# A prosthesis for an old female



## Domanating (Nov 10, 2012)

This female Religiosa has been having some issues with her claws since she freshly molted to adulthood. The problems started when a katydid bit and crushed her right claw tip. The injury is visible in the pic above. It managed to heal itself, although a little out of place, and remained there for 2 months and a half until finally breaking off yesterday.

Unfortunately for her, an infection took place on the left claw and she can no longer use it to hunt while the other had not enough surface to grab prey. So I created for her a tiny prosthetisis to give her more surface area to be able to hunt. It doesn't look very nice but at least it works as planned: It can grab and used for locomotion.
















It took about 1 hour to stick that thing to her arm because she wasn't cooperating much. At least i'm satisfied that she uses it well. As for the infection, it's quickly spreading and nearly reaching the elbow, so I might amputate the limb there today.


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## Sticky (Nov 10, 2012)

Very good! I like it! If you have to you can try hand feeding. I loved doing that with Sticky and Fred.


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## Domanating (Nov 10, 2012)

Sticky said:


> Very good! I like it! If you have to you can try hand feeding. I loved doing that with Sticky and Fred.


I hand fed many aswell but if there's something i don't have is time. And hand feeding when a mantis that cannot hold on to prey is very time consuming. So i try to make some gadgets to help them as well as me


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## sally (Nov 10, 2012)

yes i enjoyed handfeeding Sally when she got old. i am glad she didn't suffer at the end though....


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## fleurdejoo (Nov 10, 2012)

You are awesome and rock!!!


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## angelofdeathzz (Nov 10, 2012)

Well done!

http://youtu.be/4Nfvyny_yBk


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## SilentDeviL (Nov 10, 2012)

wow so cool u fixed the claw.


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## Paradoxica (Nov 10, 2012)

Haha " Six Million Dollar Mantis"


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## hierodula (Nov 10, 2012)

-LOVE IT! thats a great idea.


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## Precarious (Nov 10, 2012)

Haha! Nice!


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## Digger (Nov 10, 2012)

Really laudable work, Dom! What materials did you use to create the prosthesis?


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## RocknessMonster (Nov 10, 2012)

wow! that looks amazing great job!


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## Malakyoma (Nov 10, 2012)

I'm really impressed with this. Good work


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## Reptiliatus (Nov 10, 2012)

Excellent work!


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## Golden State Vivs (Nov 10, 2012)

Wow, that is both amazing and awesome that you took the time to fashion a prosthetic claw for your mantis!


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## Domanating (Nov 10, 2012)

I'm glad you all like my prosthesis  



Digger said:


> Really laudable work, Dom! What materials did you use to create the prosthesis?


Simply by using a small fragment of a tall dry weed as the connector and pieces of a stick to to make that "tooth" and the spike like end. All gently prepared with a nail clipper and my swiss army knife.

First I made a small gap in the weed fragment to fit what was left of the claw in it, sharpened those stick parts and everything was sticked together with common super glue. The only precaution was making sure the mantis mouth wouldn't touch the prosthesis while the glue was drying. Seems simple but convincing a mantis that what you're doing is harmless and helpful isn't an easy task.


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## Krissim Klaw (Nov 11, 2012)

That is so beyond awesome! She is one lucky girl with you giving her a second lease on life.


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## shane (Nov 11, 2012)

thats really cool!!! its like terminater... im sorry for the infection... but still it wuld be cool to have mantis covered with wood armor!!!


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## Domanating (Nov 11, 2012)

Ok so, today as i looked at her moving around i thought that if i clipped the weed fragment a little more then she could use the wooden tooth a little better. It was so hard to clip that thing that when i did, the prosthesis literally flew off because of the the force I applied. I was kind of disappointed but then i had an idea and made a new and even better prosthesis, far more reliable and made, again, with a dry weed connector and malleable aluminium. Not aluminum foil but something mostly used for can lids, bendable but strong enough. I'll try to get some pics today. (as soon as i find my camera)


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## Domanating (Nov 11, 2012)

Here it is my upgraded prosthesis


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## ismart (Nov 11, 2012)

Wow! That's just freaking awesome! Nice job! Now you need to make one that opens beer bottles, and shoot fire! :gun_bandana:


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## Ranitomeya (Nov 11, 2012)

This is proof that we're on our way to producing cyborg mantids that will one day do our bidding!... or wipe us out! :helpsmilie:


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## MandellaMandy123 (Nov 11, 2012)

Wow - that's awesome. Great job.


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## sinensispsyched (Nov 11, 2012)

I think I like the first one, since it is not only natural, but also a very ingenious craftsmanship. The foil just looks a little bit too foreign on the raptorial.

Sorry for being a bit picky; both are great ideas and great looks.


