# Help with mantis with stuck moult



## Wonderpants (Jul 22, 2020)

I had some new L2 orchid mantises turn up yesterday. The breeder warned me that they might start to moult to L3 as her unsold nymphs from the same ooth were moulting, Sure enough, one was lying on the floor of its pot when it arrived. I assumed it had died while moulting en route, but a while later I noticed that it was still moving a bit. The breeder suggested spraying the pot, dabbing the mantis with water, and sticking the shed skin to The mesh top with sellotape, which I did. A day later, it’s not shed the skin but is still alive. Euthanasia may now be the only option, but I thought I’d ask here first. I managed to get a reasonably detailed pic, and it looks like all the legs are stuck. Would it be worth trying to cut or pull the old skin away?


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## Synapze (Jul 22, 2020)

Wonderpants said:


> Euthanasia﻿﻿ may now be the only option﻿,﻿ ﻿﻿﻿but I thought I’d ask here first. I ﻿managed to get a reasonably detailed ﻿pic, and it looks like all the legs are stuck. Would it be worth trying to﻿ cut or pull the old﻿ skin ﻿away﻿?


I agree. There's really nothing you can do for the poor thing at this stage.


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## Wonderpants (Jul 22, 2020)

I’m nothing if not persistent! I’ve just spent a couple of hours with a magnifying glass and a pair of nail scissors, removing as much of the shed skin as I though I safely could. She’s now able to move her legs at least, and is now being given all the honey she can eat as a treat and an easy way to get some strength back.


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## MantisMart (Jul 22, 2020)

Wonderpants said:


> I’m nothing if not persistent! I’ve just spent a couple of hours with a magnifying glass and a pair of nail scissors, removing as much of the shed skin as I though I safely could. She’s now able to move her legs at least, and is now being given all the honey she can eat as a treat and an easy way to get some strength back.


Great job!!


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