Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long can a mantis live without food?
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How often should I feed my mantis?
For L1 (newly born nymphs) and L2 (young nymphs), you ought to feed them daily. 2-3 days before molting, they usually don’t eat. Right after molting, wait for their exoskeleton to harden (24-48 hours) before feeding.
From L3 onwards, feed them a little every day or give them big meals once every 2-4 days. In the wild, they don’t get to eat that often.
For adult females, feed them as much as they like to eat if you wish to prepare them for breeding. For adult males, they don’t eat as much.
Many breeders practise feeding male nymphs less to slow down their growth (as males tend to reach adult stage much faster than females as they require less molting stages)

How long after molting (to become adults) should I wait to pair/mate my mantis?
More detailed answers in Mantis Meet facebook group

4 weeks for adult females after getting their wings, and 2 weeks for males
If your male mantis is getting old, and your female adult is still young, you could try after she’s 2.5 weeks old. But the best success rate happens when the female is 5 weeks old