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## Domanating (Nov 12, 2012)

sinensispsyched said:


> I think I like the first one, since it is not only natural, but also a very ingenious craftsmanship. The foil just looks a little bit too foreign on the raptorial.
> 
> Sorry for being a bit picky; both are great ideas and great looks.


It's no problem. We all have an opinion but i didn't choose the aluminium for looks. I chose it because it is easier to work on and allowed me to make serrated teeth, which drastically improved the grip. Most of the other prosthesis surface was smooth and it was harder for the mantis to grab prey or move around.


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## sinensispsyched (Nov 12, 2012)

I can see that. Good job, and keep the good work coming!


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## Domanating (Nov 14, 2012)

Yesterday, the infected claw was cut at the elbow and it seems to have healed well. No signs of the infection advance. However the infection started at the other claw in the "wrist" area and it's advance is very rapid.

A pic of the new infection yesterday:






2 Pics of the infection today:











The infection is already causing problems and the claw open/close movements are very limited but still enough for the mantis to grab prey, not to hunt though.

I came up with an idea and I would like your opinion. I don't know if it was discussed before but here it goes:

Whatever the cause of the infection is, fungus or bacteria, removing the affected area seems to fix the problem. It looks logical and straight forward but leaving a large wound for more hazards to come in isn't that logical. But somehow the mantis almost always seems to heal the wound without any other problems. So I'm thinknig that the immune system of the mantis does not recognize the infection as a problem and doesn't react. However, after making a deep wound then the immune system will take action and create a wall against all hazards including the infecting bacteria/fungus, preventing it from progressing. (IN THEORY)

Here's the deal, what if i intentionally make some wounds around the newly infected area? It might stop the infection on their tracks, if my theory is right.

Opinions and critics are most welcome before I make any futile attempts on mutilating my female. I want to take care of this fast before the infection makes its way to the articulation.


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## hibiscusmile (Nov 14, 2012)

gee I dont know, wether to call u "house" dr jeckel or hyde?


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## Domanating (Nov 14, 2012)

hibiscusmile said:


> gee I dont know, wether to call u "house" dr jeckel or hyde?


  

That's a nice one. Well sometimes bad things can do some good. But for the time being I'm thinking and relying on your opinion if What i suggested can actually help


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## ismart (Nov 14, 2012)

In my opinion cutting off the infected limb would just be the best bet. I don't think creating more wounds is going to help any. I do believe they are aware of such infections. I have witnessed on several occassions mantids chewing off infected limbs. If i were you i would still try your theory out. Worst case scenario you could still chop the arm off if it continues to spread.


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## hibiscusmile (Nov 14, 2012)

I think she has bling!


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## Mëluzynn (Nov 14, 2012)

Well, the protesis is just stunnung, I've never imagined something like that. Congrats unk: 

Ok, I'll try to express myself correctly...lol I've heard this things of making wounds around a wound by a friends who raises geckos but the experience was bad, all the wounds get infected, badly, it was worse than the inital wound. A gecko is not a mantis, maybe the result will be different, I don't know... Have you tried to "dig" the wound ? Hum... Hard to express... You dig the wound with a scalpel (medical knife ?) until all the infected tissue is off, then you "burn" (cauterize ?) with something hot to kill all the left bacterias ? I personally tried that on a fish, it works. But a fish is not a mantis...

Don't know how to help, sorry


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## Ranitomeya (Nov 14, 2012)

Perhaps when you are forced to amputate the other raptorial, you can give her a sort of sharp, outward-pointing spike that she can impale her food on? Just don't make her angry or she might stab you!


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## Domanating (Nov 15, 2012)

Mëluzynn said:


> Well, the protesis is just stunnung, I've never imagined something like that. Congrats unk:
> 
> Ok, I'll try to express myself correctly...lol I've heard this things of making wounds around a wound by a friends who raises geckos but the experience was bad, all the wounds get infected, badly, it was worse than the inital wound. A gecko is not a mantis, maybe the result will be different, I don't know... Have you tried to "dig" the wound ? Hum... Hard to express... You dig the wound with a scalpel (medical knife ?) until all the infected tissue is off, then you "burn" (cauterize ?) with something hot to kill all the left bacterias ? I personally tried that on a fish, it works. But a fish is not a mantis...
> 
> Don't know how to help, sorry


It's true that there's no 100% guarantee of avoiding infections but unlike most fish and reptiles, insects are used to losing legs and have adapted to that by using an efficient immune system. Removing a leg of a bug is no big deal and it heals fast but if it happens to a gecko? Well, that might not be so good.

Ismart has a point as well, if the infection isn't stopped with my experiment, cutting off the claw resolves it. Better try it than doing nothing at all i guess.



