Funnily enough i had an adult female wild caught and posted to me D desiccata grab and bite me, that did hurt!! and draw blood!!! from forearm spines and mandibles!!! bite is not as bad as the uk Great green grasshopper/bush cricket but enough to make you remember it every time you handled another.
I had to keep her jaws at bay with a pencil whilst i unlocked each arm only for her to grab again as i went for the other one, what a palava but at least i didn't flick her off into the wall

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I have to say mantids rarely bite, but when I have been bitten by bigger species it wasn't too hard to pull away. The raptorial arms give you a bit of a shock. But don't worry, its nothing that will make you throw your mantis across the room If anyone would have done that yet, would've been me lol so no worries in my opinion. Also im taking it your new to the site? Welcome to UKMF

I think it was Nigel marven who screamed like a baby when he grabbed one and it retaliated and that was just a male! wild one.
Cilnia humeralis will attempt to grab you if you lightly touch it but due to their size not really a shocker.
Bigger ones are obviously stronger but as i have all ready said, if kept from nymphs, handled and observed often this rarely happens

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i had a giant asian fall over on my hand n it stuck its spines into my finger which bled lol it hurts more when there coming than goin in but if you have ever had a piercing its nothin lol

mantids 0.0.2ghost mantids 1.1.0 giant devils flower 1.1.0 budwing mantids 0.1.0african mantis0.0.5 ?????1.1.0 dead leaf mantis0.0.6 wandering violins0.0.25+ miomantis sp. 1 purple boxer mantis ooth

i've never been hurt by a mantis. i've had it were they strike. its pretty scary
she was stressed because she'd been in the post for 3 days + i tryed to mate her without thinking. anyways, i've learnt from my mistake.

Collection:
Mantids; 0.1.0 Parasphendale agrionina, 0.1.0 Hymenopus coronatus, 0.1.0 Phyllocrania paradoxa, 1.0.0 Deroplatys dessicata Scorpions; 0.0.2 Heterometrus spinifer, 0.1.0 Liocheles australiasiae Tarantulas; 0.0.1 Grammostola rosea Geckos 1.0.0 Leopard Gecko Katydids 0.0.6 Stilpnochlora couloniana

My best pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beckyl92/

Yes one way or another you have to watch what your doing with them, especially the larger females if you are unfamiliar with them.
They may not be poisonous or venomous or large enough to truly harm you but at the same time they are not entirely defenceless

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believe me,even if they do bite which none of mine have ever tried to,though my wahlbergii likes to latch onto my finger with her "arms",its not half as nerve wracking as the three troublemakers i've had to box up today for sending to customers........HORNED BABOON SPIDERS!!! (c.marshalli) lightning fast, fearless, and aggressive, with a none too pleasant bite to boot.!!

nope mantids are real easy going.

C darlingii were hard enough, what they lack in size is made up for just by being a baboon, but then most old world spiders don't have the luxury of urticating hairs so they make up for it with temperment.Never liked hypodermics !!

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