# My mantid is suicidal/sadomasochistic



## Macano

Came home to a strange sight last night. One of my sphods was eating one of her own arms! She is well fed, and actually is quite plump. She was holding the arm with her other arm, and just chomping away casually. Last I saw her, she had no injury, and I suspect she didn't recieve one after that unless she took a massive fall. But I doubt it. She ate it all the way down to first elbow. She left her other arm alone. I've never had this happen in my years of mantid keeping. Here's a pic:


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## Johnald Chaffinch

bizarre!

i was surprised this doesnt happen more often, they must have some kind of body map in their brains to tell them where their limbs are in space, this one must just have gone nuts!!! it might have thought it'd caught something and hadnt, but found it was edible, and oops it was it's own arm!


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## Tapos

i've had one do that, but it looked like she had a bacteria or fungus. i wonder if they do that to keep it from spreading?


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## Johnald Chaffinch

i was just about to edit my post and add that! i was thinking perhaps they do chew off segments they feel have something wrong with them just in case. a bacterial infection could mean death, a lost arm doesnt


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## Jodokohajjio

> i was just about to edit my post and add that! i was thinking perhaps they do chew off segments they feel have something wrong with them just in case. a bacterial infection could mean death, a lost arm doesnt


I concur. This is kinda like how a fox will chew its leg off if it gets caught in a trap...


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## Rick

Weird. Can't say I've ever had that happen.


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## robo mantis

:x i lost 2 mantid that way don't know why


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## hortus

just be glad she didnt eat her own head

PS: if she does i want pics and a video


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## Samzo

> just be glad she didnt eat her own head PS: if she does i want pics and a video


Lol thats impossible..


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## hortus

thats why i said i want pics and video


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## robo mantis

lol i bet $5.00 it will swollow it's face lol


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## jrpx

I had a Polyspilota Male who also ate one of his arms... Strange..


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## Jesse

I have had a S. lineola female do this before, but she was very, very old and died a week or two later.


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## Macano

Dunno why she did it, but she is still alive at least.


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## dino.

sorry that happened. i agree with Johnald that it could be some kind of mould.


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