mantid food??

[invertasnakes]

Hi guys, i was just wondering a few things.

1. I heard yesterday that feeding crickets to mantids can stop them from reproducing or laying a fertile ootheca due to some chemical or fluid found in crickets. Is this true??

2. Wheres the best place on the net to buy flightless fruit fly colony's???

[Ozgi]

Originally Posted by invertasnakes

Hi guys, i was just wondering a few things.

1. I heard yesterday that feeding crickets to mantids can stop them from reproducing or laying a fertile ootheca due to some chemical or fluid found in crickets. Is this true??

2. Wheres the best place on the net to buy flightless fruit fly colony's???

That applies to some species more than others, although generally it is best to avoid crickets entirely, they are nothing but bad news!

Some members on here and other mantis related forums sell their own colonies, failing that livefoodsdirect is pretty good. Once you have bought one culture you can set your own up and have an endless supply!

[joeyboy]

I don't think it's a proven fact, but a diet of only crickets, Especially blacks it seems, isn't very good for them over the long term.

Mine's died now poor old gal. But I used to feed her brown crickets, morio worms, big flies found in the house(over summer), I'd also get a member on Bugnation to post me a few maggots as I didn't need a whole half pint for one mantis, fed it the hatched out blue bottles.(forgot their username now...)

[toro9186]

I got mine from Ebay!

They do breed like mad! But look out for lots of escapees

[invertasnakes]

Ozgi, exactly what i was hoping to do. Thanks mate!

[invertasnakes]

Originally Posted by joeyboy

I don't think it's a proven fact, but a diet of only crickets, Especially blacks it seems, isn't very good for them over the long term.

Mine's died now poor old gal. But I used to feed her brown crickets, morio worms, big flies found in the house(over summer), I'd also get a member on Bugnation to post me a few maggots as I didn't need a whole half pint for one mantis, fed it the hatched out blue bottles.(forgot their username now...)

thanks mate, will check that site out now

Originally Posted by toro9186

I got mine from Ebay!

They do breed like mad! But look out for lots of escapees

Did you have the filghtless ones? Gonna check ebay now

[toro9186]

Yer! flightless ones, still seem to get everywhere

I heard to put em in the fridge for a couple of minutes to make em drowzy so you can catch em!

I bought mine here:

FRUIT FLY CULTURE live reptile food vivarium livefood on eBay (end time 20-Nov-09 19:01:59 GMT)

Top bloke, and fast delivery!

But i now use bean weevils (for my spiderlings) Find it alot easier!

[invertasnakes]

Originally Posted by toro9186

Yer! flightless ones, still seem to get everywhere

I heard to put em in the fridge for a couple of minutes to make em drowzy so you can catch em!

I bought mine here:

FRUIT FLY CULTURE live reptile food vivarium livefood on eBay (end time 20-Nov-09 19:01:59 GMT)

Top bloke, and fast delivery!

But i now use bean weevils (for my spiderlings) Find it alot easier!

Spot on mate!! order some now! Thanks again

[toro9186]

Originally Posted by invertasnakes

Spot on mate!! order some now! Thanks again

No probs!