New Mantis Behavior and question

[Fudo]

I bought an OS through the mail a couple months ago. As I reported previously, she arrived with clear signs of shell disease -several rusty brown divots in her shell. I provided her with a spacious tank and a nice pvc burrow. She took to the burrow, ate all the snails and hermits, and took food off a stick, but I almost never saw anything but her eyes and antennae. She was VERY shy. She would shoot out for food and go screaming back into her burrow with it. And that was it.

I was a little disappointed.

Then she molted. Now her shell has just a couple spots of very faint discoloration. And she is much less shy. I have seen her out walking around in the tank and if I put my face up to the side of the tank, she actually comes out of her burrow and walks right up to the glass to look at me. What a difference!

Now I have a problem.

Before when she was so shy, I was able to put my hand in the tank to scrape algae off the glass and nuke aptaisia. But now that she is out and about, I'm more concerned. So my question is this: how many of you put your hands into your mantis tank? Do you take any precautions?

 

[mantisshrimp]

If you know where it is just keep your hand away!Also try not to scare it.

 

[MDKyleZ]

I have three mantis in my tank and have no problem what so ever putting my hand into the tank... as a matter of fact I feed each of my mantis by hand and one even sits on me fingers and eats her food there. I have in the past (when I first got them and tried to feed them this way) been hit by the smashers but, not any more. I'm sure that if I was to scare any one of them they would get me again but they are gentle for the most part.

 

[OCEANUS]

We all know how intelligent these creatures are! They can be conditioned fairly quickly with repetition. If you just start putting your hand in the tank to clean it, then she should be wary of it and will stay away... Hopefully. (most are downright fearless!) If you feed her by hand ,holding the food between your fingers and putting it in the tank, then she may start to associate your hand with an easy meal and she will be more than anxious to get next to it and maybe even hit it a few times to get some food out of it!!! Feed her in a different way than you do to clean the tank and she will accept your hand in the tank as nothing but a temporary nuisance. But, better you try it than me!!!!HA!! Good luck!!

 

[sirhelm]

Just have to be aware of where they are when cleaning the tank. I have a 6" O.S and he is pretty shy. However I would not want to get hit by his clubs!!! When I am doing work in the tank, I pay special attention to where he is and what direction he is facing. Ideally I like to clean his tank after he has been fed... Reduces the chance that he may take my fingers as a meal!!

LOL

Man... hand feeding.... takes a loto guts for the first few times eh??

LOL

SH

 

[Gonodactylus]

Just try to be careful when the animal stabs you not to jerk your hand away too quickly. It can easily rip of the raptorial appendage.

Seriously, I would advise caution. Being struck by a large O. s. is no fun and there are risks of infection that we really don't understand. Most stomatopods quickly learn to associate an object with being fed. Mine attack a feeding stick whenever it is inserted into the tank - with or without food. Training to associate your fingers with food will not make cleaning the tank a easy task.

Roy

 

[RogueCorps]

Just try to be careful when the animal stabs you not to jerk your hand away too quickly.
Roy

Heheh... notice Doc says, "WHEN the animal stabs you." Yikes!!!

I recently removed the uneaten molted "hammers" from our O.S. and the folded spears are as sharp as tiny needles! I RARELY put my hands in the tank when moving rocks and things but keep really aware of where she is in the tank.

Glass cleaning? no thanks... Get a Mag-float.

-Rogue

 

[Fudo]

Pay attention to which way she is facing? She faces in EVERY direction at once with those floating eyeballs of hers. I imagine them gathering data like the Terminator. Plus, she has those three-prong antennae. I'm SURE one of those prongs is specialized for sensing fear. Is there any creature with a greater number of specialized appendages?

She's like some kind of alien warrior bristling with sensors, communication devices, weapons, armor, and a jet pack. And you think I'm feeding her by hand? Ha!

Does ANYONE feed large mantis shrimp by hand? I saw a photo somewhere but that person reported that the mantis in question had lost both smashers.

I guess I will feed her and then work on housekeeping while she is occupied. I'd plug her pipe with her in it, but I'm afraid to make her mad! Sheesh.