# Really need help



## collinchang635 (Jul 21, 2008)

My mantid (Tropidomantis Tenera) broke her leg yesterday. I don't know how it happened. I found her walking very slowly so I looked more closely and saw her leg. I don't know what to do. Help please.


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## chrisboy101 (Jul 21, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> My mantid (Tropidomantis Tenera) broke her leg yesterday. I don't know how it happened. I found her walking very slowly so I looked more closely and saw her leg. I don't know what to do. Help please.


wat stage is she at? and can she still climb the side of the container?


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## collinchang635 (Jul 21, 2008)

I'm not really sure what stage she's at but its either sub adult or sub-sub adult cause she has wing buds. Yeah she still can climb the side of the container but she can't run anymore. She may be molting soon because she stopped eating and its been a little over a week since her last molt.


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## Peter Clausen (Jul 21, 2008)

Usually this doesn't result in death, but you might want to keep an extra eye on her when she's molting and make sure to provide plenty of molting surfaces for her. Older mantids do prefer to molt from the top of a cage and do well off metal screen.

This might sound a bit barbaric to some, but if the leg is dragging around with the mantis, you might want to clip it at the broken point. It could get in the way during the next molt. I don't have a lot of experience with doing this, but it might be a good idea depending on the specific location of the breakage. If it's too close to the body where the leg is very thick, the mantis might bleed to death, however. Also, if your mantis is very close to molting this is also a bad idea. But, if it has just recently molted it should heal over before the next molt.

Which leg was it?

A picture might be helpful for others who have experienced this situation. One of the most memorable posts I've ever read on the forum was about a prosthetic leg(s?) that somebody successfully made and attached to their mantis! Couple years ago now, but you could find it in the archive.


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## collinchang635 (Jul 21, 2008)

The broken point is not that close to her body so i don't think I need to clip her leg. She might molt tonight or tomorrow so i don't think its such a good idea. The broken leg is her bottom right leg.


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## chrisboy101 (Jul 21, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> The broken point is not that close to her body so i don't think I need to clip her leg. She might molt tonight or tomorrow so i don't think its such a good idea. The broken leg is her bottom right leg.


ive done it before, be careful


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## OGIGA (Jul 22, 2008)

What do you mean by broken leg? Foot fell off? Does it look that bad?


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## collinchang635 (Jul 22, 2008)

Well i think she's starting to feel much better. She hasn't molted yet but she can walk faster now. She doesn't have much of an appetite though. Do mantids do that when they are sick or is she going to molt?


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## The_Asa (Jul 22, 2008)

She may be about to molt.


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## pedro92 (Jul 22, 2008)

One time my ghost mantis leg broke somehow and it actually chewed it off at the broken part and ate the leg that was no good.


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## The_Asa (Jul 22, 2008)

Chameleonare said:


> One time my ghost mantis leg broke somehow and it actually chewed it off at the broken part and ate the leg that was no good.


Wow, I've seen them chew the stump off, but never eat it!


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## collinchang635 (Jul 23, 2008)

My mantid shedded and her leg lookss much better now. She got a huge pair of wings too. Can't wait till she can fly


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## MANTIS DUDE (Jul 23, 2008)

Mantid legs will grow back sooooooo sloooooowly


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## idolomantis (Jul 23, 2008)

MANTIS DUDE said:


> Mantid legs will grow back sooooooo sloooooowly


not if they are adult.


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## OGIGA (Jul 23, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> My mantid shedded and her leg lookss much better now. She got a huge pair of wings too. Can't wait till she can fly


Huge pair of wings? I guess she's not going to molt anymore. Let her test her wings now before she gets too fat to fly.


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## mantidsandgeckos (Jul 24, 2008)

Collin's tropidomantis became a beautiful adult  .Hopefully he can find a male!


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## collinchang635 (Jul 24, 2008)

She looks much better  . She flies everywhere now. Now i only can open her cage when i'm in a room with the windows and doors closed because she really loves flying. :blink:


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## Birdfly (Jul 25, 2008)

I dont advise cutting the leg off, often the break is just a bad crease and although the limb is useless for walking on blood is still being pumped around it and it is still alive, if you remove it it will have to grow another but if left alone it might molt out next time perfectly alright.

Obviously with out seeing it i am just speculating


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## Kashmir79 (Jul 27, 2008)

i thought only males liked to fly ?


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