Agreed with JoeCapricorn, they will likely do this to anything and everything before they molt, too. I observed my mantis hitting a chopstick in the same manner and you could see that the outer section of the claw was extended, and it is just hitting it with the inner.
Here's an interesting little tidbit that I know from observing mantises and their strange behavior... those strikes this mantis did were not to catch the cricket or fly, but rather bat it away. I can see the mantis being startled (how it seems to step back, then strikes at it).
A hunting strike is different, it isn't quick and from an upright position. Instead they slowly move in and aim their strike to grasp.
The mantis was startled likely because the cricket was at its eye level.
@JoeCapricorn yeah watching that video I see your point and it does look more defensive than anything else at first, so it's more like "Agh where dyu come from!? get on the floor so I can eat you! nom nom " :D
Having caught a preg-o mantis and subsequently raised many of her gleefully cannibalistic children, I came to the realization that mantids are just not very smart. For all of her attentiveness and graceful precision, our mantis would repeatedly try to strike at bugs that she could see, but were on the wrong side of a branch.
...bummer for them if she caught them in the clear, though.
Oh really? Thatd be cool, Yeah I live in Southern California Ive heard you can get like... the egg sacks at a nursery or Home Depot.. Ive gone to a reptile store and asked that guy if they sell them but he said that you cant buy them from anywhere youve gotta order... I dont know exactly the kind I want, Preferrably one thats the trademark green, I prefer those over the brown and the orchids might be a bit too much work (though theyre beautiful I saw one with eyes that looked like amythests)
im sure i have seen fruit flies in petco but i have never seen mantises for sale anywhere here .. but of course one near you might well have or ask staff if they can get them. Make sure you have done research and know which type of mantis you want, and check online to see what prices they sell for so you know whats a bargain or not. OIf course if a local shop can get one then you dont have shipping to pay!! .. Im gonna do exactly this myself soon too.
Oh my gods, Wow I had no idea :o I guess cause I have a snake and the mice I feed her dont seem evil enough to defeat her and eat her Geez. I read another comment where a person said that like a fly or maggot or something ate the baby mantises they were trying to raise... What should you feed them as babies? I was thinking about getting one as a pet and I guess... ants?
actually fruit flies! .. You can usually get them in pet shops and if your buying the mantis online they often have food supplies too. Petsmart and petco have fruit flies sometimes but they dont have newborn crickets .. So see if you have any independant pet shops nearby that have 1 week (or less) crickets. The cricket in this video was a 1 week and he did eat and catch them. But fruit flies are probably safer until you learn how to know when hes moulting. Thats when theyre vunerable!
Yeah Ive seen that they can fall down and become little gimpy mantises :< Does petco usually carry fruit flies? Ill have to go there and ask the next time I take a trip. They should sell mantises as pets at petco I think, since so many people seem to fancy them.
RIP little mantis buddy. He had a horrid death due to a stupid mistake i made (one of the crickets was a bit too big!) plus he moulted and was probably vulnerable!
Agreed with JoeCapricorn, they will likely do this to anything and everything before they molt, too. I observed my mantis hitting a chopstick in the same manner and you could see that the outer section of the claw was extended, and it is just hitting it with the inner.
RoflPwnFtw 6 months ago
Were u got the plant
cair99 6 months ago
aww man I feel so sorry for the poor thing :( incredibly cute though
vvelvettearss 1 year ago
Here's an interesting little tidbit that I know from observing mantises and their strange behavior... those strikes this mantis did were not to catch the cricket or fly, but rather bat it away. I can see the mantis being startled (how it seems to step back, then strikes at it).
A hunting strike is different, it isn't quick and from an upright position. Instead they slowly move in and aim their strike to grasp.
The mantis was startled likely because the cricket was at its eye level.
JoeCapricorn 1 year ago
@JoeCapricorn yeah watching that video I see your point and it does look more defensive than anything else at first, so it's more like "Agh where dyu come from!? get on the floor so I can eat you! nom nom " :D
vvelvettearss 1 year ago
He's a bully, pushing others off the branches =(
TheSirMagus 1 year ago
Having caught a preg-o mantis and subsequently raised many of her gleefully cannibalistic children, I came to the realization that mantids are just not very smart. For all of her attentiveness and graceful precision, our mantis would repeatedly try to strike at bugs that she could see, but were on the wrong side of a branch.
...bummer for them if she caught them in the clear, though.
TheColoradoan 2 years ago
o_o When it ate the thingyy at the first part was cute :3
iTouchedYuu 2 years ago
Oh really? Thatd be cool, Yeah I live in Southern California Ive heard you can get like... the egg sacks at a nursery or Home Depot.. Ive gone to a reptile store and asked that guy if they sell them but he said that you cant buy them from anywhere youve gotta order... I dont know exactly the kind I want, Preferrably one thats the trademark green, I prefer those over the brown and the orchids might be a bit too much work (though theyre beautiful I saw one with eyes that looked like amythests)
Duochan 3 years ago
im sure i have seen fruit flies in petco but i have never seen mantises for sale anywhere here .. but of course one near you might well have or ask staff if they can get them. Make sure you have done research and know which type of mantis you want, and check online to see what prices they sell for so you know whats a bargain or not. OIf course if a local shop can get one then you dont have shipping to pay!! .. Im gonna do exactly this myself soon too.
sammyblot 3 years ago
If your in america i can send u some links to online sellers that look ok!!
sammyblot 3 years ago
@sammyblot mantisplace(DOT)com has good ones
evand848 1 year ago
The cricket ate him!?! Wow... :<
Duochan 3 years ago
oh yes .. crickets are EVIL!!! .. If your pet is sick and cant get away they will eat him!! Crickets are very unfussy!! .. and did i mention evil!!
The one that ate dork was bigger than the ones shown here ..
sammyblot 3 years ago
Oh my gods, Wow I had no idea :o I guess cause I have a snake and the mice I feed her dont seem evil enough to defeat her and eat her Geez. I read another comment where a person said that like a fly or maggot or something ate the baby mantises they were trying to raise... What should you feed them as babies? I was thinking about getting one as a pet and I guess... ants?
Duochan 3 years ago
actually fruit flies! .. You can usually get them in pet shops and if your buying the mantis online they often have food supplies too. Petsmart and petco have fruit flies sometimes but they dont have newborn crickets .. So see if you have any independant pet shops nearby that have 1 week (or less) crickets. The cricket in this video was a 1 week and he did eat and catch them. But fruit flies are probably safer until you learn how to know when hes moulting. Thats when theyre vunerable!
sammyblot 3 years ago
Yeah Ive seen that they can fall down and become little gimpy mantises :< Does petco usually carry fruit flies? Ill have to go there and ask the next time I take a trip. They should sell mantises as pets at petco I think, since so many people seem to fancy them.
Duochan 3 years ago
whoops .. reply to this above!!!
sammyblot 3 years ago
cuteness :)
ncstndgrl 3 years ago
oh .. yes the cricket ate dork :( .. well, ate his body anyway. he was still alive so i had to kill him. It was very horrible ..
sammyblot 3 years ago
RIP little mantis buddy. He had a horrid death due to a stupid mistake i made (one of the crickets was a bit too big!) plus he moulted and was probably vulnerable!
Im very sad about it!
sammyblot 3 years ago