Not eating

[LilGreenPuffer]

My ghost mantis went without food for probably two weeks due to a ridiculously hard time getting ahold of flies. I did offer it crickets, which it has occasionally eaten in the past, but it didn't work. It had its adult molt during this time, too. I made sure to keep it well-watered, though.

Now I've had bluebottles in its enclosure for two or three days, and it hasn't eaten a single one, except maybe a nibble out of the very first one I gave it - I never saw the mantis holding it, but I found the fly dead and missing a wing, so I assumed it had dropped it by accident and added more flies; none of these have been eaten. Its stomach is as flat as ever. I've been giving the flies honey in the enclosure to keep them alive while the mantis takes its sweet time.

The temperature is around 75-80; I keep humidity at about 65%. I mist every day with distilled water - lightly directly on the mantis, as well as on the plastic wall. The enclosure is about 9" long, so the flies aren't getting lost in an oversized tank. I use coconut husk for the substrate, and there's driftwood for the mantis to hang from (but it prefers the top of the Kritter Keeper).

Any help would be much appreciated.

ETA: The mantis is active and responsive.

 

[lunarstorm]

I didn't hear you reference gender, but it sounds like a male. Males are notorious for eating infrequently, as they don't have eggs to raise and they need to be quick and nimble to better escape after mating.

If he's active and responsive and you're providing flies, it sounds like all is well. He'll just eat when you're not looking.

 

[sinensispsyched]

I had that happen with my male chinese; just try again every-other day.

 

[CoolMantid]

My female does the same thing. She wont molt, and she does not eat on a regular basis. Its very frustrating. I heard ghosts usually dont eat often. But for that long, somethings wrong.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

I haven't checked its gender yet. I can't see the abdomen very well because it's so flat right now. I guess I'll just keep waiting - as long as it's acting normal, there's really nothing to diagnose anyway... Thanks, folks.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Two weeks sounds extreme to me. I am always the first to say a mantises know what they are doing hunger wise, but the fact it is already an adult makes me wonder if something is off especially since it has a flat abdomen and from the sound of your post hasn't eaten since shedding. I would probably up the humidity a touch more, it is the first thing I tend to do with a mantis acting out of sorts. Also make sure you have plenty of air flow. You want the humidity but don't want things stale at the same time.

Another thing I think can help stimulate appetite is to remove all the feeders for a day and then put them back in. I think mantises like a lot of predators can become numb to the constants motion of feeders moving around them nonstop.

I would also probably see if the mantis will take some offered food. Basically cut out the hunting part of the equation. Get a cricket, kill it, rip it slightly so that gooey stuff comes out and use some forceps to offer it to your mantises mandibles. It is good to come from under and to the side so as not to freak your mantis out. Generally as soon as you touch the cricket goo to the mantises mouth it should start eating and most will pretty quickly take the cricket. If if starts to nibble but then starts to flail and flick its claws or lean to rub its mouth against the side of the cage than that would leave me to believe something is up with its digestive track.

Have you noticed if it is still passing any poop or if it has been spitting up the water you have been offering it daily if it is drinking?

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

I've never actually seen a mantis drink, and I've owned a total of four. I haven't seen poo, but the substrate is coconut husk, so I wouldn't be able to see it anyway. It's late now, but tomorrow I'll release all the flies outside and put down paper towels so I can watch for poo. I did try feeding it stabbed fly larvae, and it wouldn't take that.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

I released all the flies in its enclosure outside, except for one slowpoke missing a wing. I stabbed this one on a toothpick and offered it to the mantis; it wasn't interested, even after a good minute of trying. I cleaned out the enclosure and replaced the eco-complete with paper towels and the driftwood with three bamboo skewers. I restocked my distilled water, so I don't have to worry about moderation; I think I've upped the humidity quite a bit, but I'll check it later once things are settled - I never get an accurate reading right away.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

Humidity is a bit over 70%, and if mantis poo is 1-2mm long and dark brown, then we have a sighting.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

...And another poo sighting. How come it's pooping after two weeks of not eating?

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Are you sure you didn't miss count on the flies you set in and he might have munched one when you weren't looking?

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

It's possible - I didn't count how many I added - but the mantid's abdomen stayed flat. Maybe it did eat a little of that first fly I mentioned in the OP.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

So I left the mantis fly-less for a couple days, and tonight I gave it one fly. It's been a couple hours so far.

 

[PhilinYuma]

My goodness, what a devoted and meticulous person you are! By my count, though, your mantis has gone at least 17 days without food and is still making frass. I think that it is putting you on, probably to test your devotion. Just keep on offering it food, and if it remains alive, flat abdomen or not, then it is getting food from somewhere. Do you think that maybe it is living on takeouts?

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

Thanks. What's frass?

The only non-feeder bugs I find in my room are tiny spiders on the walls, giant crickets with huge creepy legs that can't get into the cage, and the very occasional silverfish in a box in my closet or under the bed. I used to find tiny flying insects that I think have something to do with having feeder insects (and therefore insect food), so maybe I'm not seeing them anymore because they're getting turned into takeout...

ETA: As per your signature, I Googled, and discovered that frass is poo from plant-eating insects.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I'm guessing it is probably a boy ghost and they don't really fatten up once they hit adulthood but stay pretty skinny. He probably munched on some of the original flies you stuck in. To be sure though now you can now keep count of what you add in. If they start to disappear then you know he is indeed sneaking them when you are not looking.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

Oooooh, he nommed a few bites of that fly! It's dead now, with one wing and a chunk of abdomen gone!

So if it's a male, then I should expect this sort of eating pattern from now on?

 

[lunarstorm]

Oooooh, he nommed a few bites of that fly! It's dead now, with one wing and a chunk of abdomen gone!

So if it's a male, then I should expect this sort of eating pattern from now on?

Yeahp, I've noticed males of various species eat very sparingly (especially compared to their gal counterparts) and often only half-consume a fly.

 

[LilGreenPuffer]

Wow, my other male mantis eats way more. Huh. Well, anyway, thank you, everyone! I think the crisis is over.