Weak mantis???

[blitzmantis]

It is a giant indian mantis and since i'm not sure what level it is, i'll just say it is about 3.5cm long. I have tried feeding it crickets but it will never go down to the bottom of the cage to look for crickets so every so often i must open the cage and drop the cricket right in front of it, but when it grabs it, the cricket breaks free. it overcome this i break the crickets back legs (i know it is a bit cruel, but it is the only way) and drop it in front of it. I have tried feeding it 2cm long mealworms it can't even get a grip on those! Is it a weak mantis or are they normally this weak????

 

[Giosan]

It is a giant indian mantis and since i'm not sure what level it is, i'll just say it is about 3.5cm long. I have tried feeding it crickets but it will never go down to the bottom of the cage to look for crickets so every so often i must open the cage and drop the cricket right in front of it, but when it grabs it, the cricket breaks free. it overcome this i break the crickets back legs (i know it is a bit cruel, but it is the only way) and drop it in front of it. I have tried feeding it 2cm long mealworms it can't even get a grip on those! Is it a weak mantis or are they normally this weak????

Maybe he's about to moult?

 

[idolomantis]

Maybe he's about to moult?

nah he,s still trying to eat, a mantis who,s about to moult dont even try to eat

i think its a kind of disease.

 

[Rob Byatt]

It is a giant indian mantis and since i'm not sure what level it is, i'll just say it is about 3.5cm long. I have tried feeding it crickets but it will never go down to the bottom of the cage to look for crickets so every so often i must open the cage and drop the cricket right in front of it, but when it grabs it, the cricket breaks free. it overcome this i break the crickets back legs (i know it is a bit cruel, but it is the only way) and drop it in front of it. I have tried feeding it 2cm long mealworms it can't even get a grip on those! Is it a weak mantis or are they normally this weak????

Quite simply, you need to reduce the size of the prey item. A 2cm long mealworm is a lot stronger than a 2cm cricket A mantis 3.5cm in length would struggle with either of these, unless it was Cilnia humeralis

Try it with something around 1cm.

 

[Giosan]

nah he,s still trying to eat, a mantis who,s about to moult dont even try to eati think its a kind of disease.

I was reading he just doesn't catch anything or doesn't accept food.

 

[blitzmantis]

I think I just need to reduce prey size coz it does struggle with mealworms but i think the mantid's claws haven't got enough grip to hold up a mealworm so big coz it is small so the mealworm can just slip out.

 

[Rob Byatt]

I think I just need to reduce prey size coz it does struggle with mealworms but i think the mantid's claws haven't got enough grip to hold up a mealworm so big coz it is small so the mealworm can just slip out.

I always moan when no one takes advice after asking.......so I want to say thanks for listening

 

[blitzmantis]

Not a problem, thank you for the advice :lol: