Mantis as Food?

[gtr319]

@ Ash: hahaha, I only shop locally... and last time I almost got one, but the staff @ the store told me not to get it because its towards the end of its cycle... but still... 1 yr is too short...

[Whistly]

I just wouldn't feed them to frogs because frogs have quite big eyes and mantids can bend there claws behind there backs quite far so that would pose a danger to a frogs eyes.
At an old house I used to live at there was a frog that would hang around the pond which only had one eye its other eye was mutilated and was a pink mass probably from the rose bushes near the pond and I wouldn't want that to happen to one of my frogs.

[Socrates]

I would definitely say NO to using mantis as prey items for any frog. Preying mantis insects actually are quite strong, capable of lifting and/or fighting off adversaries 10-50times their body mass. Plus pair that with needle edged forearms and you have a perfect situation for injury to occur. Plus there are many other insects one could use to spice up the diet of their frogs/toads.

P.S. A really cool mantis species are the orchid ones - they can be bright pink and yellow, quite stunning actually!

[Whistly]

Yea the Orchids look awesome but you can't get them in NZ

[Socrates]

Well that's no fun :-( I have been thinking about getting one myself. I'll have to wait though because currently in Chicago we have two feet of snow and -30 degree wind chills. w00t!

[Animalnstinct]

That's what I was worried about. I've read lots of stuff on how vicious mantis are. but I figured I would ask because I heard of a few people feeding them to pacman. I think everyone is right on it not being worth the risk.

I will just have to keep them as pets and not as food too.