# What the heck is up with my Arizona Unicorn?



## Apocanaut (Aug 25, 2009)

For the last couple weeks my adult female Arizona Unicorn has been moving slowly, falling off things, bending the ends of her legs strangely, and, most alarmingly, shooing away all food offered to her, even if she hasn't eaten in days.

She is about the same age as my two budwings, which have both laid their first infertile ooths in the last couple weeks. I keep thinking she must be about due to lay one, but nothing has happened. There was one morning when I checked her box to see if she had eaten a cricket, and she was lying on her back with her back legs folded as if she was about to die. But that was more than a week ago.

Since she wouldn't accept live food, I've been feeding her pieces of pineapple and canteloupe, which she has finished. Yesterday I figured out a fairly inhumane way of feeding her a cricket; I grabbed the cricket by its leg with tweezers and just put it up to her mouth, and she ate it, albeit from a very awkward hanging position.

Does anyone know what's going on with her?


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## ismart (Aug 25, 2009)

Just how old is she? Sound like she is gradually weakening and will probally die soon.


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## Ntsees (Aug 25, 2009)

Apocanaut said:


> ...I've been feeding her pieces of pineapple and canteloupe, which she has finished....


This is the first time I've heard someone feed their mantid fruits.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 25, 2009)

We here on the forum use bananas for a treat, and the other day I gave someone some pineapple, they liked it, and it does sound like she is nearing the end of her life.


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## Apocanaut (Aug 25, 2009)

but shouldn't she have laid an ooth already? She hasn't even been adult for more than 2 months.

I forgot to note that right before I noticed her behaving like this, I went on a camping trip for 3 days and left a cricket for her. I thought she had eaten it, but a couple days after I came back I found it had died underneath some legos in her box. Her box is fairly well ventilated, but maybe the fumes from the dead cricket made her sick?


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## Rick (Aug 25, 2009)

Apocanaut said:


> but shouldn't she have laid an ooth already? She hasn't even been adult for more than 2 months.I forgot to note that right before I noticed her behaving like this, I went on a camping trip for 3 days and left a cricket for her. I thought she had eaten it, but a couple days after I came back I found it had died underneath some legos in her box. Her box is fairly well ventilated, but maybe the fumes from the dead cricket made her sick?


Legos? Fruit? &lt;_&lt; I would take a look at what conditions you are providing.


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## Apocanaut (Aug 25, 2009)

well the legos were just things she could climb on, as opposed to a stick or something. All of my mantids have eaten fruit (and cooked chicken) before, which were ideas I got from regulars on this board, and they did fine; this wasn't the first time this mantis has eaten pineapple. But for the next few feeding times I guess I will just grab a live cricket, put it up to her mouth, and hope for the best.


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## PhilinYuma (Aug 25, 2009)

Apocanaut said:


> well the legos were just things she could climb on, as opposed to a stick or something. All of my mantids have eaten fruit (and cooked chicken) before, which were ideas I got from regulars on this board, and they did fine; this wasn't the first time this mantis has eaten pineapple. But for the next few feeding times I guess I will just grab a live cricket, put it up to her mouth, and hope for the best.


Sometimes females, fertilized or not, just don't lay any ooths. Whatever the reason, she certainly sounds as though she is dying.


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## Ntsees (Aug 25, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> We here on the forum use bananas for a treat, and the other day I gave someone some pineapple, they liked it, and it does sound like she is nearing the end of her life.


I guess it's more common than I thought. Interesting. But this did spark an idea.

(My thoughts: whether they are right or wrong I don't care) First and foremost, I have never kept any flower mantids but I've read about them. I've always wondered why flower mantids needed to be fed certain diets, like feeding them flower-loving insects. Feeding them ground-based insects, I've read, may prove detrimental later on. And so why is that the case? Is it because the mantids also need the energy source from the prey they feed on (although it may be in small quantities)? Does this mean that flower mantids need a little bit of nectar in their diet to remain healthy? I say this because I think protein is protein, whether it's from a cricket or a moth. But is it also what's "inside" the gut system of that particular meal important (mantids eat almost everything)? I don't know, but it is worth finding out. Will adding honey to a flower mantid's diet will make them better off even if they are fed ground-based insects (cricket, etc.)?

Sorry for going off topic. Couldn't stop my thinking.  

p.s. - YES! I finally molted and became a 2nd instar! Hmm...20 posts per molt, wow I have a lot to go before I'm an adult.


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## Rick (Aug 25, 2009)

Apocanaut said:


> well the legos were just things she could climb on, as opposed to a stick or something. All of my mantids have eaten fruit (and cooked chicken) before, which were ideas I got from regulars on this board, and they did fine; this wasn't the first time this mantis has eaten pineapple. But for the next few feeding times I guess I will just grab a live cricket, put it up to her mouth, and hope for the best.


I don't know, last time I checked mantids were carnivorous insects that ate other insects. Why you would choose to feed fruit over insects is beyond me.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 25, 2009)

Your little girl is probably egg bound, and some do not do well this way, some live a normal life, but some don't.


