That’s not on the menu

[minomantis]

I know we as hobbyists do it all the time, but what do you all think/feel about feeding our mantids foods that they wouldn’t normally eat? For example, any flower mantis probably wouldn’t eat a roach on a normal day, but we readily feed our mantids dubia roaches as a great food source especially if we are gut losing them. What are your thoughts on that?

-Minomantis

 

[hysteresis]

I know we as hobbyists do it all the time, but what do you all think/feel about feeding our mantids foods that they wouldn’t normally eat? For example, any flower mantis probably wouldn’t eat a roach on a normal day, but we readily feed our mantids dubia roaches as a great food source especially if we are gut losing them. What are your thoughts on that?

-Minomantis

I feed roaches at times to all mantises. Even idolomantis and blepharopsis!

 

[MantisGirl13]

I feed red runner roaches and mealworms to all my mantids with no problems. Usually I don't even have to hand feed. 

- MantisGirl13 

 

[Mystymantis]

I think most mantises, given the opportunity, will eat most anything. They are ambush predators after all and in the wild probably eat things you wouldn't think they would eat. Such as bees which I don't ever feed to my mantises due to the risks but I have seen them eat them in the wild. So I think it is fine feeding them prey they might not normally see. I feed my mantises red runner roaches and flies and they love their food.

 

[minomantis]

I don’t doubt that mantids will eat whatever they can get their death claws on lol, but do you think some mantids evolved to break down and truly digest certain prey  and we’re actually causing harm to them or do you think if the prey is healthy and an insect, it’s fine? These are just thoughts I have. 

 

[Introvertebrate]

Poison dart frogs eat primarily ants in the wild.  Raising ants is impractical, so in captivity, dart frogs eat fruit flies.  The frogs do just fine.  The only difference is, the frogs lose their poisonous characteristics; something they typically don't need in captivity.