# black eye / blindness ? is death around the corner ?



## stoffa (Jun 1, 2011)

Help! :-(

yesterday i came back from work to find that my adult chinese mantis's right eye was completely black , i thought it might be due to rubbing against the glass enclosure as has been mentioned in other posts,so disn't worry too much, today I get up to find that my mantis keeps falling out of his branch and seems to be both weak and blind in one eye! i'm asuming its blind as it just keeps moving round in circles in attack pose, He seems very twisted, i'm not sure if he's injured, he also hasn't eaten for over a week, not sure weather to put him in the freezer, i'm gutted! how long do mantids live for after the final moult ? and also has anybody else experienced this ?

thanks


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## ismart (Jun 1, 2011)

Sounds like old age. You should put it out of it's misery if it's refusing to eat. It will only slowly deteriorate.


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## PhilinYuma (Jun 1, 2011)

ismart said:


> Sounds like old age. You should put it out of it's misery if it's refusing to eat. It will only slowly deteriorate.


Yep. He sounds a lot like me, but I am still on a healthy diet of Pringles and dip. I've told my son, Dave, that if my eyesight goes altogether or if I stop eating the Pringles, he should just put me in the freezer. I've always wondered if the lights really go out when you close the fridge door. Guess I'll find out!


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## ismart (Jun 1, 2011)

PhilinYuma said:


> Yep. He sounds a lot like me, but I am still on a healthy diet of Pringles and dip. I've told my son, Dave, that if my eyesight goes altogether or if I stop eating the Pringles, he should just put me in the freezer. I've always wondered if the lights really go out when you close the fridge door. Guess I'll find out!


 :lol:


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## ismart (Jun 1, 2011)

If you want Phil. I can suggest to Dave the brick smashing method? It may be quicker, and less painfull? :lol:


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## psyconiko (Jun 1, 2011)

PhilinYuma said:


> Yep. He sounds a lot like me, but I am still on a healthy diet of Pringles and dip. I've told my son, Dave, that if my eyesight goes altogether or if I stop eating the Pringles, he should just put me in the freezer. I've always wondered if the lights really go out when you close the fridge door. Guess I'll find out!


Yes the light goes out(there is a push pull trigger), and you cant open it from the inside :lol:


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## sporeworld (Jun 2, 2011)

Yeah. I suggest a somber moment of rememberance, then gently closing the door to the freezer. Come back the next day to visit, then move on.

To fill the void, post in the classified "Bereaved Owner Seeks Free Replacement". This forum is filled with softies who can help if you're not too picky about species.


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## PhilinYuma (Jun 2, 2011)

ismart said:


> If you want Phil. I can suggest to Dave the brick smashing method? It may be quicker, and less painfull? :lol:


Yeah, there was a good deal of discussion about the "brick method" a while back, wasn't there? I told Dave once that when the end was in sight and I was still standing, that he should show me something interesting (money is always good) and when I was distracted, hit me from behind with a 2X4. Now, he occasionally says "Look at this, dad", and then sneaks round behind me. I'm surprised at how fast I can still run when I have to!


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## stoffa (Jun 3, 2011)

Alas my poor mantis had to go in the freezer, i'm gutted, it had been 5 months since he had his final moult but as i'm a newbie I wasn't sure how long he would live for. He was obviously suffering and as far as i can make out had gone completely blind, its just strange that it all happened within about 3 days. At least I got a baby Congo green from an insect fair last week so i'm not without Mantis! I've grown used to having one or two around.

still a shame though.

Thanks for your replies

Does the Royal flush method work ?


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