# twisted front arm after molt... now what?



## Davidson (Jul 16, 2005)

One of my mantids just finished a bad molt with a front arm twisted backwards on the opposite side. This is probably the 4th molt or so, and it's a little over an inch long. This is the first time I've ever raised mantids ... will the arm "fix" itself with the next molt? Should i feed it by hand until then, should I put it out of its (assumed) misery, or...?

Any help much appreciated,

D


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## Rick (Jul 31, 2005)

It should be able to catch food with one arm. If the messed up one is hindering it then maybe you could amputate it? I've done that before. It will grow back if the mantid has enough molts left.


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## dino (Aug 1, 2005)

The next arm might recover within its nex molt.


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## Rick (Aug 1, 2005)

If you remove the arm it won't grow back fully in one molt. It will take a few at least and that is if it has that many molts left.


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## dino (Aug 1, 2005)

I'm sure it has plenty of molts left....Davinson said his mantis was on L-4 or something.


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## Rick (Aug 1, 2005)

Only a few at most which might be enough.


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## Peekaboo (Aug 3, 2005)

> I'm sure it has plenty of molts left....Davinson said his mantis was on L-4 or something.


One of my Chinese lost half of his front arm during a bad molt. It took three molts and a lot of babying to get the claw to grow back completely.

Hopefully the 3-4 molts that Davison has left wil be enough to either fix the arm or grow a new one.


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