# after molting, mantis wings crumpled and looking sick. help



## vastman (Sep 13, 2005)

My wife and daughter, who have been raising a mantis, are away on a trip and I noticed this afternoon our wonderful mantis lying upside down on the bottom of our terrarium after moulting. They've been raising it for several months and it appears to have moulted with wings this time. However, the wings are all mashed together, as if the mantis fell and landed on them and then was stuck long enough upside down so they dried all mashed up.

I am new to this (a passive observer in our household) but gently lifted the mantis out of the tank and placed it upright on the lid. The old skin is still attached to one leg. The mantis is lying still, periodically struggling a bit. Should I pull the old exoskelatin from his leg?

Would misting it help unstick the mashed up wings? It's soo sad and I'm freeked out as my daughter just left a couple days ago and she's going to be heartbroken if the little critter dies. I'm reviewing all the posts for some insite but hope someone can give me some advice. I noticed the mantis on it's back about 8 hours ago and figured it would work itself out but this doesnt seem to be the case.

I'm hoping I'm freeking out for nothing, i.e., that it takes a day or two for the mantis to recover/complete this last moult and for the wings to uncrumple and stuff. However, I know this is probably wishfull thinking and I'm so glad I tracked down this forum and can share my situation and hopefully get some advice... thanks so much .


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## Rick (Sep 13, 2005)

The wings are most likely going to be deformed. You can try to gently pull the old skin off.


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## vastman (Sep 13, 2005)

Thanks, rick. Skin came off with a little misting. I spent several hours reading up on various things about mantids on this forum last night and learned a lot. Looks like the little guy definately had a bad molt, falling from the top of the cage where he usually hangs out...legs are deformed in the back also and it's just sorta lieing round as if to say, "oh boy, this ain't good"...

last night removed him from the cage, as we had several crickets in there and one thread indicated the crickets would attack im. One of it's antenna is very short so maybe they already did.

Based on all the info in your forum, I'm gonna bag and freeze 'im this evening if things don't improve. I'm so thankful for your forum as it really helped me understand what happened and some things we can do better next time. My four year old daughter talked with him a lot and will hopefully want to continue the rearing process. She's a bug of the month member and loves nature.

Thanks again for all the info on this great forum. It is the only place I was able to find any real information beyond the basic stuff everyone else had.

Dana :arrow: :arrow:


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## Rick (Sep 13, 2005)

Females have short antenna.


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## vastman (Sep 15, 2005)

Don't know how long is long, but one antennea is 1/4 inch and 1 is about 1 1/2 inches long. Presume one was either damaged when it fell or a cricket got it befor I realized it should be separated...

Well, it's 2 days now and "Manty" is still alive  After talking with my partner, she asked me to hand feed the little bugger so I took a cricket out of the tank and boy did manty appreciate it! Today gave 'm another and he/she's definately perked up.

Unfortunately, it has no control of it's rear legs and only one really functional front leg so it's like careing for an invalid... Nancy and Ellie will be back Friday so they'll have to decide how to proceed. Our once proud Manty who use to climb up on our hands and interact can't really do this anymore. So sad... but glad I didn't freeze him. They've raised him and it's really up to them as to how to proceed.

In this regard, how long does a mature Manty live?

thanks again.... Dana


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## Jwonni (Sep 15, 2005)

dont know how long they take to mature but from start to dead i have read depending on species and how often you feed em and how warm they are its 6 months to 1 year


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