Mantis wont eat live food?

[Salty Bginners]

I have a juvinile smithii about 1 inch long, I got it as a freebie from some1 elses setup. I was told that it had been killing hermits (hence y it was free ) from what i know it has never molted. So i put it in its new 10gal tank and it imediatly digs a hole. i have it stocked with assorted hermits (most are small) It has been about a week and all it has eaten are some brine shrimp. so my questions are, if he was eating crabs in the other persons tank (a 120) y wont he eat it in his new tank? if he has actually been eating fish food in the other tank (instead of crabs) how do i wean him over to live food?should i stop feeding him brine and force him to hunt. last q... how often do smithiis molt?
thanks for all of the much appreciated info.
-Bginners

 

[Agu]

Your mantis will do what it needs to survive. Don't get worried and try to push your agenda.

 

[Salty Bginners]

Nicely wrote. thank you for the help agu

 

[rudyistaken]

I find mantis take at the very least 3 weeks to settle before they will take live food. Food on a stick they will take that day but does not mean it is settled. Just keep trying.

I have a large smithii that has taken almost 2 months to come around and still is rather reclusive. He will eat from a stick, however the ony way I know he is eating is the vast amounts of broken snail shells by his den.

By the way...your last comment was hilarious

 

[Salty Bginners]

i was not trying to be smart or funny. at this point (as a "bginner" mantis keeper) i am glad to get any info at all. Actuallyb4 i posted this thread i was pretty scared that my mantis was gonna starve b4 he started eating. And i appreciated Agu's and your informtion because i know very little about them (other than other ppl dont like them, i like them, and they eat crabs/snails) i will re-state I was not being a smart&## i was simply being appreciative of any help i can get.