Holding a Huge Mantis (video )

[fishoholic]

There are times when some people only learn things from doing them the hard way. That being said while it would be good for him to learn a lesson here and not play with a mantis like that, I'm sure no one wants that lesson to be him loosing a finger.

I know I've thought (and I'm sure others have to) "serves you right, getting hurt for doing something so stupid" but usually that is only when someone wasn't hurt to bad, but bad enough to learn their lesson and not do it again. For example: jumping a bicycle over a ramp, falling off and scraping your knee. Gee that was dumb won't be doing that again. Pretty sure no one would wish that the bicycler would break their neck if they fell in order to learn a lesson.

[my2rotties]

A mantis is not going to kill or seriously maim someone beyond recognition. If I wished that upon the guy, that would be disgusting. I don't wish bad things to happen to people if it is life threatening or altering. I am actually a decent person but I will pretty much always side with the animals when people get hurt.

This creature has no way else to defend itself or tell the guy to leave him alone. I can tell you that they do not like being touched or disturbed at all. This poor creature has had to endure this treatment for how long? This guy just knows its striking range and how to grab it where it cannot defend itself. It may look brave on the video, but the guy just has learned it's limitations and knows it cannot strike him. I knew these areas because I had to try to work around my mantis to clean his tank or remove dead things he had as left overs.

Perhaps I might seem barbaric because I have to opportunity to study mine for many hours and learn a lot about him and his behavior.

If this animal is still alive, how much more of this does he have to endure? This guy will continue to handle him, unless he can strike him just once to make it known there is a line to be drawn. Perhaps when things are written on a forum it is easy to judge the writer without really knowing the reason behind the comment.

Sorry but I hope the mantis gets a shot in on the owner so perhaps he can live a peaceful isolated existence that he deserves to live. People will always push an animal until someday it gets the chance to defend itself...

Call me disgusting but this animal deserves to have a peaceful life and will not have that until it does have the chance to get the owner's attention. The only way it can do that is by striking him... No matter what people say to warn the owner of the potential harm it can do, he will keep doing it. Why? Because he has gotten away with it for as long as he has.

Sad as it is... the only way that mantis can convey a message is by giving the guy what he deserves. I actually do not want to see it, I just wish the mantis would do it.

Sorry if we cannot agree on this but we both have valid points as to why we feel the way that we do...

Originally Posted by JDigital

I never mentioned anything about you "showing off" or "boasting", nor is that the point of my rebuttal. My point is, I think its disgusting that you would wish ill fortune on someone for a mistake they made.

People let him know its a bad idea, but I don't see anyone wishing the loss of a finger, which is possible. Granted I have better things to do than read through 100+ youtube comments, and I'm sure there is a few "cool man!" comments, but the people who know better have posted, and should be a warning for anyone else. (quoted below)

Maybe posting this video has given the kid an eye opener from the people commenting, who know its a mistake to try that, and will think twice before he does it again.

Even the last quote, "cool vid, but I wouldn't grab one".

[Dolf]

Originally Posted by my2rotties

Mine struck out at me and missed and I could feel the wake of the water as his spears whipped past my hand. I could hear the strike as well...

I doubt that your shrimp was wanting to hit you- perhaps just a warning? Our eyesight is binocular- a mantis shrimp is trinocular. If you do a quick search on their eyesight you will get statements such as " Mantis shrimp have the most complex eyes of all animals. Each eye is on a stalk and can move independently of the other. They are each separated into three bands (trinocular vision), allowing each eye to see objects from three different perspectives, giving both of them highly-developed depth perception. They can detect wavelengths from the infra-red to the ultraviolet; in all they can see ten times more colors than humans. Moreover, they are the only animals that can detect circular polarized light (CPL)."

In addition to it's reflexes it's eyesight makes me think that it may have been giving you "fair warning" instead of trying to sever your fingers...

Originally Posted by my2rotties

If you go through people's comments on this video, it is promoting people's desire to own one now... so they can play around with it and bother it... How many people bought one and tormented it? Everybody on this forum cares about the well being of our aquatic life, a mantis is not different.