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## ismart (Aug 26, 2009)

Rick said:


> I don't know, last time I checked mantids were carnivorous insects that ate other insects. Why you would choose to feed fruit over insects is beyond me.


I agree with Rick 100%

I don't quite understand why anybody would want to feed there mantids fruit. I really doubt it is good for them. I'm pretty sure in nature a mantis would very rarely stumble apon rippened fruit and deciede to dig in. If anything it would rather consume the insects that are feasting on the fruit instead. The only thing non meat a mantis should or would be consuming in nature would be pollen, and what ever minute amount of food that is in the gut of what ever insect it happens to be consuming. I can only see fruit as being filler. Your mantis is more than likley dying from improper care. feed it insects and give it some sticks or twigs for it to climb on instead of legos.


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## Apocanaut (Aug 30, 2009)

ismart said:


> I agree with Rick 100%I don't quite understand why anybody would want to feed there mantids fruit. I really doubt it is good for them. I'm pretty sure in nature a mantis would very rarely stumble apon rippened fruit and deciede to dig in. If anything it would rather consume the insects that are feasting on the fruit instead. The only thing non meat a mantis should or would be consuming in nature would be pollen, and what ever minute amount of food that is in the gut of what ever insect it happens to be consuming. I can only see fruit as being filler. Your mantis is more than likley dying from improper care. feed it insects and give it some sticks or twigs for it to climb on instead of legos.


It's not like her main diet was fruits or anything. My mantid diets have all been 95% fruit flies, moths, flies, and crickets, with the occasional piece of pineapple, cantaloupe or chicken (which, again, I only did once I read it recommended on this board) _*if*_ and when I couldn't find or purchase any live food. I'm also not saying fruit is an ideal food, but I was reluctant to skewer a live bug in order to hold it up to her mouth, which I would have had to do since she kept shooing them away. Additionally, and perhaps I didn't make this clear, this particular mantis hadn't eaten any fruits at all in several weeks before she became sick, so I'd say it's pretty safe to assume fruit isn't the problem here. Besides, I would be surprised if the mantid immune system is so poorly developed that a piece of fruit made it die, especially given their close relation to termites and cockroaches, as well as the fact that a mantis from Africa can consume a camel cricket (or miller moth, or spider, etc.) born and bred in Colorado Springs and suffer little to no adverse consequences as a result.

As for legos, I fail to see what difference there is between a lego structure and a large twig, except that legos are much less likely to have germs, eggs or parasites living on them; there are plenty of stories on this board about backyard soil producing mites and fungi and such. And it isn't like they're constantly falling off the legos or something. Honestly, I don't see what would make anyone think legos are so dangerous.


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## Ghozt (Jan 28, 2010)

ismart said:


> I agree with Rick 100%I don't quite understand why anybody would want to feed there mantids fruit. I really doubt it is good for them. I'm pretty sure in nature a mantis would very rarely stumble apon rippened fruit and deciede to dig in. If anything it would rather consume the insects that are feasting on the fruit instead. The only thing non meat a mantis should or would be consuming in nature would be pollen, and what ever minute amount of food that is in the gut of what ever insect it happens to be consuming. I can only see fruit as being filler. Your mantis is more than likley dying from improper care. feed it insects and give it some sticks or twigs for it to climb on instead of legos.


actualy feeding it a frute has no side effects. just dont over feed it. Long as u hold that food in front of them, they will eat.

Also, if its the 1st time, definitly, dont over feed it.


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## Katnapper (Jan 28, 2010)

Ghozt said:


> actualy feeding it a frute has no side effects.


What is a "frute?" Do you know the scientific name for this feeder species?


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 28, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> What is a "frute?" Do you know the scientific name for this feeder species?


Ghozt (as in "Ghozt mantiz") explained in his "blue stuff coming out of its butt" post that he, too, feeds his mantids grapes, so I think that the scientific name for this is "grape frute."

Now you and I, Katt, would probably think that it would be fine to simply give it water, but that would deprive the critter of much needed minerals like sodium, so it all has a Scientific Basis, right Ghozt?


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## Katnapper (Jan 29, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> Ghozt (as in "Ghozt mantiz") explained in his "blue stuff coming out of its butt" post that he, too, feeds his mantids grapes, so I think that the scientific name for this is "grape frute."Now you and I, Katt, would probably think that it would be fine to simply give it water, but that would deprive the critter of much needed minerals like sodium, so it all has a Scientific Basis, right Ghozt?


Amusing reply, Phil.   But you have so much more patience than me, and a calmer constitution. I've been told I have a lower threshold to irritations;



so I will not comment further... I'll just take my meds and go to bed.


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 29, 2010)

Katnapper said:


> Amusing reply, Phil.   But you have so much more patience than me, and a calmer constitution. I've been told I have a lower threshold to irritations;
> 
> 
> 
> so I will not comment further... I'll just take my meds and go to bed.


Good night, Katt. Sweet dreams. Luv ya!


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