Yet another Mantis ID thread

[xlzerolx]

Hi all,
New Mantis owner here. This one's about 2 inches long, the seller thought he was a g smithii, but i'm not so sure. I know that G smithii can be brown in colouration for some deep water species. The pic of the reddish brown one on this link is what i was suspecting it might be

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...acostraca/royslist/species.php?name=g_smithii

Haven't got a good pic of it's meral spot yet, but here's what i got.

 

[Gonodactylus]

It is indeed a G. smithii.

Roy

 

[xlzerolx]

Thanks Roy!

Anyone have any ideas on how to get him to eat hermit crabs or shelled foods? I've tried hermit crabs, he just seems to ignore them. I even pulled one out of it's shell and waved it around near the entrance. He grabbed it 10 seconds later it came flying out of the other end of the rock he calls home lol.
Right now i've been feeding him thawed shrimp and squid bits.

Here's a video of me trying to get him interested in a hermit crab. He seemed more interested in the chopstick though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLItYrZ21vc

 

[justinl]

leave a few hermits in and stop feeding him. eventually he'll get adventurous and desperate. a hungry mantis is a hunting mantis.

 

[Guygettnby]

i agree with justin, stop feeding or slow down on the feedings and he will hunt...hmmmm carnage!!