Peacock Mandit Not Eating

[PhilinYuma]

if it doesnt have wings then it is not an adult.

Yeah. I have my late female peacock, Pseudempusa pinnapavonis mounted and sitting on my computer table. The beautiful iridescent purple eye spots on the hind wings are what gives this species its popular name.

 

[warrenm14]

It certainly has no wings... yet...

I've been spraying his tank twice a day normally. I have him on a heatmat sometimes aswell due to it being a bit cooler in the UK these months. He seems to react well when I let him out and walk about and things... I'll try a crick now... if he hasnt' eaten it in ~30mins I'll take it out again.

I fear I've got him used to crickets being in the tank and he's not eating them now

They are lovely creatures - the Mantis... little upkeep and well... so awesome to watch.

 

[warrenm14]

NO LUCK

 

[warrenm14]

OK so he still didn't eat. I have fed him using a chopstick and give him some honey water. He seemed to take some and seemed a bit more lively. I will try another crick soon in his tank.

 

[hibiscusmile]

I don't understand why u dont try to hand feed him? maybe something is wrong with his hands, can he open and close them?

 

[warrenm14]

I don't understand why u dont try to hand feed him? maybe something is wrong with his hands, can he open and close them?

He opens and closes them fine. He does not appear to be injured in any shape or form... He's still not eaten though. I fed him again today with some honey water... He was eating that like crazy. I've tried him with another cricket but no luck. I just tried to hand feed him a spider also and he coward away - always like he was scared of it...

 

[cloud jaguar]

I also think that your dealer's advise to squish the cricket's head and let your mantid taste its "juices" is a good one and has been recommended by Rick and others frequently on this forum.

+1 Definitely feed the juices to it by placing the food item at its mouth with foreceps. That should definitely do the trick.

 

[warrenm14]

Well guys just hand fed him a crick - he didn't entertain it at all. He snipped at it for literally 1 second then got scared off again... He was throwing his front arms up and throwing them about the place then running away

Anything else I can do?

 

[hibiscusmile]

Do you have any blue bottle flies or moths or big mosquitoes? try to find him something maybe other than cricket.

 

[warrenm14]

Well... He molted! which was a surprise.......... So he chilled out for sometime then still wouldn't eat. I cut a crick up and hand fed him with chopsticks. He took it off me and ate !!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!! finally...

I've trapped a spider to try and change his diet a little from cricks but I'm a bit scared to feed him a spider - We don't get posionous spiders here in UK but what do you guys think about feeding him the spider?

 

[PhilinYuma]

Well... He molted! which was a surprise.......... So he chilled out for sometime then still wouldn't eat. I cut a crick up and hand fed him with chopsticks. He took it off me and ate !!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!! finally...I've trapped a spider to try and change his diet a little from cricks but I'm a bit scared to feed him a spider - We don't get posionous spiders here in UK but what do you guys think about feeding him the spider?

Feed him the spider! Since you are going to so much work, though, I suggest that you really try to find him some roaches.

 

[warrenm14]

Feed him the spider! Since you are going to so much work, though, I suggest that you really try to find him some roaches.

He ate half of the crick earlier - should I feed him the spider NOW or wait till tomorrrow?

 

[superfreak]

stop pestering him. give him at least a day to himself after his molt!

 

[sbugir]

Great on hearing that he is eating, but Superfreak is right, give him some time to recover. Nonetheless congrats on him molting, and good luck, can you post a pic or two of him? I'd like to see how they look from the front

 

[hibiscusmile]

See! the boys take forever, I've had girls for over two months and have already laid ooths, boys are with them now and nothing is happening! Hope one of us gets some fertile ooths!

 

[sbugir]

Hibiscus, you're so cool

 

[warrenm14]

So DON'T feed him the spider yet ?

 

[ismart]

So DON'T feed him the spider yet ?

No! Feed him the spider tomorrow.

Give him a chance to recoperate from his recent moult.

 

[warrenm14]

OK tomorrow it is!

thanks.

 

[hibiscusmile]

intsy binsty spider, went up the mantis snout! :lol: