# broken abdomen



## d3xxer (Mar 29, 2010)

Hi, my mantis went for L5 i suppose (she is like 4cm long now) after 1 day she started to eat and everything looked fine. But now her's abdomen is hanging down, very thin in place of bending and she is constantly moving it(same like doing poo).

2nd issue is food, i feed them still with foodflies ;/ when i throw them a house flies they look terryfied, only once mantid catch its pray but after few bites throw away. They were haveing those houseflies like 3-4 days every one lied dead next day not even touched. What can cause this? Should i go with small crickets?(im little affraid they get eaten)

Thx for all replies


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 29, 2010)

Some mantis end up with bellies like this and there is nothing to be done with it, just treat it as usual, as for throwing down the flies, they want water, mist them every day and crickets are ok, but they will eat the flies after they get enough water.


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## d3xxer (Mar 29, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> Some mantis end up with bellies like this and there is nothing to be done with it, just treat it as usual, as for throwing down the flies, they want water, mist them every day and crickets are ok, but they will eat the flies after they get enough water.


So my mantis dont want to eat flies cus they dont have enought water ? Mantis or fly ? If fly drinks enought water mantid will be more interested in getting her ?


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## ismart (Mar 29, 2010)

Do you mean when your mantis is standing normal it's abdomin is bending downward?

or do mean when it's hanging up side down the abdomin is pointing to the floor? Has your mantis been pooping?


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## d3xxer (Mar 29, 2010)

ismart said:


> Do you mean when your mantis is standing normal it's abdomin is bending downward?
> 
> or do mean when it's hanging up side down the abdomin is pointing to the floor? Has your mantis been pooping?


when shes upside down, and shes not pooping, but i see sometimes her poo which dont want to fell off


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 29, 2010)

The mantis needs more water.


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## ismart (Mar 29, 2010)

As hibiscusmile mentioned mist more often. The bend in the abdomen could be causing some internal problem. Try and take a moist Q-tip and gently remove the dried stuck poo. you don't want her to get backed up!


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## d3xxer (Mar 30, 2010)

ismart said:


> As hibiscusmile mentioned mist more often. The bend in the abdomen could be causing some internal problem. Try and take a moist Q-tip and gently remove the dried stuck poo. you don't want her to get backed up!


I gave her some water and misted her cup. I also try to keep her on the ground so her abdomen dont bend so much.

I have also another problem, one of my mantids had some problems with her going to L2, her front catching legs get stuck in old skin, i didnt do much, i just w8 for next molt (feeding her from needle). So she went to L3 but her legs dont regenerate well, one of them still remains from skin from L2 and another one went better but still not well like you see in picture sorry for bad quality (my phone i will try better next 1). And my question is how to prepare her for next molt (if i manage to make her eat)


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## ismart (Mar 30, 2010)

Feed that mantis the same way you did prior. When it comes time for it to moult again, make sure the mantis has plenty of high perches to hang from. Also make sure the mantis has plenty of vertical space to moult. Usually 3 times the lenght of the mantis is sufficient. use a moisture holding substrate like paper towel, or moss to increase enclosure humidity. When the mantis stops eating prior to a moult mist the enclosure more often. I hope this helps some?


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## d3xxer (Mar 30, 2010)

I hope it will but i did same way last moult and only one arm do some progress.

Going back to mantis with bended abdomen, she looks like fine now se even ate few fruit flies but now i see one brown-red spot in her cup which is probably vomit ;/ I dont know what i can do now


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## massaman (Mar 30, 2010)

nope usually that means the end is near for the mantis but maybe not but just keep a eye on it and keep things clean!


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## ismart (Mar 30, 2010)

If it is vomit? Then try and improve your ventalion. Is she fat? If so, don't feed her anymore fruit flies for awhile.


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## d3xxer (Mar 30, 2010)

she dont want to eat ;/ but until now everything was just fine and she still have lots of food in abdomen so she have still some time to get well...


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## Quake (Jun 19, 2010)

It has been pretty hot and humid here in Pittsburgh so I have been learning lots of new things about dehydrated mantids. The droopy abdomen could be an infection, but chances are if you clean the enclosure really well and then give them enough water the appetite will come back and the belly will perk up.


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