Won't eat dubia roaches

[Krissim Klaw]

One trick you can try is flipping the roach on its back on a smooth surface so it flails around a bit. The dubia always seemed on the large side for mantises so it is possible it is the size more than the roaches depending on the size you are feeding.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

I have 6 adult mantises of varying sizes and none of them are interested in any of the small to medium dubia I have offered but when I offered Red Runners of the same size I get an entirely different reaction. I'm convinced they do not like them for two reasons...dubias have a hard exterior shell (same reason the mantises don't try to eat the isopods living with them) and also because dubias don't move much...the mantises don't register they are prey (flipping them over like you suggested might help with that part.) The only way I have gotten any of my mantises to accept a whole live dubia is when the roach is freshly molted and still has a soft body (a freshly molted dubia is white.) The other way I can get them to eat one is by cutting off the dubias head and putting the resulting goo oozing out to their mouth, once they taste it they will usually take it from me. However, I don't like forcing them to eat in this way unless necessary, I'd much rather they hunt their food or at least decide to take their prey from feeding tongs on their own. I want them to eat because they are hungry and using their natural hunting instincts not because I literally shoved food in in their mouth.

 

[Mantis Lady]

One trick you can try is flipping the roach on its back on a smooth surface so it flails around a bit. The dubia always seemed on the large side for mantises so it is possible it is the size more than the roaches depending on the size you are feeding.

That I have done too, showing Cochise the the roach belly and moving legs. I don't think it is the size. Cochise is an adult hierodula (8 cm) and the roaches are medium sized.

The only way I have gotten any of my mantises to accept a whole live dubia is when the roach is freshly molted and still has a soft body (a freshly molted dubia is white.) The other way I can get them to eat one is by cutting off the dubias head and putting the resulting goo oozing out to their mouth, once they taste it they will usually take it from me.

 Will they hunt the next dubia after that?  i will try later again to feed cochise a dubia. eating only crickets is boring, want to show her there is more to eat than crickets.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Will they hunt the next dubia after that?

Nope. Even when they realize they taste good they won't go after the next one, they just dont trigger a hunting response.

 

[Mantis Lady]

cochise finally grabbed one I laid on his back and started to move to turn itself on it's legs again and she ate the whole thing except its stomach I think. Wondering if she will grab one again after a few days. (she has a nice full belly now.)

 

[Mantis Lady]

Cochise is used to them now. She knows they are dinner and grabs it directly now when i put 1 in front of her. Problem solved.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

That's interesting that you were able to "train" her to eat them through sheer persistence. 

 

[MantisGirl13]

My ghosts usually devour them! I pick it apart and hand feed them, putting the white, fat parts up to their mouths to let them taste it, and then I wait for them to grab it.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Killing them before feeding doesnt work, Cochise really wants to have living food. and think she likes the abdomen of her prey, she eats that as last and always head first.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I'm glad that Cochise is eating!

- MantisGirl13