not eating

[nursemelody]

I have 4 religiosa nymphs who are about 6 days old. I have them sepearted into 12 ounce deli cups with excelisior. I am misting twice a day. I have offered wingless drosophila melanogaster, but they don't seem interested....

Should I try offering another type of bug? Could they be molting this early? Any suggestions?

 

[Rick]

Young nymphs are often hesitant to eat at first. They should start eating in the next few days. In my experience this species is difficult to raise and the nymphs are fragile. You have the proper food. What are the temperatures?

 

[lancaster1313]

I have read that it is not easy to raise that species. Someone else will probably be along to give advice. 6 days seems like a while, but I have never kept religiosas. Edit: Rick is quick to respond with advice, as usual. :lol:

 

[nursemelody]

Young nymphs are often hesitant to eat at first. They should start eating in the next few days. In my experience this species is difficult to raise and the nymphs are fragile. You have the proper food. What are the temperatures?

About 76 F. Should I keep them warmer? They LOOK healthy, and are moving around a lot, but don't seem interested in the flies.... Are the cups maybe too big for them at this stage?

 

[more_rayne]

My religiosa ooth hatched over 100 babies, but over the weeks, many have died. I set free about 30 in my mom's garden, I kept the rest. Only 4 survived, they are now L3. I think they're now old enough that I won't have any more die offs. I fed them wingless melanogasters the day they hatched and some of them started eating the flies. These mantids seem very skittish, they run around like crazy when I pick up their enclosure.

 

[nursemelody]

My religiosa ooth hatched over 100 babies, but over the weeks, many have died. I set free about 30 in my mom's garden, I kept the rest. Only 4 survived, they are now L3. I think they're now old enough that I won't have any more die offs. I fed them wingless melanogasters the day they hatched and some of them started eating the flies. These mantids seem very skittish, they run around like crazy when I pick up their enclosure.

Yeah... I've read a lot of discouraging stuff. I didn't even get the 100 babies... A lot of them hatched but almost immediately curled up and died. I just hope I can keep these guys alive.

 

[lancaster1313]

I wish the best for you and your mantids. I thought it was bad for the first couple of weeks raising chinese mantids. I had like 350 out of 2 ooths, there were many deaths but I still have 11 mostly L5s. I released many of them as well.

 

[nursemelody]

Well, two of my guys died. The other two decided to eat and look good so far....

I'm pretty sure the ooth is done hatching, but I put it outside just in case there's anyone else inside that might come out late.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Extremely hard to raise, even when sub adult, they die, all I can figure is the confindment of raising inside, cause I find plenty of ooths outside!

 

[nursemelody]

My two alive guys are eating and getting bigger... I am still very worried, but hopeful.

So they are 10 days old now... Should I continue to mist twice daily? They are going to molt in about a week you think? I should make sure that all the flies are out of the cup when they molt, right? I am worried I wont know for certain they are molting....