I doubt that many people have done that simply because a mantis shrimp is not know to have self control and the news has not reported a rash of new reefers being impaled by mantis shrimp. They are smart in some ways but ruled by instinct and if you are going to play with one you are more likely than not going to be hit. My guess is that although the guy in the video is stupid, he has done this many times and that is why he was taping it with very little fear. Eventually any living thing can become accustomed to people and while most are not worthy of the trust that some people place in them, they are, to one extent or another “trained.” Look at Seigfield (SP?) and Roy. One accident with a well trained intelligent animal.

By getting it used to the idea that he provides food and getting it used to his hand over time he likely minimized the chances of being struck. Is it a good idea? no... is it torturing the animal- well, again I refer you the the fact that if the animal felt it was in imminent danger the guy would have lost blood and flesh...

And for the record- I do not feel bad at all in saying that I watched it fully expecting the shrimp to split his finger open and somewhat hoping that it would. I am a proud supporter of the Darwin awards and feel no pity when things that are bound to happen do. When you spill hot coffee on your lap because you are driving don't come crying to me- when your shrimp splits your finger open because you squeezed it a little too hard I am going to laugh. It is just me.

[my2rotties]

Mantis are amazing creatures. I read all about their eyesight, and was amazed. Very formidable predator. I know my guy just gave me a warning since I was careless in respecting his territory. I did learn areas he could not reach me when I had to clean up his tank just in case. If you are really close to his arms he cannot strike out correctly to spear. I watched him wait patiently for a fish to swim by within the correct range, which was farther away then I would imagine. When my guy struck out I was out of there so fast I smacked my hand on the lights above the tank. It scared the bejeezus out of me, big time.

I have seen him spear fish and know he could kill a fish larger then himself. A mantis is a pretty peaceful and reclusive creature and I know they don't appreciate being disturbed unless you have a damsel or two for them to hunt.

I did find the video did send the wrong message to others, and perhaps if he got even a warning strike he would feel the power behind the wake of the water like I had felt. Perhaps you can teach them a certain amount of tolerance, but why bother... I wish people could enjoy the animal for what it is and enjoy it from afar like I enjoyed mine. I have to say they really don't do very much most of the time, and can be quite boring. They lay there on theri sides of backs in their sand pits and wait for prey to swim by...

I am not a monster that wants people hurt, but this is a no brainer and perhaps the mantis is waiting for the right chance to make a point. They are very patient and can wait forever it seems to do anything.

Originally Posted by Dolf

I doubt that your shrimp was wanting to hit you- perhaps just a warning? Our eyesight is binocular- a mantis shrimp is trinocular. If you do a quick search on their eyesight you will get statements such as " Mantis shrimp have the most complex eyes of all animals. Each eye is on a stalk and can move independently of the other. They are each separated into three bands (trinocular vision), allowing each eye to see objects from three different perspectives, giving both of them highly-developed depth perception. They can detect wavelengths from the infra-red to the ultraviolet; in all they can see ten times more colors than humans. Moreover, they are the only animals that can detect circular polarized light (CPL)."

In addition to it's reflexes it's eyesight makes me think that it may have been giving you "fair warning" instead of trying to sever your fingers...

I doubt that many people have done that simply because a mantis shrimp is not know to have self control and the news has not reported a rash of new reefers being impaled by mantis shrimp. They are smart in some ways but ruled by instinct and if you are going to play with one you are more likely than not going to be hit. My guess is that although the guy in the video is stupid, he has done this many times and that is why he was taping it with very little fear. Eventually any living thing can become accustomed to people and while most are not worthy of the trust that some people place in them, they are, to one extent or another “trained.” Look at Seigfield (SP?) and Roy. One accident with a well trained intelligent animal.

By getting it used to the idea that he provides food and getting it used to his hand over time he likely minimized the chances of being struck. Is it a good idea? no... is it torturing the animal- well, again I refer you the the fact that if the animal felt it was in imminent danger the guy would have lost blood and flesh...

And for the record- I do not feel bad at all in saying that I watched it fully expecting the shrimp to split his finger open and somewhat hoping that it would. I am a proud supporter of the Darwin awards and feel no pity when things that are bound to happen do. When you spill hot coffee on your lap because you are driving don't come crying to me- when your shrimp splits your finger open because you squeezed it a little too hard I am going to laugh. It is just me.