# Mantis food too big??



## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

Hey all.... again. lol. 
I gave my congo green a cricket yesterday but it seemed to be scared of it and gave it a wide berth, after about 20 mins it started to approach it, got to within a couple of cm's and then backed off again. 
I got it last thursday and it hasn't eaten since I got it, I thought the crickets I got would be fine but evidently not. Am still waiting for casters to hatch into flies so until then these are all I have.
The mantis is roughly 3cm from head to abdomen (when folded over the body, probably about 5cm when fully stretched). The crickets are "medium", probably about 1cm or just over.
Any ideas?
cheers.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> Hey all.... again. lol.
> I gave my congo green a cricket yesterday but it seemed to be scared of it and gave it a wide berth, after about 20 mins it started to approach it, got to within a couple of cm's and then backed off again.
> I got it last thursday and it hasn't eaten since I got it, I thought the crickets I got would be fine but evidently not. Am still waiting for casters to hatch into flies so until then these are all I have.
> The mantis is roughly 3cm from head to abdomen (when folded over the body, probably about 5cm when fully stretched). The crickets are "medium", probably about 1cm or just over.
> ...


It may be due a shed, mate. It should be able to take that cricket. Take the cricket out, my friend. Leave it a few days.

At least you have yours!

I have about £100 worth of things that cannot be sent out as it is too cold apparently, inc one of these - 

Question is, when WILL it be warm enough to send things out again?

*curses my own luck*


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

Yeh, I left it in there for about an hour then took it out again.
The guy I bought it from didn't seem to know how old it was or when it last shed, so it could well be due one.
Cheers for all the help, feels like I'm flooding the forum with mantis posts, lol. I just wanna make sure I'm doing everything correctly.
Luckily I got mine from a shop so didn't have to wait for it. I thought it was getting warmer and now this! lol.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Is it about the same size as the one that I am waiting on from E Bay?


http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/spiders-inverts/247856-congo-green-mantis-3.html

Take the cricket out for two or three days.

Trust me, if it is due a shed,and you have a black cricket in there, you might end up regretting it, bud.


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

I'd say it's probably a little big bigger than those, about L4.

I have just put another one in, I picked out the smallest in the box. I watched it for about half an hour, it actually struck at it this time, it stalks up to it slowly, watches it for a bit and then strikes, it did this 4 times and missed every time! now it has lost interest and walked away. lol.
I don't use black crickets, have heard they can be nasty.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> I'd say it's probably a little big bigger than those, about L4.
> 
> I have just put another one in, I picked out the smallest in the box. I watched it for about half an hour, it actually struck at it this time, it stalks up to it slowly, watches it for a bit and then strikes, it did this 4 times and missed every time! now it has lost interest and walked away. lol.
> I don't use black crickets, have heard they can be nasty.


In that case mate, here is what (and I have kept loads of PM's), it is doing.

It is due a shed.

Prior to, and sometimes just after a shed, it will lose all interest in food.

It will be fine if you leave it for a few days without anything.

Imo, it is striking it, as it wants the cricket to basically feck off, so it can shed in peace.


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

ok cool, I'll take it out and leave it for a couple of days.
It's been a few days without food already though.
How long can they last without food?
Is there any visual signs as to when a mantis is coming up to shed?


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## Sollytear (Aug 7, 2008)

Look at its abdoman. How thick is it? If it is quiet round and has plenty of shape then it isn't hungry. U will be supprised how long a mantis can happily go with no food. 
The reason i say this is that the size of the cricket is infact a factor whether it wants to eat it or not. The hungrier it is, the bigger the pray it is willing to tackle. 
At 3cm or so, a 1cm cricket should be no problem at all. 

Give it a few days, maybe a week, and then try again. 

My first mantis did not eat for 3 weeks before shedding. A mix of stress from moving and me constantly handling it made his shed take ages. 

Hope it all works out, try UK Mantis Forums for more help


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## Sollytear (Aug 7, 2008)

Ozgi said:


> ok cool, I'll take it out and leave it for a couple of days.
> 
> It's been a few days without food already though.
> 
> ...


