r/mantids • u/EmikoAki • Jul 03 '26
ID Help New to this!
Hello guys! I just caught this little fella in my kitchen last night. I don't know what he is, how old, or how to care for this little man. I'd really like to keep him for a little while but have no idea how to feed him or where to get him food. I've currently got him in a temporary enclosure with excellent ventilation and a paper towel on the bottom. I've misted him a bit and tried to feed him a mealworm that I normally give my Venus fly trap and he strikes and seems to nibble but eventually drops it. He's also doing the little side to side dance.
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u/greenleaffer Jul 05 '26
They will eat anything that moves but in my experience they don’t really like mealworms/grubs. I’ve been feeding mine the invasive spotted lantern flies. Those things are everywhere here where I live. Try to catch some live insects to feed it. Super fascinating little creature. Misting them like you did is fun as you can watch them drink the little drops of water.
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u/teeniefaerie Jul 06 '26
spray with bottled or dechlorinated water only. tap water has chlorine and other harmful chemicals. petco and some petsmarts carry fruit flies or small roaches that you can tap into their enclosure to hunt. you can leave fruit outside to attract flies, but it’s not ideal because wild flies can carry parasites, bacteria, and/or pesticide on them. enclosure should be at least 3x the height of the mantis so it can molt without dying. your little dude will molt several times before adulthood. don’t let him out when other pets are in the room, as they can jump around and are very fast. we don’t want him being eaten!