# Playing dead?



## blinktiger (Jun 19, 2011)

*Edit:* The little guy has indeed passed away. Love you, buddy.

I am a first-time mantis owner.

Alright. So, I keep my mantis nymph in a a jar with a folded paper towel at the base, two sticks to climb on, regularly-replentished fruit flies, and every-other-day mistings.

He/she's an African mantis, maybe 3/4 of an inch long, and has shed once.

I found him today at the bottom of the jar, lying limp as if dead! I'm well aware that many mantis species do play dead, but I haven't been able to find any stories about mantids at this young of an age doing it.

I need your advice! Do you think he's playing dead, or is it for real?


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Jun 19, 2011)

If you pick him/her up and they don't move at all shortly, I would guess the worst. But you can always wait and hope.


----------



## lancaster1313 (Jun 19, 2011)

If it is "playing dead" or pretending to be a stick, it will move in a couple of minutes if you leave it alone. If it has been there for a while, then that is not good.


----------



## lancaster1313 (Jun 19, 2011)

I just reread the post and limpness is not good. All of mine that have dropped to be a stick or play dead, have been quite rigid.

I have seen them drop and fake me out at all ages.

What kind of ventilation do you have in the jar? I have found that my mantids do much better with a screened off section. A few holes isn't really good enough, in my experience.

Are there any spots or splatters in the container? Sometimes when a mantis is sick it will vomit and/or have wet frass. After that they may go limp and die, if they don't get the right conditions.


----------



## blinktiger (Jun 19, 2011)

likebugs said:


> I just reread the post and limpness is not good. All of mine that have dropped to be a stick or play dead, have been quite rigid.
> 
> I have seen them drop and fake me out at all ages.
> 
> ...


The jar lid is a tacked-down paper towel.

There are several white spots, but I'm not sure how many of those to attribute to the mantis, as I can see the same thing on the walls of my fruit fly container.

And he's been there for a while... Not looking good, I guess.


----------



## lancaster1313 (Jun 19, 2011)

White spots don't sound that bad, but limpness does. Try taking out your mantis and see if it perks up. It doesn't sound good, but we can hope?

Sounds like ventilation issues to me. If the paper towel gets moist, then that will block ventilation even worse.  

If your mantis perks up, or you get another one. You can use pantyhose or something more breathable, if you don't have screening handy.


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Jun 19, 2011)

likebugs said:


> White spots don't sound that bad, but limpness does. Try taking out your mantis and see if it perks up. It doesn't sound good, but we can hope?
> 
> Sounds like ventilation issues to me. If the paper towel gets moist, then that will block ventilation even worse.
> 
> If your mantis perks up, or you get another one. You can use pantyhose or something more breathable, if you don't have screening handy.


+1  Bad ventitation is a unseen silent killer that most learn the hard way....


----------



## blinktiger (Jun 19, 2011)

likebugs said:


> White spots don't sound that bad, but limpness does. Try taking out your mantis and see if it perks up. It doesn't sound good, but we can hope?
> 
> Sounds like ventilation issues to me. If the paper towel gets moist, then that will block ventilation even worse.
> 
> If your mantis perks up, or you get another one. You can use pantyhose or something more breathable, if you don't have screening handy.


Thank you for the input.

Yes, I believe you're right. I was hoping the paper would be porous enough, but I suppose not  

I'll definitely buy screening in the future.


----------



## snowflake (Jun 19, 2011)

Miri said:


> Thank you for the input.
> 
> Yes, I believe you're right. I was hoping the paper would be porous enough, but I suppose not
> 
> I'll definitely buy screening in the future.


no u just need to buy coffee filters thats wht i used with the jars


----------



## snowflake (Jun 19, 2011)




----------



## blinktiger (Jun 19, 2011)

ghost man said:


> no u just need to buy coffee filters thats wht i used with the jars


Coffee filters? And you've been successful with those? Good, because I have several in my house...


----------



## snowflake (Jun 19, 2011)

Miri said:


> Coffee filters? And you've been successful with those? Good, because I have several in my house...


yea they work great they let plenty of air in i never had a problem with them  

u want to switch to screen when you mantis is big enogh to eat bbs if u use screen right now your ffs will go right thu and then they get all over


----------



## lancaster1313 (Jun 19, 2011)

Hey, I really liked using the pantyhose cause it is easy to stretch over, even large containers. But if you don't have any laying around...

:lol: 

I actually never thought of coffee filters as tops, but I use one of those metal coffee filters that can be washed out and reused. :mellow:


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Jun 19, 2011)

Uummm, I think coffee filters will do much the same thing as paper towel(paper towel is even more porous than a filter) when wet, and not let any air through??? :blink: 

I'm not saying it won't work, but the result is the same or worse. I can breathe through a paper towel but not a coffee filter.


----------



## Rick (Jun 20, 2011)

Some mantids do play dead but it usually involves dropping down and being stiff.


----------



## blinktiger (Jun 20, 2011)

angelofdeathzz said:


> Uummm, I think coffee filters will do much the same thing as paper towel(paper towel is even more porous than a filter) when wet, and not let any air through??? :blink:
> 
> I'm not saying it won't work, but the result is the same or worse. I can breathe through a paper towel but not a coffee filter.


Well, the thing is, I never let the paper get wet, so I don't think that was the problem...

But I'll probably go with breathable fabric or fine mesh anyway; safer bet.


----------

