villanueva11
Member
I'm not sure that putting it in the enclosure with your cham is a good idea, given the fact that approximately 200 baby mantis is a lot. I'm not positive but I'm thinking that even as tiny as they are at first, they will not be eaten all at once. Thus leaving them free to roam the enclosure for who knows how long. I personally dont like to have my feeders roam at all but especially over night. If they aren't eaten by late afternoon they come out.
However, none of that really makes any difference, if I read correctly & you free range your cham so there is no enclosure. So moving on...
Back to the topic...the mantis as a feeder... yes, very costly. Both time & money. Yes, you will need to have enough space to keep them apart. Yes, they are very exciting for your cham. Prob not for everyone, but I have somewhat of a spoiled brat so I do this a couple times a year as special treats.
I hatch them in a mesh laundry hamper that I have made a lid for. It has 3- 12×12 sections, to separate the laundry, or mantis. I get the the flightless fruit flies, take the lid off & put it in there. If they have enough to climb on & places to hide a little they do alright together for 2-3 weeks. As they grow I'll separate them into smaller & smaller groups & by the time they are about 1.5-2 in they are alone in a clear plastic cup, with a lid & air holes of course, I have cardboard cup holders, like you get at fast food places, to keep the cups in. Each cup has a small stick & piece of fake plant. Most time consuming part is feeding them at this point. Luckily you can get by with every other day. Maybe more, I'm not a mantis expert. I start feeding them to my cham once they are 2-3 in. When they are that size & larger I've read that they can be aggressive and after seeing them eat pin head crickets I believe it, so on the rare occasion he does not eat it immediately I take it right back out. Dealing with an infected bite from a feeder is something neither him or I want to have the experience of.
So lots to consider, again, very costly, very exciting. And it sounds like you are doing good with offering a verity of feeders already so if its not something you feel you're able to take on, dont feel bad. Roaches are great feeders, much better for regular feedings. Lots more meat on them
However, none of that really makes any difference, if I read correctly & you free range your cham so there is no enclosure. So moving on...
Back to the topic...the mantis as a feeder... yes, very costly. Both time & money. Yes, you will need to have enough space to keep them apart. Yes, they are very exciting for your cham. Prob not for everyone, but I have somewhat of a spoiled brat so I do this a couple times a year as special treats.
I hatch them in a mesh laundry hamper that I have made a lid for. It has 3- 12×12 sections, to separate the laundry, or mantis. I get the the flightless fruit flies, take the lid off & put it in there. If they have enough to climb on & places to hide a little they do alright together for 2-3 weeks. As they grow I'll separate them into smaller & smaller groups & by the time they are about 1.5-2 in they are alone in a clear plastic cup, with a lid & air holes of course, I have cardboard cup holders, like you get at fast food places, to keep the cups in. Each cup has a small stick & piece of fake plant. Most time consuming part is feeding them at this point. Luckily you can get by with every other day. Maybe more, I'm not a mantis expert. I start feeding them to my cham once they are 2-3 in. When they are that size & larger I've read that they can be aggressive and after seeing them eat pin head crickets I believe it, so on the rare occasion he does not eat it immediately I take it right back out. Dealing with an infected bite from a feeder is something neither him or I want to have the experience of.
So lots to consider, again, very costly, very exciting. And it sounds like you are doing good with offering a verity of feeders already so if its not something you feel you're able to take on, dont feel bad. Roaches are great feeders, much better for regular feedings. Lots more meat on them
