# mantis going to explode?



## argoldst

One of my mantids is one shed away from adulthood but i have a problem.

He ate a couple crickets and had a nice full belly. However, now, a few days later, his belly has not gotten any smaller. Even worse, he has not gone to the bathroom in the past few days. (normally he went at least a couple times a day).

I am really concerned that he may be consitpated or have something blocking him from going to the bathroom. Is there anything I can do?


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## Johnald Chaffinch

dont worry. it does seem some take longer to digest than others, and if they have a super massive meal it seems to take ages before it starts going down. i'm fnding this to be more the case as they get bigger and can pack more food in.

how long have you had them?

.even if there was something wrong there'd be nothing you could do. look at it in the way that because it's so full you dont have to be feeding it as often, you dont have to deal with them when it's full.

from what i've read it seems very few species eat to the point of splitting, they usually know when enough's enough, so yours probably does.


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## argoldst

Maybe I was not really clear enough. I am not concerned about him being fat and "splitting". I am concerned he is not getting thinner and, more importantly, he is not going to the bathroom. Eventually, won't he get so backed up he will die?

He seems to have great energy and still eyes food.


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## Johnald Chaffinch

ah, it was just that the topic title was 'mantis going to explode' :lol: 

how long has it been like that?

it'll be fine,

i havent read about any dying that way.


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## Rick

The mantis will be fine.


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## argoldst

Sadly she died yesterday. I even put her in a nice container with no substrate to confirm she was not deficating.

I never heard of this but I guess there is a first for everything.


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## Johnald Chaffinch

damn, sorry to hear that.

there's really nothing you can do when they fall ill.

we were wrong too


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## Rick

Yeah weird. I have it where they stay fat for awhile after eating. But I have also had them just die for no reason too. It may or may not be related.


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## Johnald Chaffinch

*hi, new question:*

i have an Hymenopus coronatus ( Orchid ) and i think it's sub-adult. after it's last shed ( about a day ago ) it's had a hard black looking think stuck to it's bum, i'm not totally sure that it's excrement, though it does look like it's kind of lodged there. i'm concerned it's going to stop it being able to go to the bathroom. My question is:

should i attempt to pull it out with tweezers?

if i spray it and kind of knock it a bit that might fix it. has anyone attempted this kind of thing? i might take a macro photo later to find out exactly what to do, i really want this little fella to make it


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## Jwonni

Johnald Chaffinch do not worry about this my first orchid to get big shed had a bad one and is like that BUT has been like that for 3 weeks ish and there are dropping on the bottom so she is definately not blocked up and then my second shed and she now also has the same and again has poo'd all over

maybe its marking or maybe they are just always in a half poo stage but mine a fine


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## Jwonni

here is a pic of my bad shed mantis (arms are like that always thats the bad shed) so you can see if ya think its the same


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## argoldst

I would tell you to try to spray some warm water on it. That could help the situation. You might want to remove the substrate so you can actually see if it is going to the bathroom.

Either way, I wish you and your mantid good luck.



> *hi, new question:*i have an Hymenopus coronatus ( Orchid ) and i think it's sub-adult. after it's last shed ( about a day ago ) it's had a hard black looking think stuck to it's bum, i'm not totally sure that it's excrement, though it does look like it's kind of lodged there. i'm concerned it's going to stop it being able to go to the bathroom. My question is:
> 
> should i attempt to pull it out with tweezers?
> 
> if i spray it and kind of knock it a bit that might fix it. has anyone attempted this kind of thing? i might take a macro photo later to find out exactly what to do, i really want this little fella to make it


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## Johnald Chaffinch

thanks guys! that's helpful, and thanks for showing the pic, looks exactly the same as mine.

i had a Blepharopsis mendica ( thistle ) with an arm like that and it slowly got better, so hopefully yours will too Jwonni

this Orchid is my girlfriends favourite of my mantids and so i feel i need to give extra special care to this one.

EDIT:

i've done macro photos of it's bum and it seems it's just a natural marking, kind of in the shape of a tiny fly...

good job i didnt try and pull it off with tweezers!! :shock:

thanks for the help anyway


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