Pycnoscelus surinamensis

[lancaster1313]

I have loads of these roaches outside, they are really fast and can climb. I was just wondering if they can be fed to mantids in a pinch. The adults and large nymphs feel very strong when they struggle, and have spikey legs. Perhaps I underestimate the strength of my mantids, but I have been afraid to try them out because of thier strength.

 

[Rick]

Sure. I catch all kinds of stuff for mine.

 

[lancaster1313]

Thanks, I will give them a try. I usually treat my mantids like little wimps, but I am starting to get tired of feeding them soft "baby food".

 

[kitkat39]

I was just like you with the whole treating your mantis like wimps.. then one day I saw someone have the same mantis that were even smaller than mine eat food that was much bigger than what I was feeding... Nowadays I occasionally let my mantis go for a "Rodeo Ride" with some of the roaches that I'm feeding them.. lol! It's the funniest thing ever watching the mantis cling with it's legs up in the air looking for something to grip onto as the roach takes them for a little ride around the enclosure. It surprises me sometimes the size of the prey that they are capable of handling.

 

[lancaster1313]

Wow! These roaches must be delicious. I gave two mantids a roach each, and not even a spiny leg was spared. Every time I looked at the second test mantid, he started backing up like I was going to take it from him. :lol: Most of the insects that I feed them, such as moths, grasshoppers and crickets, have not been finished. The containers get riddled with discarded parts. These roaches are parthenogenic, so I caught a few to make a colony. If all goes well with these. I don't think that I will have to get crickets for a while. My only problem so far, is that my daughter loves them. I will have to admit that they are cute little things, they look different than a pest roach.

 

[Rick]

Wow! These roaches must be delicious. I gave two mantids a roach each, and not even a spiny leg was spared. Every time I looked at the second test mantid, he started backing up like I was going to take it from him. :lol: Most of the insects that I feed them, such as moths, grasshoppers and crickets, have not been finished. The containers get riddled with discarded parts. These roaches are parthenogenic, so I caught a few to make a colony. If all goes well with these. I don't think that I will have to get crickets for a while. My only problem so far, is that my daughter loves them. I will have to admit that they are cute little things, they look different than a pest roach.

There will always be bits left over. They can't/won't eat every bit.

 

[lancaster1313]

Today some mantids are eating around the guts, oh well, better than nothing. At least the roaches are easy to raise outside, they seem to be ant proof. I always find them near ants.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Could you catch some adults for me and ship somewhere?

 

[lancaster1313]

I was just out catching some adults, I got about 10 from under a plank of wood. One mom gave birth to a little white baby, in the bag I put them in. It turned brown in minutes. That was great!