Molting concerns

[ajones]

Hi all I'm new all things mantis. We have had a dead leaf mantis for just over a week now, she seemed fine has been eating well happily moved around will come our of her cage and be handled easily. But 3 days ago I noticed she wouldn't eat any food by the end of the day she had moved to the top of the enclosure and hasn't moved since. I have read lots about molting but nothing seems to suggest how long from moving to the top of the cage does it then take b4 she molts. I've also read lots of information about what can go wrong and I'm now watching constantly.

 

[agent A]

hi there so I want to ask a few questions
1: what instar is she at? generally, older nymphs take a bit longer to initiate/complete the molt cycle than younger nymphs
2: what is the temp/humidity? warmer temps tend to speed up the process but excessive heat can cause issues too

 

[hibiscusmile]

the best way for it to molt really depends on what it is on. I use my molting rings or sponge sliced thin. They do well on both surfaces.