Can you feed
- Thread starter Zoey
- Start date
Justin Carl
Avid Member
yes a lot of people feed them if they can actually get their hands on them.
i think they are a bit exspensive
i think they are a bit exspensive
Will Hayward
New Member
It's not that the Mantids are expensive, so much as if you want to keep them for a longer amount of time, you need to feed them other live insects, (Which is quite counter productive!) and the amount they eat is substantial. If not fed, then they will cannibalise. However, it's likely possible to let them eat each other, and still end up with some a while later.
Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
I use mantids (euros and chinese) as an enrichment feeder.
I see offering the chameleon something new and interesting to hunt as the primary benefit.
I'm going to argue on the gut loading. If you feed a sub-adult mantis a fat, gut loaded cockroach and send it in to meet the cham immediately afterward ... I consider that mantis to be gut loaded.
In a couple of months there will be tons of ooths available on e-bay. They will be wild collected and primarily from Maryland. I have had great luck with these!
One other benefit of mantids is that they are green and chameleons seem to love green bugs!
-Brad
I see offering the chameleon something new and interesting to hunt as the primary benefit.
I'm going to argue on the gut loading. If you feed a sub-adult mantis a fat, gut loaded cockroach and send it in to meet the cham immediately afterward ... I consider that mantis to be gut loaded.
In a couple of months there will be tons of ooths available on e-bay. They will be wild collected and primarily from Maryland. I have had great luck with these!
One other benefit of mantids is that they are green and chameleons seem to love green bugs!
-Brad
Very interesting, Brad. I've never heard that before!
S
SuperRad
Guest
In summertime in AZ there is a lot of wild mantids. I usually capture them. and keep them. and let them go a few weeks later. Don't ask why, they are just fascinating. Also they are the #2 most interesting animal to watch eat insects. #1 being the chameleon of course.
royden
New Member
I guess that would be true, Brad. It seems a little excessive, but I suppose it is possible.
I guess I'm pretty biased. I put a lot of effort into my mantis collection. Hatching 30-40 mosquito sized mantids out of an ootheca, feeding them fruitflys for months, trying to let them molt succesfully without lost limbs or deformaties, trying to balance their humidity and temps, but also keep out fungal infections, watching them molt over and over for months becoming more and more colorful and articulated, and finally after 5 - 6 months they molt to adulthood with wings that often crown the rest of their beauty - and then toss them to a chameleon...
...kinda seems like raising chameleons to feed to pet eagles.
But then maybe someone out there has a similar opinion on cockroaches. To each his own! Thanks for the input though Brad, I don't mean to slight your practice.
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http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5033281
Not my photos btw
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Brad Ramsey
Retired Moderator
I totally get the mantis fascination!
And, incidentally ....I do feel the same about cockroaches
-Brad
And, incidentally ....I do feel the same about cockroaches
-Brad
royden
New Member
I totally get the mantis fascination!
And, incidentally ....I do feel the same about cockroaches
-Brad
I was just thinking that as I wrote it - how strange it is that I can stare at the roaches for hours. Just about most insects get me that way. herps and insects...
christyo2o2
New Member
LOL...Good comparison..BTW...how long does it take an ooth to hatch? I collected several about 2 months ago and left them in one spot outside. I've been checking on them every week or so. I used to keep them in the window when when I was a kid but know nothing about raising them or their life cycle. Your right about chameleons liking green feeders. I can put 2 brown grasshoppers and 2 green grasshoppers in his cage and he'll eat the greens right away and then the browns a few hours later. I think that's why they like hornwors so much.
royden
New Member
I'm not sure about that. I usually pay the extra money for a 4th or 5th instar rather then hatch an ooth.
Ask Yen Saw at usamantis. He's one of the best breeders in the country as far as knowledge and selection.
http://www.usamantis.com/
Ask Yen Saw at usamantis. He's one of the best breeders in the country as far as knowledge and selection.
http://www.usamantis.com/
royden
New Member
no apologies.
The ooth is the egg sac that came out of the butt. Instar is the name given to the stage in their molt cycle. I think 6th instar is usually adult. 1st instar is a hatchling.
Despite my ranting earlier, the truth is I've actually only been in the mantid hobby for about a year and half or so. And I've never hatched an ooth, but I usually get a little batch of babies that are hard to take care of.
The ooth is the egg sac that came out of the butt. Instar is the name given to the stage in their molt cycle. I think 6th instar is usually adult. 1st instar is a hatchling.
Despite my ranting earlier, the truth is I've actually only been in the mantid hobby for about a year and half or so. And I've never hatched an ooth, but I usually get a little batch of babies that are hard to take care of.
These are just the ones I found around the house. The full grown (sixth instar you know)...see, I'm learning, are the common big green ones that can't fly. The only other kind I've seen around here are the skinny brown flying type. I'll guess I'll wait and see what happens. Thanks David
Zoey
New Member
I love them. Used to catch them all the time, then it was like... oh no they're creepy. But I want them now lol
pedro92
New Member
If you have an extra layin around let me know! I want one, not for food but for pet #4
I will have about 20 chinese oothecas in about a month or less let me know if you are interested each ooth will hatch 200-400 baby nymphs they live off fruit flies for awhile then crix and other bugs
pedro92
New Member
Do not feed the ghosts to your chameleons as they are rare and expensive only feed chinese or another CHEAP AND EASY TO GET mantis
