# WHAT THE HECK?



## Xenomantis (Oct 7, 2007)

Well, Gluttony finally laid an Ooth!  

Problem is, it's the weirdest looking ooth I've ever seen. Here are some photos-












:blink: :blink: :blink: 

Could it be fertile, or was it just layed wrong?


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## Mantis_Whisper (Oct 7, 2007)

What kind of mantid is it?


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## Xenomantis (Oct 7, 2007)

Mantis_Whisper said:


> What kind of mantid is it?


European.


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## Mantis_Whisper (Oct 7, 2007)

Whoa.... Welll I heard that when mantids are about to die they lay a deformed infertile ooth.... I think that's what happened. Cause there is no way babies would be able to hatch from that and live.  

*total noob*


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## Xenomantis (Oct 7, 2007)

Aww... I'll give it a try anyway, just in case. *sigh*


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## Mantis_Whisper (Oct 7, 2007)

Xenomantis said:


> Aww... I'll give it a try anyway, just in case. *sigh*


Hopefully evereything will go okay. And hopefully she won't die soon.


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## Andrew (Oct 7, 2007)

Why wouldn't nymphs be able to hatch from it? :huh:


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## Mantis_Whisper (Oct 7, 2007)

Andrew said:


> Why wouldn't nymphs be able to hatch from it? :huh:


Cause it's all deformed. I don't think anywould be able to leave the ooth. I don't know, some might. *shrugs*


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## Rick (Oct 7, 2007)

It may hatch a few if you're lucky. True, many old mantids will lay a deformed ooth but I have had young, normal females do it too.


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## OGIGA (Oct 7, 2007)

Wow, it's almost in 2 parts. Give it a try and something might hatch from it.


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## Xenomantis (Oct 7, 2007)

Thanks for the encouragement guys.


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## Mantis_Whisper (Oct 7, 2007)

Xenomantis said:


> Thanks for the encouragement guys.


Hopefully you get some babies. If not I can send you some of mine.... well if the ooth is fertile. :blink:


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## Xenomantis (Oct 7, 2007)

Mantis_Whisper said:


> Hopefully you get some babies. If not I can send you some of mine.... well if the ooth is fertile. :blink:


Don't worry. Even if Gluttony's ooth is infertile, I have two (three if you count my Mom's) other wild-caught European females, one of which is growing quite rotund. But, I really appreciate the offer.


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## Mantis_Whisper (Oct 7, 2007)

Xenomantis said:


> Don't worry. Even if Gluttony's ooth is infertile, I have two (three if you count my Mom's) other wild-caught European females, one of which is growing quite rotund. But, I really appreciate the offer.


I'm gonna be swamped by chinese nypmhs soon. I'd also be glad to give some away.

Hopefully you'll do fine with your mantids and loads of little babies running about soon.

Your welcome.


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## Sparky (Oct 7, 2007)

It kinda looks like poop :blink:


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## Xenomantis (Oct 7, 2007)

Sparky said:


> It kinda looks like poop :blink:


I was thinking that too when I first saw it this morning.

Update- I've attatched the ooth to the lid of a platsic cup and have put it in the garage to incubate. Only six to eight weeks till we see if the ooth is fertile.


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## Butterfly (Oct 8, 2007)

I would have guessed European too!

Mine last year laid me some wiiild looking ooths.

Ill have to find those pictures one of these days.


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## darkspeed (Oct 22, 2007)

My Carolina just laid a horrible looking ooth... Im not even sure it is an ooth... What do you guys think??


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## Ben.M (Oct 22, 2007)

I think it is an ooth, but its gone horibbly wrong :huh:


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## OGIGA (Oct 22, 2007)

Possible that's an ootheca... I can't think of what else it would be.


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## darkspeed (Oct 22, 2007)

Is there any chance the babies could spring forth from it or would keeping it be a waste of time?


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## Ben.M (Oct 22, 2007)

I dont think there is any point keeping it, it looks way to distorted and skinny for anything to hatch


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## Rick (Oct 22, 2007)

DARKSPEED said:


> Is there any chance the babies could spring forth from it or would keeping it be a waste of time?


No way that is any good. Throw it out unless you want to keep it for some reason.

Fertility has nothing to do with ooth shape or size.


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## hibiscusmile (Oct 22, 2007)

OGIGA said:


> Possible that's an ootheca... I can't think of what else it would be.


Looks like skid marks or a zipper without the other half :lol: , That is normal, (not the skid one) for the europeans, mine just laid some like that, then she laid real tiny ones too!


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## darkspeed (Oct 27, 2007)

Well she took another shot at laying an ooth. This time completely different in size, shape and color than the one before. Makes me wonder if she was even trying to lay an ooth last time, or if the last one even came from her. It could have been from last seasons mantis and I just never noticed it in the tank before cuz it was stuck to the bottom side of the black plastic rim at the top of the tank. Either way I doubt it is fertile, but who knows. I may have a surprise in a few weeks.


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## Ben.M (Oct 27, 2007)

Looks like 2 ooths stuck together  but if its fertile then i recon u will get nymphs from it.


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## Rick (Oct 27, 2007)

DARKSPEED said:


> Well she took another shot at laying an ooth. This time completely different in size, shape and color than the one before. Makes me wonder if she was even trying to lay an ooth last time, or if the last one even came from her. It could have been from last seasons mantis and I just never noticed it in the tank before cuz it was stuck to the bottom side of the black plastic rim at the top of the tank. Either way I doubt it is fertile, but who knows. I may have a surprise in a few weeks.


This is like two ooths and will likely hatch as long as she was mated. Don't keep that other one, it won't hatch.


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## Xenomantis (Oct 27, 2007)

DARKSPEED said:


> Well she took another shot at laying an ooth. This time completely different in size, shape and color than the one before. Makes me wonder if she was even trying to lay an ooth last time, or if the last one even came from her. It could have been from last seasons mantis and I just never noticed it in the tank before cuz it was stuck to the bottom side of the black plastic rim at the top of the tank. Either way I doubt it is fertile, but who knows. I may have a surprise in a few weeks.


It looks like it will have a fairly good chance of hatching because it's fairly intact. Course, I'm no expert.

Good luck, though!


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