# Is My Ghost Mantis about to molt?



## TySAAAN (Aug 18, 2012)

Okay so I've been checking all over the internet, looking to see if my mantis is about to molt. So far, the evidence I have is that the abdomen is pretty plump, I just got it in the mail earlier today, and it seems to be hanging upside down alot. The only thing that contradicts to her molting is that her legs and whole body aren't very straight, and I thought she wouldn't eat, but then she just ate a fly. But just to be safe I took out the rest of the flies in case they would hit her down while she was molting.

So to sum it all up, should I feed her, or should I wait and let her *possibly* molt?


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 18, 2012)

If she ate a fly, she is not going to molt within the next 12 hours, make sure to give her water each day, go head and give her another fly or two, if she eats, they she is fine, when she does not eat and you know she sees the fly, then consider removing it, they always hand upside down too.


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## Domanating (Aug 18, 2012)

They will not pursue prey when a molt is about to happen. If a bug is making the mantis uncomfortable, they can postpone the molt if it didn't start yet.

The praying-mantis lives upside down 90% of its lifetime, with or without molt. I never seen my mantids with straight legs when molting, they are always a little bit flexed. What i notice is they position their front legs a bit away from its body semi-open looking somewhat loose. Otherwise if they are in the normal praying/resting position i doubt there's a molt coming. The best indication that your mantid is about to molt is when it swings its body from side to side. It's similar to when they try to blend with the foliage and mimic a leaf in the wind but in a more controlled manner. Only after witnessing both situations you can notice the difference


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## Saebjorn9 (Aug 18, 2012)

Domanating said:


> They will not pursue prey when a molt is about to happen. If a bug is making the mantis uncomfortable, they can postpone the molt if it didn't start yet.
> 
> The praying-mantis lives upside down 90% of its lifetime, with or without molt. I never seen my mantids with straight legs when molting, they are always a little bit flexed. What i notice is they position their front legs a bit away from its body semi-open looking somewhat loose. Otherwise if they are in the normal praying/resting position i doubt there's a molt coming. The best indication that your mantid is about to molt is when it swings its body from side to side. It's similar to when they try to blend with the foliage and mimic a leaf in the wind but in a more controlled manner. Only after witnessing both situations you can notice the difference


This. I've noticed before every molt my mantis will splay its front legs out and do a weird squirming side to side dance. It's different from their swaying motion when they try and immitate a branch when hunting. Once they start doing that they're about to molt. I assume the dance motion is them loosening their skin as they prepare to shed.


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## fleurdejoo (Aug 18, 2012)

Hi there I am a newbie too.

I have 4 ghosts and two have molted.

I did not witness either but if he just ate a fly I would totally give him food until he quits eating.

They just stop eating period before the molt.


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## minomantis (Aug 18, 2012)

I don't know if it applies to ghost mantids but before my chinese mantis molts maybe like the day it's preparing to molt I'll notice them stretch themselves length wise as if they're noticing the skin is getting too tight. Also there is a different angle of hanging upside down when your mantis is about to molt vs. just hanging around. Youtube has some videos of mantids molting and you can notice the angle is much more closer to vertical. Hope everything works out!


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## brancsikia339 (Aug 18, 2012)

Ghosts tend to hang upside down all of the time. If she is refusing food, then she may be ready to molt. As minomantis said,



minomantis said:


> Also there is a different angle of hanging upside down when your mantis is about to molt vs. just hanging around.


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## brancsikia339 (Aug 18, 2012)

Two videos of ghosts molting


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## TySAAAN (Aug 18, 2012)

Okay thanks! Another weird thing is that, for awhile she'd only strike at the flies I fed her. Is it because they are too big for her, or is she shooing them away? She ate one right after this event though.


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## TySAAAN (Aug 18, 2012)

AND her abdomen is quite plump, soo...


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## minomantis (Aug 18, 2012)

TySAAAN said:


> Okay thanks! Another weird thing is that, for awhile she'd only strike at the flies I fed her. Is it because they are too big for her, or is she shooing them away? She ate one right after this event though.


Being able to tell will come with experience but mantids are very good at hunting so if you see your mantis just striking just because she's probably shooing them away. If she wants to eat, she'll eat. lol. Another thing I've learned is with mantids, you need patience so she might not eat right away but if the want is there you'll see.


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## minomantis (Aug 18, 2012)

Do you have any pictures?


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## TySAAAN (Aug 18, 2012)

minomantis said:


> Do you have any pictures?


Here's the best picture I could find.






The reason it looks weird, is because he's upside down but I just rotated the picture.


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## fleurdejoo (Aug 18, 2012)

I'm not sure about what instars mine are but I give them tons of fruit flies.

They have eaten small houseflies and I will offer two of them wingless house flies again since they have just molted and be able to do that now.

But if it just ate I would give more food till it boxes it away!


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## TySAAAN (Aug 18, 2012)

fleurdejoo said:


> I'm not sure about what instars mine are but I give them tons of fruit flies.
> 
> They have eaten small houseflies and I will offer two of them wingless house flies again since they have just molted and be able to do that now.
> 
> But if it just ate I would give more food till it boxes it away!


Well the thing is he was boxing them but then he ate one.


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## fleurdejoo (Aug 18, 2012)

But....?

He ate it.

So I would give him more, til he won't eat.

Then you know he's going to molt.

My Taumantis has been refusing food for days, I'm hoping she molts soon.


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## brancsikia339 (Aug 18, 2012)

You will know when your mantis is going to molt. Trust me


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## ShieldMantid1997 (Aug 19, 2012)

you know its going to molt when it catches prey bites it till it dies, then throws it away, just because its annoying them while trying to start lol


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## Mime454 (Aug 19, 2012)

ShieldMantid1997 said:


> you know its going to molt when it catches prey bites it till it dies, then throws it away, just because its annoying them while trying to start lol


Mine has never done this. It just strikes to scare them away.


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## minomantis (Aug 20, 2012)

ShieldMantid1997 said:


> you know its going to molt when it catches prey bites it till it dies, then throws it away, just because its annoying them while trying to start lol


Mine has done that before. It happens in two seconds too!! Couple bites to the head and drop. lol


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## Mvalenz (Aug 21, 2012)

minomantis said:


> Mine has done that before. It happens in two seconds too!! Couple bites to the head and drop. lol


This has happened to me before as well. When one of my Majusculas was little it would do this to every FF in the deli cup. Heads would be chewed up and then dropped.


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## fleurdejoo (Aug 21, 2012)

Tysaaan I understand your concern.

I am new to this as well and I was second guessing myself like crazy.

Is it really gonna molt is something wrong with it?

But it sounds like yours is still eating so don't sweat it.


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## sueb4653 (Aug 21, 2012)

LOL arent we all worry warts when it comes to our mantis

obessed I say we are obsessed :whistling:


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## aNisip (Aug 21, 2012)

Mantises will have a very big abdomens, move lethargically if at all, and not eat before they molt...like fluer said "u'll know when it mantis is gunna molt"


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## TySAAAN (Aug 21, 2012)

My little ghost hasn't been eating for a few days so I'll give her tonight and tomorrow to molt.. I just can't wait!


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## aNisip (Aug 22, 2012)

Don't forget, a little spray of water will raise humidity and make it easier for the mantis to molt!


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## TySAAAN (Aug 22, 2012)

I guess my ghost isn't going to, her abdomen is actually pretty thin. But she's not seeming to eat. What should I do?


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## petoly (Aug 23, 2012)

keep feeding. it's gonna molt eventually. it probably digested the food and pooped it out.


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