sleeping mantis?

[mykey14]

Do mantises sleep?

I walked into my room at night to handle one and when i looked in i saw him just sitting there, so i put my hand in to get him out, but it was like he was un aware of my hand infront of him. when i poked him it was like he sprung to life, as if i just woke him!

 

[Psychobunny]

I beilive they do sleep.

After about 8pm, it's lights out for them, no movement, even from the lively

little hatchlings.

Also, it's probably not a good idea to stick your hand down into their domain.

A large object coming from above can freak them out (like as if a flying predator).

It's best to handle them at an even level.

I have seen a lot of mantids go into defensive posture when they see a hand, stick,

whatever coming down at them.

I just open their jar and let them climb up to the rim. Then I put my hand in front of them slowly

and keep still (you can nudge them a bit with your other hand).

It may take them a while for them to freely get on your hand, but once they are there, they no

longer consider you a threat and will be relaxed as long as you dont make any sudden movement.

 

[lunarstorm]

Tricky question. Insects clearly rest at times and are only interrupted by strong stimuli. As they don't have eyelids and as far as I know, scientists haven't yet found a way to measure brain activity in insects so the answer to "Do insects sleep?" is inconclusive. So while perhaps not exactly "sleep" as we define it, it sounds like you interrupted a rest cycle and witnessed a behavior as close to our version of sleeping as mantids get.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Kinda like daydreaming! your there, but not really!

 

[mykey14]

I beilive they do sleep.

After about 8pm, it's lights out for them, no movement, even from the lively

little hatchlings.

Also, it's probably not a good idea to stick your hand down into their domain.

A large object coming from above can freak them out (like as if a flying predator).

It's best to handle them at an even level.

I have seen a lot of mantids go into defensive posture when they see a hand, stick,

whatever coming down at them.

I just open their jar and let them climb up to the rim. Then I put my hand in front of them slowly

and keep still (you can nudge them a bit with your other hand).

It may take them a while for them to freely get on your hand, but once they are there, they no

longer consider you a threat and will be relaxed as long as you dont make any sudden movement.

I raised him from a nymph and i was coming in from his level, so i dont think he ever really considered me as a threat.

just wanted to get that out there

 

[mantisboy]

Yes............they sleep for lack of a better term. They also do this for the last couple days before molting or laying an Ooth....it's because they have a Vulcan splice of DNA. I call it the deep chill mode, that is until they let curiosity get the better of them and steal a quick look at you.

 

[lancaster1313]

When I had Tenodera sinensis, they scratched and tapped for most of the night. It made me feel bad and want to get them out, but I was too tired. :no: :yawn:

 

[Psychobunny]

When I had Tenodera sinensis, they scratched and tapped for most of the night. It made me feel bad and want to get them out, but I was too tired. :no: :yawn:

LOL!! I hate it when they do that, they scratch franticly at the clear plastic (glass) wall trying to get through, but cant.

It makes me feel bad to see that.

I put as much stuff on their wall as I can so they can climb most of the area. But there are always still slippery parts.

 

[hibiscusmile]

haha, I thought I was the only one to feel bad when they did this, glad to know I am not alone!

 

[kmsgameboy]

Research has been done on other insects such as ants and it has been found that they sleep. Scientists have even found that ants go through RAM sleep. (Thought to be much like REM sleep.) While it is believed that ants sleep just a few minutes at a time its more likely that mantids sleep at night when they are in hiding.