Not finishing their meals

[young1]

I have noticed multiple of my mantises don't finish their meals(hydei flies). They just nibble them for a couple minutes, after catching them, and just drop them without finishing them. The flies still look whole, as if they just dropped dead. Is there something wrong with the flies or is this normal?

 

[mantisboy]

You might be overfeeding your mantids....give them a break without any flies for a day.

 

[young1]

You might be overfeeding your mantids....give them a break without any flies for a day.

what would be a good way of feeding them?

I usually just put the culture over the opening of the cage and tap it a couple times and leave it for a while and then do it again when it seems like there are only a few left (usually like 15-20) I have about 13 nymphs, L2s on the verge of L3, in one plastic keeper cage.

should I be waiting till the mantises eat everything?

I'm kind of a worry bug and I don't like seeing the cage with nothing moving inside because if nothing is moving I feel like they are going to starve to death T.T

 

[LauraMG]

They won't starve to death unless you don't feed them for a while. Sounds like overfeeding and they just get full and drop whatever they're eating.Try just feeding them every other day an average of 2 flies a piece or so. What species nymphs are they?

 

[young1]

they are tenodera aridifolia sinensis

to me, i feel like if i only put a few in they won't be eating as much as they need to because the flies are more spread out and from what I have noticed is that they don't chase there prey. so that lowers their chances of eating even more. but then again i am still a newbie so i haven't recognized there eating/living patterns yet.

 

[Rick]

Feed every other day. As long as their abdomens are plump they're getting enough. If the abdomens get where they look like they may burst (they won't) feed less on next feeding.

 

[Ntsees]

I have noticed multiple of my mantises don't finish their meals(hydei flies). They just nibble them for a couple minutes, after catching them, and just drop them without finishing them. The flies still look whole, as if they just dropped dead. Is there something wrong with the flies or is this normal?

I can only think of 2 things: 1) the mantids are full or 2) the mantids need water.

 

[MantidLord]

Maybe they're just killing them because they're about to molt?

 

[hibiscusmile]

No, looking for water, this species needs their water baby bottles twice a day:lol: , when they don't get the water off the fly, they throw it away, a lot of people do not water the babies enough.

 

[young1]

haha i think that may be the reason. I recently changed from coconut fiber to a napkin substrate and from fear of building up mold to quickly I haven't been spraying every other day...I feel like i just sent my questions to the people at myth busters haha

thanks for the responses everyone i'll definitely will keep them in mind =]