Overeating

[brandybryon]

I recently built a very large cage for my two religiosas so I could add many crickets at once with cricket food and let them hunt. They are stuffing themselves and even dropping half eaten crickets to the bottom then climbing down to catch another! On several occasions I have seen them stalk a cricket after dropping pieces below. I thought after reading everything that if they enclosure was large you add extra feeders so that the mantids can find them. One actually ate 5 large crickets overnight! The cage is 9"wx13"lx20"h and has plenty of places for crickets and mantids to hide. Any thoughts as to why my guys are doing this and any suggestions as to how I can still keep the feeders in the same cage without them stuffing everytime?

 

[Asa]

Option 1: Get another cage

Option 2: Ignore this since it really doesn't matter much

Option 3: Ignore me.

But really, I don't see your problem. Mantids will eat when they want how they want.

 

[asdsdf]

Well, you could make like a specific container for the crickets inside the enclosure, and when feeding, you could open it and let some go out. I really don't think that you should keep them together though, since everything moving is food. Also, it's not wise to put two mantids together, except for when you know for a fact those species can live together. I know for a fact religiosa can't. (I have them too, and they try to stalk one another while well fed)

 

[brandybryon]

Each mantid is in his own cage seperated by some screening. Each ones cage is the size above.

 

[hibiscusmile]

are you giving them a mist of water every day? They need it you know.

 

[brandybryon]

Yep, they both get a good misting and the substrate gets misted everyday also.