# Violin Mantis STILL hasn't moulted



## nzxmUyZNKEBoqN3e (Nov 24, 2020)

So I made a post on here some time ago about one of my violins who still hasn't moulted. I got a pair at the same time at the same instar (which I assumed meant they were probably from the same clutch) but a huge gulf has developed between them. One is now 2 months into his adult phase whilst the other has been a subadult for over 3 months now.

They are subject to identical conditions, food and care. The one that refuses to moult hasn't eaten in a while, I don't think, but has maintained a plump gaster. He also won't drink or take honey. I've attached a photo. This could be pre-moult behaviour, except that it's been going on for a long time now (&gt; 1 month) and there's no evidence of wing bud swelling - indeed, they look exactly the same as when he became an L7.












Honestly, I'm stumped. Anyone got any thoughts?

Imgur link for if things break: https://imgur.com/a/hJ4npxe


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## Mantid-Tim (Nov 24, 2020)

How much do you feed them, schedule-wise and specifically what and how much? Also, what is the temperature?

I know they don't take that long to molt, but temp and feeding can slow down metabolism significantly. If you feed very little and keep the below the suggested 85-95F (30-35C) this can stretch it out. But I've never kept G. gongylodes, so that being said.... 

If anyone knows the schedule for Wandering Violins to molt, how long for the final molt in particular, let us know please...!?


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## nzxmUyZNKEBoqN3e (Nov 24, 2020)

Mantid-Tim said:


> How much do you feed them, schedule-wise and specifically what and how much? Also, what is the temperature?


They get green bottle flies - the adult male probably gets food twice a week and the subadult is offered food 3 - 4 times a week on average I'd say. I'm not sure what to do RE food; all care sheets say that violins should be fed flying food but this one just shows no interest in flies. They have a heat lamp that gets them up to a nice toasty 35 Celsius, however the bulb broke a few days ago and a replacement is enroute. 

As I said, both were subject to the same conditions and feeding regimes for their entire lives so there is no reason for this discrepancy. My other adult took 43 days, which works out to 45% of the time that this one has been waiting. I get small variations based on genes and slight thermal differences based on slightly different distances from the lamp, but this is a significant difference. I believe @MantisGirl13posted on here or replied to a thread a while ago about some mantids that just refused to moult - I'm wondering if that may be the case here.


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## Mantid-Tim (Nov 24, 2020)

Well I usually feed adults every-other day and every day for females breeding. Try speeding up the metabolism a bit by increasing the feeding schedule. 

Also just keep in mind I don't know Violins; I'm just giving general advice....


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## nzxmUyZNKEBoqN3e (Nov 24, 2020)

Mantid-Tim said:


> Well I usually feed adults every-other day and every day for females breeding. Try speeding up the metabolism a bit by increasing the feeding schedule.


I could try, but as I've said he refuses food - if he ate, I'd feed him more because I love watching them hunt! Unfortunately he also won't accept tweezer feeding as that is apparently too scary. He did catch a fly earlier but dropped it immediately - that was the first time I'd seen him catch something in a significant amount of time.


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## Mantid-Tim (Nov 24, 2020)

Just be careful about leaving flies in overnight or something because a H. orientalis was knocked off her perch during her adult molt and died because of a single blue bottle fly. I enjoyed watching that fly get eaten by my lineola lol....

No one with experience with Wandering Violins can chime in here???


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