# Black eyes desease



## Isis (Nov 3, 2005)

Big apology if the similar topic was already explained earlier, but I have a Sphodromantis with her eyes almost blind. The ocelli were "melted" by a mysterious desease (see here- it was taken some 3 molts ago and the illness was just developing: http://www.terrarium.com.pl/forum/viewtopi...&amp;highlight= )

Anyway, do you know what is the cause of this blindness? Is it a genetic/metabolic disease or maybe a viral/bacterial infection?


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## hortus (Nov 3, 2005)

not enuff alone time with a mantis of the opposit sex.

you know they say it will make you go blind.

haha no seriously thats some crazy stuff

could be like mantid glaucoma


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## Rick (Nov 3, 2005)

It's common whatever it is. Nobody seems to know. I have seen this on wild mantids and captive mantids. Seems more prevelant the older they get but I have seen it on young mantids too. In my experience it doesn't affect vision.


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## Isis (Nov 3, 2005)

Oh but it does! The picture was taken a couple o' months earlier and now this mantis is an imago. She hardly can see with one eye and another is comletely blind- it "collapsed" inside and looks terrible ;/ My mantis is afraid of catching any food, even given on metal pincers. I don't know if I should keep her alive...


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## Rick (Nov 3, 2005)

Well then your situation may be different than the typical black eye spot problem a lot of us have seen. Is your mantis really old?


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## Isis (Nov 3, 2005)

nah, she matured 3 days ago. Maybe it is because she was ill for over a month now it has developed in such a way. Whatever it is I suppose it's a metabolic problem. Not only her eyes but also spots on wings (that should be yellow) are black and the same are spots in legs attachments. I think those are some inproper metabolic products acumulations... Oh, that's only a hipothesis


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## Mantis Keeper (Nov 30, 2005)

If it's in other areas as well, maybe a fungus? just a guess.


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