# First molt!



## Trademark (Apr 21, 2008)

My poor mantis, he fell during his molt. I'm very surprised, it's been, what 5-6 days since he hatched?

Even so, I looked over and there we was, hanging upside down on his branch. I practically flipped and decided to leave him alone like I've read. Sadly, I came back, couldn't find him and to my horror he was laying in the dirt, still wriggling slightly. He's so close, too, it looks like his head, part of his forelimbs a bit of his legs are still stuck. It's been, oh, 20 minutes or so now. I'm not sure how long I should wait until I declare it a hopeless cause.


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## Trademark (Apr 21, 2008)

Ah, nevermind, there's no more movement. How disappointing!


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## Trademark (Apr 21, 2008)

Augh, wait, he's still moving...very slowly. Not much. I managed to get him hanging on a twig and he's suspended at least.


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## Malnra (Apr 21, 2008)

You might get lucky, though a fall is not a good thing. Try to keep the humidity up to soften the old skin so he has a chance to wiggle out.


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## Trademark (Apr 21, 2008)

Thank you for the advice, I've become suddenly obsessed with the proper humidity in the past fifteen minutes. However, I don't think it was enough, his body is body is slowly drying out and becoming brown again and he's made 0 progress. I hate to say it, but I think he's done. I've done all I can do and I don't want the poor thing to suffer..


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## Rick (Apr 24, 2008)

Unless you help him as soon as he falls he will be stuck in whatever position he landed in. Just mist every couple days and don't get all worried about humidity. Sometimes these things just happen no matter what you do.


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## asdsdf (Apr 26, 2008)

So, how did it go? :blink:


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## Trademark (Apr 28, 2008)

asdsdf said:


> So, how did it go? :blink:


What, oh, I thought I posted this, hehe. Poor little guy, there was nothing I can do. I waited and waited, but it just didn't work out. I went out and bought a hydrometer though! Turns out I was right, even with the regular misting it's been at like 40% this whole time. D: Dang desert. So hopefully if I can stay on top of that, I can have some success with the few nymphs I salvaged from the hatchings.


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