatorhousepet]

It might also be that his balance is affected because his wings and lower body were messed up in the mismolt and he is having trouble when he has to do something that requires a lot of coordination..like fight with prey. If he doesn't seem like he wants to eat and just bats away the food, take out the prey and leave him be, then try again in a couple days. If he's trying to catch the food but keeps dropping or missing it because of coordination problems you can try pre-killing his food for him by cutting off the head, and then hand feed with tweezers, holding it to his mouth so he tastes the goo oozing out of the insect. Once mantises get a taste of the gooey stuff they will realize it's food and take a few bites. Usually they will take it from you then...not always, sometimes you have to hold it there while they munch on it.

 

[ladyarcana55]

Predatorhousepet, You are BRILLIANT!

I put a cricket in the enclosure and left him alone. When I looked up about an hour later he had already caught the cricket and had started eating! And he's having no trouble hanging onto the wall of the deli cup.

I realize now that I may have been scaring him. I was tapping the cricket to drive it towards him, as I was told to do by my friend. Lesson learned, he doesn't need any help to see or catch the darn thing. Thanks again!

 

[Predatorhousepet]

I am so glad you were able to figure it out!

I guess what we are learning here is that your friend is not the best source of info regarding mantises....forget any advice he ever gave you and start over from scratch. Read the basic mantis caresheets here on the forum and keep asking questions to fill in the blanks.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I am so glad that you figured it out! I don't usually tap my feeders to get them moving. If you let them do their own thing, then they will be eaten pretty fast! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[ladyarcana55]

That's the worse part of it for me, I did do a lot of research. I was going to do more before actually getting a mantis before we found out our friend had some he was willing to give me. He had been keeping mantids for a long time, years, so we figured he knew what to do. He's more my husband's friend so my husband was pushing me to go more with his advice. I knew that there were things he was telling me that didn't jive with my research, but at the time he has more experience than I. He is currently working hard to take care of this one mantis that had severely mismolted and can't even hold its prey. I thought that if he knew what to do for that, he probably does know what he's doing. For the most part he does, but he does need to learn more about them.

But I have to say, there is a part of me that thinks I should get a few more from him if only to give the mantids a better home. I feel very bad for thinking that but considering some of the things I've learned and some of the things he's said...I worry about them.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

There is a lot bad info out there but at least on this forum it's a general consensus between lots of experienced owners and breeders...not just one person that may or may not know what they are doing. 

I understand feeling the way you do...I've "rescued" various animals from others over the years when it became plain they didn't know what they were doing and didn't care to learn because they thought they already knew. Maybe first try to talk to the friend (gently) and see if he is receptive to learning new things/fixing mistakes. Phrase it in a way that doesn't make him feel like a newbie is trying to correct him...because that won't go over well. Pride can be a funny thing, put the blame on yourself if you can...and good luck.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I agree with @Predatorhousepet 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Good your mantis ate a cricket and is able to hang on the lid of his home again. A full belly gives energy.