Kung Fu Mantis.

[KobaOregonherper]

Anyone here feed mantises? Looking to possibly start raising those, but not sure if its a good idea, depending on the difficulty and gutload value.

 

[JoXie411]

@snitz427 is raising some I think

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I feed a lot of wild ones, raising them can be somewhat frustrating as they tend to eat each other. But it’s still totally doable...

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

I know @Matt Vanilla Gorilla does. A couple years ago here we had a crazy amount of mantis here. Haven't seen one yet this summer. I did just kill a brown common skorpion in my garage yesterday though.

 

[snitz427]

I have stick/leaf bugs. I avoided mantids for 3 reasons :
- if you raise them in numbers you need to seperate them so they dont kill each other
- they need a bug diet as well, and I dont want to deal with fruit flies
- im worried about them hurting my cham with their arms

@Brodybreaux25 @Matt Vanilla Gorilla do you guys have any issues with them putting up a fight at feeding time? I’ve seen some wild ones around the house but Im no leg breaker!

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I’m not 100% on exactly what species we have here, several. The biggest is what I believe to be female Chinese mantis, about 3-4” tall.

My chams don’t hunt them like they do grass hoppers or Dubia, they will wait or maneuver to get a clear shot at their head while keeping their distance. Then hit them hard and fast, they never have enough time to fight back.

 

[Zevil]

I read from somewhere that insects and other bugs get a temporary stun when the chameleon's tongue snag them. Which means if the chameleon can kill it before the prey recover from stun, it can't attack the chameleon at all. I might be wrong though.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

I read from somewhere that insects and other bugs get a temporary stun when the chameleon's tongue snag them. Which means if the chameleon can kill it before the prey recover from stun, it can't attack the chameleon at all. I might be wrong though.

I’m more than sure they are stunned! Chams understand that some prey is more dangerous than others and adjust their hunting technique accordingly. I’ve noticed over the years that my chams almost lazily shoot at hoppers, tongue is noticeably slower. But if I put something potentially dangerous in front of them they hang back and slowly stalk them. When it’s right they hit them in the face HARD. You can hear the SMACK! Then the chams pull them in past the mantis’ shoulders and chomp down breaking the mantis’s arms.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

Correction @Matt Vanilla Gorilla feeds stick bugs not mantids that I know of. He could feed mantids too but you'd have to ask him.

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I live out in the boonies and therefore do feed bugs that I catch in the wild. I do feed mantis and yes, I do propagate my own stick bugs too. I did once try my hand at raising mantis but it was not worth it. It is too slow a process. Silkworms are a lot easier to raise!

 

[Matt Vanilla Gorilla]

I have stick/leaf bugs. I avoided mantids for 3 reasons :
- if you raise them in numbers you need to seperate them so they dont kill each other
- they need a bug diet as well, and I dont want to deal with fruit flies
- im worried about them hurting my cham with their arms

@Brodybreaux25 @Matt Vanilla Gorilla do you guys have any issues with them putting up a fight at feeding time? I’ve seen some wild ones around the house but Im no leg breaker!

I have never had a mantis bite a chameleon.

 

[CamoChameleonsHuman]

I live out in the boonies and therefore do feed bugs that I catch in the wild. I do feed mantis and yes, I do propagate my own stick bugs too. I did once try my hand at raising mantis but it was not worth it. It is too slow a process. Silkworms are a lot easier to raise!

Haha didn't want to miss QUOTE you. Thanks for clearing that up

 

[KobaOregonherper]

I live out in the boonies and therefore do feed bugs that I catch in the wild. I do feed mantis and yes, I do propagate my own stick bugs too. I did once try my hand at raising mantis but it was not worth it. It is too slow a process. Silkworms are a lot easier to raise!

That answers my question

 

[jamest0o0]

Chinese mantids are very easy to raise if you have the space to separate them

Edit: by easy, I mean their care isn't difficult, not really worth the time and space though. I just do stick bugs myself

 

[The Wild One]

Can they eat June bugs? In Houston there are about 50 of them in 1 half of the yard!