Mantis left in a hot car?

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SneakyPsycho

SneakyPsycho

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Hey, guys. I've had love for mantises since I was a little kid but now I'm getting more serious about it. My boyfriend who is new to the insect world found a mantis hoping it was a male chinese to breed with our female. He said it was fast and active and appeared to be in good health. He stuck it in his hot car and left it in a jar for 20 minutes, not really thinking that would be bad. When he came back, all its legs were curled up and he assumed it was dead. When he brought it out to the house I discovered that it's an immature female carolina mantis and it's still alive. She has full alertness when you approach her and will often move her neck, antenna, and mouth parts. She won't move her front arms at all. I hung her somewhat stiff back four legs from a stick and in a position like mantises are in when they start to molt. I was hoping maybe she tried to molt but it was so dry she couldn't? I don't know. I've misted the area a few times, hoping she would perk up, but she hasn't. Do you have any ideas what might have happened and if it is fixable? I'd be willing to hand feed her if you thought she would recover. Thanks!

*I thought it was also notable that she survived overnight.

 
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Awww, try hand feeding her! It's kinda sounding 50/50 right now! Make sure he learns for next time! I've had this happen once except it was in the sun, I automatticly put the mantis in front of the air conditioner for 10 minutes and handled the mantis a little bit, to start to get it walking and moving it's arms, the next day, it was fine!

* keep her cool, in colder room for a few hours, or days depending, but her in front of an AC like I did, maybe she'll cool down and become active again!

 
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What would be the most effective way to hand feed her? I've read about people taking insect pins and holding a cricket that way.

 
My experience with this is thus: If it has experienced hyperthermia, what is needs is cooling without chill and draft, and rehydration,. What works well is placing the mantid near some mashed banana and/or honey and let it taste it. Perhaps even putting some of the food on a toothpick and getting it near the mantid's mouth so it will try the food. This will not only slowly hydrate the mantid, but also nourish it. If that works, then you can mash up a meal worm or cricket and introduce it the same way. After that it might start taking food normally.

 
Things sound rather bleak. I would not worry about feeding, just keep her well ventilated with humidity and offer water. If she doesn't perk up and start moving than that most likely means the heat damaged her body past the point of recovery. Forcing food won't fix this.

 
Soon after I saw the message about honey I gave her some on a toothpick and she really seemed to like it. I would go back every couple hours or so to check on her and she never wanted it a second time. She died last night. :unsure: At least I tried. Thanks for your advice everyone.

 
Poor little mantis

Sometimes we make mistakes

Not as bad as my washing machine mantis who died of egg binding last month but I found a few nymphs in my room today that look like multispina hatchlings so...

 
Hey! Sneaky, take tho positive of what these people say and don't mind the rest. You made a mistake and searched for answers. Nothing wrong with that. I bet you will never make that mistake again.

 
Let's not let that happen again (the arguing).

 
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