# My Mantis laid an abnormal egg!!



## Butterfly (Oct 23, 2006)

So, My European Mantis Thor lives in a fish tank and I hadnt gotten any sand yet so there were still the little rocks in the bottom. My roomates cat somehow knocked it over yesterday and amazingly she didnt get squished. But I can tell the rocks hit her and she was a very odd dark color at fist. So, I scooped her up and held her for a bit, made sure her home was back to normal and I put her back on the screen so she could recover upside down like she likes. I gave her some crickets and she did finally eat one. But when I woke up this morning I noticed she laid her 4th ooth but this one is weird. It is VERY long and skinny, looks kinda like that super long Orchid Mantids ooth but even skinnier and it kind of loops around at the bottom. Im afraid she miscarried because she shouldnt have laid this egg for another week or two. I had to help get it unstuck from her tail area since I could tell it was already dry and stuck to her. I did notice she was eating another cricket but Im still worried about her. Has anyone else had an experience like this? And should I still try and hatch the ooth if I can get it out of the tank in one long piece?

Im going to get sand for her cage tonight by the way.


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## Rick (Oct 23, 2006)

The ooths tend to get smaller and stranger in shape the more they lay. It will probably still hatch. Why are you set on using sand as a substrate?


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## Butterfly (Oct 23, 2006)

Im not using sand at the moment, I had gravel still in the tank. I just figured something softer and slightly more giving than the glass would be more comfortable for her.


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## robo mantis (Oct 23, 2006)

you could put in peat moss well anyway i usually don't put in a floor i usually just have a few sticks in there (sometimes ground covers gets moldy)


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## Butterfly (Oct 23, 2006)

Is it possible for a mantis to miscarry if she is injured?

Could that be why she laid it earlier than she should have? She normally has a 21 day cycle before the next ooth is laid. I just really like her and am worried about her.


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## Rick (Oct 24, 2006)

> Is it possible for a mantis to miscarry if she is injured?Could that be why she laid it earlier than she should have? She normally has a 21 day cycle before the next ooth is laid. I just really like her and am worried about her.


Its an insect, they don't miscarry in the true sense of the word. Most mantids spend most of their time on the lid so comfort is not a concern in my opinion. I use moist spaghnum moss in my enclosures. It doesn't mold but leftover food will.


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## robo mantis (Oct 24, 2006)

oh i have used dirt before and i misted my mantis and the ground grew mold


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