# Mantis lost foreleg during molt



## ramantis (Jun 1, 2007)

Hello Everyone-

Need some advice here.....P. Paradoxa molted L6-L7, everything came

out fine with the exception of one of his front claws. Slightly gimpy,

which he then proceeded to eat over the course of a couple of days.

I've read they might regenerate them if lost in earlier molts. Anyone

ever had one regenerate a foreleg this close to adulthood? Any

advice on hand feeding? I've tried dangling small crickets in front of him

with tweeezers.....but he's not going for it. Thanks in advance!

Ron


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## Kriss (Jun 1, 2007)

Thats unfortunate.

I think at 6th - 7th instar there will be some re-growth but not total re-formation of the entire limb.

A picture would be useful.

I have not had to hand feed any mantids *YET* so can't offer any advise based on experience.

I wonder if he can still catch small prey items with his one usable front leg.

I imagine hand feeding would take considerable patience. :?


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## ramantis (Jun 1, 2007)

Thanks Kriss........just got a digital camera (which I am learning to use),

so, unfortunatlely, no pics. He basically just ate it down to a stump.

Seems to be fine otherwise. Every time I've tried hand feeding, he's more interested in climbing up over the cricket, tweezers, my hand, etc..

Hope he makes it!


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## wuwu (Jun 1, 2007)

if he's actually eating his forearm, that may mean he has a fungal infection. that's the only time they actually eat their forearms, to try to stop it from spreading. from my experience, despite their efforts, they usually still die. hopefully yours makes it!


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## ramantis (Jun 1, 2007)

Hope it's not a fungal infection. His foreleg just came out kind of

gimpy afer L7 molt.......would a fungal infection cause a deformed foreleg

after/during a molt? His foreleg also seemed kind of "clear" for lack of a better word. He's a green Ghost, and it looked as if maybe there was

nothing inside. Just kind of like a clear shell of a leg. Ever seen that?


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## Asa (Jun 2, 2007)

Does it have any black spots on it? If so it's probably an infection. Although I once had an insane one who ate nearly his whole body to try and stop it from spreading. Didn't make it obviously.


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## ramantis (Jun 2, 2007)

No black spots......he seems to be ok, just missing a forearm now.

Still can't get him to hand feed. He has not tried to catch any either,

altough I understand they can still catch food with one arm....maybe

he'll figure it out. In the meantime, I'll still try handfeeding.


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## Rick (Jun 3, 2007)

Should be fine. Forelegs take longer to grow back compared to other legs. I doubt he wil grow it back. Should still be able to catch food though.


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## JT (Jun 3, 2007)

i had one at L 4 that moulted out all hunched over and couldn't do much of anything. if you're worried, smash a cricket ( to expose some " guts") and touch it to his mouth( the wet mushy part) and he should start eating it, it might take a couple of tries but he should still eat.


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## Asa (Jun 3, 2007)

> i had one at L 4 that moulted out all hunched over and couldn't do much of anything. if you're worried, smash a cricket ( to expose some " guts") and touch it to his mouth( the wet mushy part) and he should start eating it, it might take a couple of tries but he should still eat.


I don't know, I tried the cricket thing with one of my moulting disasters, and it would refuse to even look at it. I did it three times a day, for two weeks and he finally died.


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## ramantis (Jun 3, 2007)

Well, tried the cricket guts to the face, and he just shied away. Believe

it or not, I took the smashed up cricket and placed it on top of the leaf

nearest his head ( as Ghosts always hang upside down) I did not actually

see him eat it, but the cricket is gone, he was cleaning as they do after they eat, and his stomach looks a bit fuller...


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## JT (Jun 3, 2007)

> Well, tried the cricket guts to the face, and he just shied away. Believeit or not, I took the smashed up cricket and placed it on top of the leaf
> 
> nearest his head ( as Ghosts always hang upside down) I did not actually
> 
> see him eat it, but the cricket is gone, he was cleaning as they do after they eat, and his stomach looks a bit fuller...


awesome! i usually touch it to their mouth,and once they taste it they will usually grab ahold and take it from your hand.


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## ramantis (Jun 3, 2007)

Yeah-I'm surprised.........did not think mantises ever went for dead

prey.


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## Asa (Jun 3, 2007)

Well, Mantids eat tuna, at least mine do.


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## ramantis (Jun 3, 2007)

How do you get them to eat tuna?


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## Asa (Jun 3, 2007)

If they don't go for it immediatly, I just stick a toothpick in it and move it around a bit in front of them. Weird how they'll go for dead fish and not dead crickets.


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## ramantis (Jun 3, 2007)

I'll have to try that one out.


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## Asa (Jun 3, 2007)

They'll even go for really tender chicken. Mine like tuna better though. Wonder if there's some way to put fruit flies in tuna. Maybe wrapping it around them...


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## ramantis (Jun 3, 2007)

I guess next time I cook chicken I'll be cooking for 20...wonder if feeding

them raw chicken would kill them?


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