Keeping Zelus sp. Assassins?

[Zephyr]

Anyone else there ever kept the Zelus. sp assassin bugs? I have a female Z. luridus who has laid 2 egg clusters (one of which hatched!) and I was wondering if I should give the nymphs one big food item (like a mealworm pupae or roach) to feed on or multiple smaller ones (fruit flies etc.)

[Ralph]

If the nymphs will attack large prey, I think you should give them that. It's more economical. I've kept larger nymphs and adults, but never hatchlings. The nymphs might team up on one large prey item, too.

[Allpet Roaches]

A 1/4" Zelus assassin bug nymph that landed on my arm when I was in the back yard today. I've kept them before and never would have thought they'd bite but that sucker drilled into my arm, pumped in a little venom, and there's a visible little hole there.

[Zephyr]

Ouch Orin. D:

I do get a little nervous working around them but I've found they do fine on a diet of crushed mealworm pupae and fruit flies, which doesn't require much direct contact with them on my end.

[Allpet Roaches]

I've handled them many times, they normally don't recognize skin as something to bite.

[Ralph]

I've never been bitten either! Maybe the fall startled it enough to bite the first thing it saw. Surprising (for me) that they'd eat crushed pupae.