Only a couple ate fruit flies two days after hatching. On the third day most ate some. It was funny watching them try to catch their meals. Obviously hunting is a learned skill, as most of them missed their targets the first few times. My fruit fly cultures were in a 32 oz plastic cup. On the third day I placed the cup into the mantis's tank. Plenty of flies pouring out of it. Every other day I reach in and shake the cup up, this stirs up the flies and they come charging out again. If it looks like there are not enough flies I add additional from other cultures. I am currently feeding D. melanogaster, the smaller species. I do have D. Heidi being cultured as well. These are much larger.
I have not witnessed any cannibalism yet. I have noticed some aggression between a few individuals. The weaker ones just run away. There are two distinct sizes among the babies. One size is about 1/3 smaller than the others. Could the smaller ones be the males? We shall see as they grow older.
I have read that these critters don't need water as they are supposed to get all they need from their prey. I have found that they do indeed drink water. I very lightly mist their tank every two to three days. I make sure droplets of water remain on the sides of the tank and the branches. I never leave much, just enough to create droplets for them to drink from. The first time I did this I was amazed because the vast majority, if not all of them lowered their heads into the water and drank. They would each drink for more than a minute or two.
I have not witnessed any cannibalism yet. I have noticed some aggression between a few individuals. The weaker ones just run away. There are two distinct sizes among the babies. One size is about 1/3 smaller than the others. Could the smaller ones be the males? We shall see as they grow older.
I have read that these critters don't need water as they are supposed to get all they need from their prey. I have found that they do indeed drink water. I very lightly mist their tank every two to three days. I make sure droplets of water remain on the sides of the tank and the branches. I never leave much, just enough to create droplets for them to drink from. The first time I did this I was amazed because the vast majority, if not all of them lowered their heads into the water and drank. They would each drink for more than a minute or two.