Hope it helps!
Joe


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> ok cool, I'll take it out and leave it for a couple of days.
> It's been a few days without food already though.
> How long can they last without food?
> Is there any visual signs as to when a mantis is coming up to shed?


 
I have left mine for 7 days or more mate, no problem.

Odds are that the fella you bought it from probably fed it well before you bought it.

Do you have a pic of it?


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

Cheers for all the help guys.
Its abdomen was really plump when I got it, has gone down a little bit since, but doesn't look flat.
It is probably due to the stress of being moved around and handled, I'll leave it alone for a few days and see what happens.
The guy was feeding it black crickets, and pretty large ones at that so a smaller brown one shouldn't be any problem for it.
I did take pics but they look pretty blurry, I'll upload them onto my pc and see what they look like!
thanks again.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> Cheers for all the help guys.
> *Its abdomen was really plump when I got it*, has gone down a little bit since, but doesn't look flat.
> It is probably due to the stress of being moved around and handled, I'll leave it alone for a few days and see what happens.
> *The guy was feeding it black crickets*, and pretty large ones at that so a smaller brown one shouldn't be any problem for it.
> ...


1) Yup, he has been feeding it well, you watch, a few days from now, it will shed

2) It may be used to black crickets. Buy some of them.


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

ok, I'll give it a few days to shed, by then I should have some flies for it aswell.
Here's a couple of pics (if they work). They were taken 2 days ago though so it is a bit skinnier now! Poor quality by the way, put to shame by most other pics on this forum, lol.


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## Sollytear (Aug 7, 2008)

Oh yes, thats a full boy


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

Oh yeh! You can see the segments quite clearly in that pic, I was having trouble doing it by eye. 
Thanks for sexing him!
lol.


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

enlightenment said:


> 1) Yup, he has been feeding it well, *you watch, a few days from now, it will shed*
> 
> 2) It may be used to black crickets. Buy some of them.


 
It shed last night! You absolute legend. lol. Gonna give him a few hours then try him with a small cricket.
He looks even greener now if that's even possible! Loving this species, it looks how I always imagined mantis should look, if that makes sense. lol.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> It shed last night! You absolute legend. lol. Gonna give him a few hours then try him with a small cricket.
> He looks even greener now if that's even possible! Loving this species, it looks how I always imagined mantis should look, if that makes sense. lol.


Glad to hear that it all worked out well for you.

Steve


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

hmmm. I have just put the smallest cricket I have in there (roughly about 1cm), it has wandered in front of the mantis several times but it is still not interested in it.
He is looking pretty skinny now, and hasn't eaten in the week that I have had him.
Hopefully my casters will hatch out soon and I can try him with a fly.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> hmmm. I have just put the smallest cricket I have in there (roughly about 1cm), it has wandered in front of the mantis several times but it is still not interested in it.
> He is looking pretty skinny now, and hasn't eaten in the week that I have had him.
> Hopefully my casters will hatch out soon and I can try him with a fly.


Yup.

Just prior to and just after a shed, no eating.

Same with when they come to die.

They often stop eating some days prior.

Wouldn't fret.

Just leave it another day, try it with something tommorow night.


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## Sollytear (Aug 7, 2008)

I usually leave them for 3 days after a shed undistrubed, without trying to feed. It may seem silly and too long but it will 1) make sure they are dry and ready to eat, 2) extend their life. They life span is dependant on how much they eat after all!


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

It ate! Over a week after getting it.
I put a cricket in and it did the same "I'm not bothered" routine. I was starting to think It'd never eat, so I put a tiny fruit fly in and it looked at it for a bit and then went for it! After it had eaten this it went straight for the cricket and ate it arse end first, lol. The fly must have triggered its appetite.
Thanks for all the help, much appreciated.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ozgi said:


> It ate! Over a week after getting it.
> I put a cricket in and it did the same "I'm not bothered" routine. I was starting to think It'd never eat, so I put a tiny fruit fly in and it looked at it for a bit and then went for it! After it had eaten this it went straight for the cricket and ate it arse end first, lol. The fly must have triggered its appetite.
> Thanks for all the help, much appreciated.


No problem.

You should find it's appetite will be greatly increased now.

Although, don't overdo it.

Something every couple of days is sufficient.

Steve


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