# Should I be Concerned???



## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

Hello all, just got a female oxy in the mail, who is otherwise healthy, except for the eye:












Is this something i need to be worried about?

thanx


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## Bryce08 (Feb 15, 2012)

oxys seem to get this a lot, I honestly dont know if its something causing it or not, but I have 1 adult male and 1 adult female both with one bad eye as well.

and so far so good, but that eye does look at tad worse than one on mine...so im not totaly sure


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## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

the back of the eye isnt as bad

still it is sad


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## Precarious (Feb 15, 2012)

Ouch! Looks like she got rattled around along the way. Sorry to see that. Chances are that is dried fluid on the outside of the eye. Give it some time and see if it comes off. If you mist her directly (spray over her and let the droplets fall on her) she will groom and maybe get some of it off.

As xxFaultxx pointed out it's pretty common for Oxys to get a "black eye". Sometimes it's from cage mates wrestling around but apparently also from rough handling during shipping. I have never seen any adverse effects from this. They live a full life so it's no danger to their health.

If, on the other hand, it looks like the eye cavity is split open there may be a danger of infection. From the photos it looks like crust on the surface of the eye, though, so I don't think that's the case.

Did she lose an antenna too?!?!?! :angry: I wish I could email mantises to save them the stress of shipping.


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## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

her antennae are shot to ###### lol!! it appears to be caked on (not gonna try to scrape it off), the back of the eye looks fine so it may be a piece of fly or watever

was it like that before she was shipped? also, the black dot on the wing in the second pic, is that from the male?

thanx


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## Precarious (Feb 15, 2012)

No idea on the spot on the wing.

She was perfect when I shipped her. Had both antennae. Eye was normal. Either way, she will continue to give you ooths. Just take care of her. You will fall in love with her. They are a really fun species. They vibrate when they feel threatened or when they spot prey.


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## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

YAY can't wait!!! even thinkin of walkin to my grandpa's with her (about a mile away)

she's sooooo cute!!! :wub:


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## twolfe (Feb 15, 2012)

2/3 of my females have black eyes. I kept the girls together until they had been adults for about a week. If I had extra enclosures, I'd like to raise some separately and see if that happens.

That is much larger of a black eye than I have seen, but as the others said, I wouldn't worry about it.

Oxys are very cute and friendly.


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## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

i miss mine!!!  

she isnt dead but i'm not at home with her

she's a nice mantis!!! i cant wait to get home and handle her!!! they can eat crix right?


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## CoolMantid (Feb 15, 2012)

Should be able to handle it


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## Precarious (Feb 15, 2012)

agent A said:


> i miss mine!!!
> 
> she isnt dead but i'm not at home with her
> 
> she's a nice mantis!!! i cant wait to get home and handle her!!! they can eat crix right?


Adult crickets...


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## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

oh cool!!! is that her in the pic???


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## Precarious (Feb 15, 2012)

agent A said:


> oh cool!!! is that her in the pic???


At least one of those pics is her. Those were the two I mated to sell.


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## agent A (Feb 15, 2012)

coolio  

my manty is a photo star lol!!! she kinda reminds me of a GIANT odontomantis with wingspots lol


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## sinensispsyched (Feb 16, 2012)

Wow, Precarious. Those pics make ME want to get an oxy!


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## agent A (Feb 16, 2012)

These guys r ravenous!!! Last night she ate 2 flies and 2 crix

Sinensispsyched, u can have an ooth of hers if u want

I'm keepin the next ooth, I promised gripen the one after that, then u can have the one after gripens ooth


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## Precarious (Feb 16, 2012)

sinensispsyched said:


> Wow, Precarious. Those pics make ME want to get an oxy!


I'll have nymphs soon. Or you can reserve an ooth. Just give the word. The nymphs are even cuter than adults.



agent A said:


> These guys r ravenous!!! Last night she ate 2 flies and 2 crix
> 
> Sinensispsyched, u can have an ooth of hers if u want
> 
> I'm keepin the next ooth, I promised gripen the one after that, then u can have the one after gripens ooth


Don't overfeed her. Give her no more than one cricket a day. They have to build body weight over time.


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## agent A (Feb 16, 2012)

Precarious said:


> I'll have nymphs soon. Or you can reserve an ooth. Just give the word. The nymphs are even cuter than adults.
> 
> Don't overfeed her. Give her no more than one cricket a day. They have to build body weight over time.


  

Is she gonna die now? I hope not  

So they r not like creos u can just fill in 2 days and not feed for like 3?

Darn  

Oh well, won't do it again lol


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## twolfe (Feb 16, 2012)

My Oxys stop eating when they are full. I usually feed mine bb flies and an occasional mealworms.


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## mkayum (Feb 18, 2012)

sinensispsyched said:


> Wow, Precarious. Those pics make ME want to get an oxy!


 Me too!


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## mykey14 (Mar 3, 2012)

why does everyone feed flies and crickets and mealworms?

i thought mantids needed a varied diet.

I feed mine roaches, bees, moths, small lizards(not often), spiders, and beetles.

I try to avoid at all costs pet store food.

My mantids grow up to be strong and healthy while avoiding the pet store diet.


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## ismart (Mar 5, 2012)

mykey14 said:


> why does everyone feed flies and crickets and mealworms?
> 
> i thought mantids needed a varied diet.
> 
> ...


I do agree that nature has the best naturally grown food for your mantids. It's just most people this time of year do not have access to such an abundance of food items locally. Finding any inverts in my yard this time of year is close to impossible! Too cold!


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