# Is my Female African Twig OK?



## ImTheBugFreak (Aug 17, 2011)

One of my female African Twig Mantids molted this morning and shortly after her molt she feel off the top of the cage while moving around the top. She has had trouble gripping the logs and climbing stuff and she keeps falling off the top of the cage! What should I do?

I had a few more molt late last night / This morning and they are fine and gripping and walking on top the the cage fine.

Thanks, K.J.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 17, 2011)

She may need to be down on the floor, but it should not make her die, she should still be fine as long as she can eat, I would fix it so she could not climb up on anything and see if she gets stronger.


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## ImTheBugFreak (Aug 17, 2011)

hibiscusmile said:


> She may need to be down on the floor, but it should not make her die, she should still be fine as long as she can eat, I would fix it so she could not climb up on anything and see if she gets stronger.


Ah okay. I was like what should I do? I will try to give her food tomorrow and see what happens.

Thanks for your response I feel much better.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 18, 2011)

So is she ok today or about the same?


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## Survivor7 (Aug 18, 2011)

After my mantises have molted and thus gotten bigger it seems like it takes them awhile to get used to their new weight and be able to climb as well.


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## ImTheBugFreak (Aug 23, 2011)

The mantis is okay I guess you could say. She is climbing and eating but her right arm is stuck sideways! She cant make the praying mantis pose with that arm anymore. Other than that she is good.

I have another problem with a different female African Twig Mantis tho! She molted last night into a adult female and today the whole right side of her body is deformed! Her legs are all misshaped and she cant walk or climb the right front leg is really badly mangled too! What should I do? I feel like shes crippled beyond hope  I don't know if its worth hand feeding her the way she is or putting her in the freezer?

Thanks, K.J.


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## PhilinYuma (Aug 23, 2011)

Bio51Hazard said:


> The mantis is okay I guess you could say. She is climbing and eating but her right arm is stuck sideways! She cant make the praying mantis pose with that arm anymore. Other than that she is good.
> 
> I have another problem with a different female African Twig Mantis tho! She molted last night into a adult female and today the whole right side of her body is deformed! Her legs are all misshaped and she cant walk or climb the right front leg is really badly mangled too! What should I do? I feel like shes crippled beyond hope  I don't know if its worth hand feeding her the way she is or putting her in the freezer?
> 
> Thanks, K.J.


I'd say that the freezer is the best place. Obviously she can't mate. I'm keeping twigs in the 55%Rh range with narry a mismolt. Maybe you should be spraying at least twice as much as you are. Also, give a good spray when you put them to bed because many molt at night,


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## ImTheBugFreak (Aug 24, 2011)

PhilinYuma said:


> I'd say that the freezer is the best place. Obviously she can't mate. I'm keeping twigs in the 55%Rh range with narry a mismolt. Maybe you should be spraying at least twice as much as you are. Also, give a good spray when you put them to bed because many molt at night,


aww okay  

I have been keeping them at 60% Humidity and spraying the cages when needed. I dont understand why some molted fine and others didn't. I mean they all came all the way out of their molts just some got deformed some how!


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## meaganelise9 (Oct 10, 2011)

Unfortunately, I suppose that's part of the reason bugs lay so many eggs at once- they are fragile, and many will not survive what we, as humans, perceive as little things. Molting is hard work. If someone falls and lands badly just coming out of an exoskeleton, it's probably easily injured as it still needs time to harden.


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