# Mismolt and malformed limbs



## Violentabyss (Oct 20, 2019)

I ordered a nymph online and when she came she had molted during transit (~4th instar?). Her molt went terribly wrong. She's severely deformed and I'm curious if her limbs might reform when she molts again.

The only intact leg is the front right one. The left looks fine but she doesn't fully use it and it doesn't seem to be able to grab. The back two got stuck together and the molt is still attached. I softened it with some water and cut it in the middle so that the legs could at least move independently. They are definitely not about to come out of the molt, but they're bent every which way anyways.

Her right arm got bent backwards (if it was a human arm it would be the humerus) and is completely useless. The left one is fine, she drags herself along the ground with it.

I thought she would starve, but I managed to feed her two flies. She can't hold food at all and she has always missed when she strikes. I think she can see properly, but I'm not sure. There is a little dent in the back of her right eye.

She can still move, hang, drink, and eat, but she is obviously struggling. How much do you think she will heal next molt? I think the back legs have a shot (they look really bad but it's mostly the old molt) I really don't want to euthanize her before anyone brings that up.


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 20, 2019)

Its unlikely that she will be able to have a good molt next time. Keep her fed and happy until the time comes for a molt, but only time will tell. 

- MantisGirl13


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## Violentabyss (Oct 21, 2019)

MantisGirl13 said:


> Its unlikely that she will be able to have a good molt next time. Keep her fed and happy until the time comes for a molt, but only time will tell.
> 
> - MantisGirl13


I also doubt the molt will go smoothly, but do you think there's any chance that raptor will straighten out? I don't know the logistics of molting, do they kind of liquify like butterflies (presumably it wouldn't be as dramatic) or just get bigger like snakes?


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 21, 2019)

Violentabyss said:


> I also doubt the molt will go smoothly, but do you think there's any chance that raptor will straighten out? I don't know the logistics of molting, do they kind of liquify like butterflies (presumably it wouldn't be as dramatic) or just get bigger like snakes?


No, I doubt the raptor will straighten out once she has hardened after her molt. 

When mantids molt, their new exoskeleton is soft and pliable, which makes the malformations easy. Once the exoskeleton has hardened, usually a few hours after the molt, the exoskeleton cannot be manipulated (not counting joints of course.)

- MantisGirl13


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