Ranitomeya said:


> Perhaps when you are forced to amputate the other raptorial, you can give her a sort of sharp, outward-pointing spike that she can impale her food on? Just don't make her angry or she might stab you!


They cannot impale prey on their own, specially when prey tend to have tough shells, but it's possible if i give a hand.

That's actually an interesting idea but it becomes tricky to do it when there's nothing more than the elbow to attach that kind of prosthesis


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## Mëluzynn (Nov 15, 2012)

Domanating said:


> It's true that there's no 100% guarantee of avoiding infections but unlike most fish and reptiles, insects are used to losing legs and have adapted to that by using an efficient immune system. Removing a leg of a bug is no big deal and it heals fast but if it happens to a gecko? Well, that might not be so good.
> 
> Ismart has a point as well, if the infection isn't stopped with my experiment, cutting off the claw resolves it. Better try it than doing nothing at all i guess.


It is not the subject here but just to say, cutting a Betta splendens rotten fins works very well too


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## Mvalenz (Nov 15, 2012)

That is incredible. You should put rhinestones on it for some bling effect.

I've seen my mantids impale feeders before on a couple of occasions.


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## Digger (Nov 15, 2012)

She says, "I'LL BE BACK!"


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## fleurdejoo (Nov 16, 2012)

So what has happened? Have you removed it or gone with the wounding idea?


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## Domanating (Nov 17, 2012)

The amount of pressure I have to apply to puncture that claw is enormous. I'm afraid that if I went on with this I would pierce the claw from one side to the other and destroy it. So I think I'll let the claw be as long as it is still functional. The infection seems to have slowed down too.


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## Sticky (Nov 17, 2012)

Have you tried putting honey on it? Honey can destroy infections. It helped one of mine who had injured its eyes during molting.


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## D_Hemptress (Nov 17, 2012)

Domanating said:


> Here it is my upgraded prosthesis
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Domanating (Nov 17, 2012)

Sticky said:


> Have you tried putting honey on it? Honey can destroy infections. It helped one of mine who had injured its eyes during molting.


I wonder if that's even possible. Unlike us the mantis is covered with a hard exoskeleton and they can't absorb fluids through it like our skin can. I might reconsider if we're speaking of the abdomen but in this case it's the most hard part of the body


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## Domanating (Dec 18, 2012)

Well, The prosthesis female is finally gone. Died yesterday due to old age. I thought she could live until Christmas or new year but I was too optimistic. All of her back legs had infections spreading up to her body. Also, nasty black spots with red rings around them on the abdomen made me guess she won't live long and sure enough 2 days later she died.

I pinned her in a different way than the other mantids as symbol of a memorable mantis.






She had some trouble eating these last 2 weeks. Not because of old age but she wore off her jaws by chewing all the time on the prosthesis. That's the only negative aspect of making a prosthesis for mantis I guess. Take a look at these pics taken one month apart from each other. that's some serious chewing.



Domanating said:


>


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## sally (Dec 18, 2012)

Awww sorry she is gone


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## Digger (Dec 18, 2012)

Agreed Sticky. I've used honey at tibia dislocations, and the "stump" end remains healthy with the remainder of the leg.


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## lancaster1313 (Dec 18, 2012)

I am curious about whether the mantis ingested parts of the prosthesis. Also, if it may have been harmful to her.

Did she pass any metal in her frass?


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## Domanating (Dec 18, 2012)

likebugs said:


> I am curious about whether the mantis ingested parts of the prosthesis. Also, if it may have been harmful to her.
> 
> Did she pass any metal in her frass?


I was wondering that too. Good thing I replaced the substrate with paper towel and cotton layers. Makes my quest to find suspicious droppings easier, lol.

I didn't find anything abnormal though. But I'm not sure if a bug can eat something inedible by mistake. Unlike us they need a longer while to crush and turn food into a paste and pass through all those mouth parts. I'm not saying that it's not possible, just seems unlikely. Maybe very small fragments would pass harmlessly through the digestive system.


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## Sticky (Feb 21, 2013)

Does anyone know what bacteria/fungus causes this? I have a little guy, Boo-boo, who has fallen from my hand and has black knees. I cut one off. It looked good for awhile but now is re-infected and spreading again.

Another knee is black but is not spreading.

Should I cut the spreading infected leg at the joint next to the body? Or is it hopeless for him?


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## BugLover (Feb 21, 2013)

Sticky said:


> Does anyone know what bacteria/fungus causes this? I have a little guy, Boo-boo, who has fallen from my hand and has black knees. I cut one off. It looked good for awhile but now is re-infected and spreading again.
> 
> Another knee is black but is not spreading.
> 
> Should I cut the spreading infected leg at the joint next to the body? Or is it hopeless for him?


I think you should cut it at the joint


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